Lake Iseo trip planner

A vacation guide to Lake Iseo, Italy—including Monte Isola and Pisogne, and the prehistoric rock art in the Val Camonica

Low key Lake Iseo is a sometimes prettier—and certainly less depoiled-by-development—cousin to the Big Three lakes. There are a few diverting sights, some nice art, and a relaxing pace of life on the largest lake island in Italy.

Lake Iseo is also a gateway to the Franciacorta wine region, and hides one sightseeing trump card up its sleeve: a little known but truly spectacular series of prehistoric rock carvings in the Val Camonica valley stretching north of the lake shores.

Most of the worthwhile sights and towns on the lake proper line the eastern shore—though the views are spoiled a bit by the vast quarry on the western banks.

Tranquility on Monte Isola

Sant'Antonio da Padova by Antonio and Bartolomeo Vivarini in the Galleraia Taldini, Lovere, Lake Iseo.The lake is dominated by a huge forested hump at its center, ★ Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Italy.

There's little in particular to see, just a relaxing pace of life in its half-dozen tiny villages accessible by ferry from Sulzano or Sale Marasino.

Paintings in Lovere

The sightseeing action starts heating up as you move toward the north end of the lake.

In the town of Lovere is the Galleria Tadini with minor paintings by some major artists, including Jacopo Bellini, Parmigianino, Tintoretto, Palma Il Giovane, Tiepolo, and Hayez (Via Taldini 40, tel. +39-035-962-780, www.accademiatadini.it).

Frescoes in Pisogne

Frescoes my Romanino in the chruch of Santa Maria della Neve, Pisogne, Lake Iseo On the edge of the town of Pisogne sits the church of ★ Santa Maria della Neve, slathered inside with excellent 1532-34 frescoes by Romanino.

(Follow his name on signs; if locked, inquire at the cafe inside the adjacent cloisters).

Pyramids near Zone

Above the lake, outside the town of Zone, is a series of much-photographed, weirdly eroded rock pinnacles called the Pyramids of Zone.

Near Lake Iseo

Sparking wines in the Franciacorta

The Franciacorta wine region is famous for both light red and beefy whites (think: Chardonnay), but mostly for Franciacorta DOCG, a Brut ranked among the top sparkling whites in Italy... » more

 

Ten thousand-year-old art in the Val Camonica

Along trails snaking through the slopes of the pre-Alpine valleys of eastern Lombardy, the prehistoric Camuni tribes etched half-exposed rock faces with more than 300,000 images of humans, animals, houses, symbols, and inscrutable... » more

 

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