Hotel Eden Roc, Ascona
(Picture: Hotel Eden Roc/Olivia Pulver & Sarah Vonesch)Since Roman times, Italy has been the seat of European culture, beauty, and impeccable design. And, in recent years, destinations like Sicily, Puglia, and major cities like Rome and Florence have taken precedence in the touristic imagination.
The lakes that cover vast swathes of the northern province of Lombardy have been overlooked in the past century, but that is beginning to change. The shores of Lake Maggiore, Iseo, and Garda were once the definitive destinations for Grand Tour alumni like Romantic poets Percy Shelley and Lord Byron, who came for the healing lake air, art, and culture.
