Parco Pallavicino

Built in 1855 as a holiday house for Queen Margherita and King Umberto I by Ruggero Bonghi (a friend of Manzoni's and Rosmini's) in one of the most beautiful spots on Lake Maggiore, the villa was at a later date sold to the Duke of Villambrosa, to whom we are indebted for the first park and the introduction of plants at the time relatively unknown in Italy such as sequoias and Liriodendron tulypifera.

The villa became the property of the Marquises Pallavicino in 1862: to them we the present layout of the park. Covering a surface of about 18 hectares, the park includes a zoological garden planned by the proprietor's mother, open lawns and classical gardens. There are innumerable trees including majestic sequoias, Ginkgoes, plane trees, oak-trees, magnolias, larches and fruit-trees, a superb cedar of Lebanon to be found on the downs in front of the villa, wisteria, oleanders, azaleas, rhododendrons and a large rose-garden. At the back of the parterre we have just described there is the most enchanting area in the park: a simple grassy path covered in wild flowers, bordered by a line of cypresses curved so as to create a row of arches which give the impression of a cloister opening out onto the water, thus offering spectacular views of the lake and the surrounding mountains.

There is also a ''Farm'' area with meek Tibetan goats, ''saltasassi'' sheep, sheep, llamas and deer that live free in the grounds and look for contact with young visitors.

In July 2017, the Pallavicino Park became part of the Terre Borromeo circuit with Isola Bella, Isola Madre, Rocca di Angera and Parco del Mottarone.