Introduction
Sometimes a short break is all you need. We loaded the car with our camping gear and headed south from Bern to Stresa, a charming lakeside town on Lago Maggiore in the Piedmont region of Italy. We stayed two nights at a campsite above the town and spent a full day exploring Stresa and the beautiful island of Isola Bella.
Arrival Day:
We left Bern at around 16:30 and headed south towards Italy. Since there were only two of us, we skipped the car train through the tunnel and followed this route on Google Maps, crossing the Simplon Pass on the way. The drive took about four hours, and we arrived at Camping 7 Camini at around 20:30. A staff member came over right away, helped us check in, and we paid for two nights including electricity on the spot.
The sun was already setting, but there was just enough light left to pitch our tent on the spot the staff member showed us. He also connected us to the power supply and ran a cable up to our tent, so we could charge our 230 V devices and power banks right inside.
Day in Stresa:
In the morning, we left the campsite and drove about 20 minutes down to Stresa, where we parked our car for the whole day at Parcheggio Piazza Marconi. We started the day with breakfast at Bar LungoLago right by the lake. Afterwards, we took the boat over to Isola Bella, where we had lunch at Il Fornello Bottega con Cucina. We spent the afternoon relaxing and strolling around the island before heading back to Stresa to explore the town. For dinner, we went to Lido Blu, and later in the evening, we returned to the campsite for the night.
Departure Day:
On our last morning, we packed everything back into the car and left the campsite at around 08:30. Back in town, we had breakfast at Paulon di Vino Caffè. After that, we drove straight up to the Simplon Pass, where we stopped for a snack at around 11:30. We arrived back home in Bern at around 14:30.
Expenses (CHF)
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Petrol 60
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Boat Stresa – Isola Bella, 2 persons 16
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Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) 130
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Snacks 15
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Parking 12
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Camping 7 Camini, 2 nights 58
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Total 291
Conclusion
Stresa turned out to be the perfect destination for a short camping trip. Only about four hours from Bern, it offers a scenic drive over the Simplon Pass, a friendly campsite and stunning views of Lago Maggiore. The boat trip to Isola Bella and the good Italian food made our day in town truly special. For less than CHF 300 in total, we enjoyed a relaxed and affordable getaway that felt like a real holiday, even though it only lasted two nights.
