Waking up in the Swiss alps with a beautiful view of Matterhorn is incomparable. I pack up camp, stop by the local grocery store and pick up some pastries and a toblerone. Of course I have to eat it with the view of Matterhorn in the background, as that’s the mountain on the label. Even the candy is shaped like little mountains, chewy almond nougat like snow. I am a fan!

I leave Switzerland for Italy, hitchhiking a ride from the other side of the mountain range with a French couple, who also agreed Switzerland is too expensive, so they will go to the French alps. I stop for a raspberry donut hole and continue on by train to Italy, but the beautiful view is obscured by a tunnel. This is one of the most beautiful roads in the world and I wish I tried to hitch-hike it too. On the other side the mountains get smaller and smaller into the town of Domodosolla, where I have to transfer. I get briefly rained on during a lunch excursion through the charming Domodosorro old town and try a tiramisu gelato.

I continue to Lago Maggiore for a beautiful stroll along the promenade of Stresa. The alps are faintly visible in the background of the aqua lake. I change out of my alps morning outfit because of the intense heat; it is tempting to go for a swim.

I go to the docks and hop on the boat to the beautiful island I see in the lake. There are several, traditionally fisherman villages, and then royalty occupied castles. I do some birding along the water for grebes and cormorants before I duck inside the castle as it starts to rain.

A tour of the palace is required to reach the gardens, but I am absolutely impressed. Usually I don’t like baroque style, but the gaudy portrait galleries, ballrooms and banquet halls win me over. I love the Flemish tapestries depicting animals, while still a religious theme, it’s refreshing to see something other than biblical figures.

Though there is plenty of religious art, too; I especially like all the Greek and Roman mythology paintings. I am particularly impressed with the downstairs “grottos” in the stucco style to keep it cool. The windows open up onto the garden veranda, like a patio almost, but now the rooms hold prehistoric artifacts in the dim light. Civilizations have lived on the lake for thousands of years.

Finally, the tour ends and I walk up the steps to the gardens. I am immediately captivated by the sounds of peacocks and the main concourse shining in the sun. The unicorn on top is the symbol of the house Bartolommeo, the royal family of the island.

Up on top is a stunning view of the lake and the gardens. The white peacocks symbolize royalty, but they are white due to a lack of pigmentation from a genetic mutation called leucism. The gardens open up to the view of the alps and a rose garden. I wander around to the other side of the gardens to a little pond, continuing on to a symmetrical flower garden on the opposing side looking out to Stresa. There is a greenhouse at the end as I leave, but I realize I am the last visitor before closing. I have so much fun exploring the well-labeled botanical gardens, admiring the unique collections of plants and birds.

I make the last boat off the island (phew), but miss the train (oh well). I enjoy the sunset with a pizza at the station, surprisingly good in a wood fired oven for the first reasonable price I’ve seen in a week! A birthday pizza is the perfect end to the day, and I take it to go on the next train to Milan.