Your guide to
Lake Iseo
Everything you need to make the most of Lake Iseo: ferries, places to visit, restaurants, beaches and hiking trails – personally selected for our guests.
Navigazione Lago d'Iseo
Ferries
to Monte Isola
The easiest way to reach Monte Isola is by ferry. There are three convenient departure points from Vista Paradiso, each with its own advantages. Timetables vary by season and on public holidays, so we recommend checking the latest schedule on the official Navigazione Lago d'Iseo website.
📞 Navigazione Lago d'Iseo: +39 035 971483
Official timetables and fares on the Navigazione website
This is the most frequent service to Monte Isola, running year-round with departures every 15–20 minutes. About 25 minutes by car from Vista Paradiso. The easiest option if you would rather not plan around a timetable.
The closest harbour to Vista Paradiso, just 5 minutes by car. There are only a few weekday departures, with more services on Sundays and public holidays, so check the timetable before heading to the harbour.
Iseo is the lake's main town and the starting point of several lines, including the tourist routes that circle the island. Useful if you want to combine the crossing with a day in town.
🎫 Tickets and useful information
Tickets are bought at the harbour ticket offices. There is also a small municipal landing fee per person when you arrive on Monte Isola. Small dogs travel free of charge. Current fares are on the official website.
📋 Timetables vary by season and on public holidays. Before you set off, check
navigazionelagoiseo.it or call
+39 035 971483.
Monte Isola
Europe's largest inhabited lake island. No cars, no traffic – just bicycles, boats, small villages and beautiful views of the lake. A short hop from Vista Paradiso.
🚲
Cycle around the island
The loop around the island is about 9 km along a scenic road. There is no traffic – just the lake, olive groves and small villages. Bikes can be hired at the harbour in Peschiera Maraglio.
~2 hoursRecommended
⛪
Madonna della Ceriola Sanctuary
At the highest point of the island (600 m). The walk up rewards you with 360° views over the whole lake – best at sunrise or sunset.
~1h on footSpectacular views
🎨
The Floating Piers – Christo's legacy
In 2016 Christo linked Monte Isola to Sulzano and the small island of San Paolo with 3 km of saffron-coloured floating walkways, and the lake became known worldwide. At the time they could be seen from the Vista Paradiso terrace; the installation was dismantled later the same year.
History1.2 million visitors
🐟
Monte Isola's traditional dried sardines
The island's best-known speciality. Lake sardines are air-dried for months on wooden racks known as “rastell”. A genuine artisan product and a Slow Food Presidium.
FoodSlow Food Presidium
Experiences
Things to do
around Lake Iseo
There is plenty to discover around the lake, from nature and culture to outdoor activities, food and wine.
Local food
Food & wine
around Lake Iseo
Cooking around the Sebino is built on lake fish, polenta and the wines of Franciacorta. Here are a few things worth seeking out near Vista Paradiso.
🐟
Fresh lake fish
Whitefish, perch, tench and shad – the fish of the Sebino is a speciality in its own right. Ask for the day's catch when you order.
Local speciality
🍕
Restaurants on the Iseo lakefront
The centre of Iseo has a good choice of restaurants with terraces over the water. Ideal for a relaxed dinner at sunset.
~20 minLake view
🧀
Iseo weekly market
The weekly market in Iseo (Tuesday mornings) is the place for local cheeses, fresh vegetables and regional produce.
Tuesday mornings~20 min
🍷
Franciacorta wineries
Many wineries in Franciacorta offer tastings directly at the estate. Booking ahead is recommended during the summer.
~20 minWine tasting
Swimming
Beaches & swimming spots
Lake Iseo has clean water and several lovely places for a swim. Here are some of our favourites near Vista Paradiso.
🏖️
Marone beach
A generous stretch of shore with clear water, a bar and parking nearby. Busy in high summer, but never as crowded as the better-known lakes.
~10 minOur pick
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Riva di Solto
A picturesque village with a small rocky beach. The water is turquoise and remarkably clear – ideal for snorkelling.
~15 minCrystal-clear water
🏊
Lido di Iseo
A serviced lido with sun loungers, umbrellas and a bar. The best-equipped in the area and an easy choice with children.
~20 minWell equipped
Walks & hiking
Walks & hiking
The mountains around Lake Iseo offer walks and hiking trails for all levels. Here are a few of our favourites within easy reach of Vista Paradiso.
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Bogn di Zorzino trail
A scenic path on the Bergamo shore with dramatic views over the water. It starts in Riva di Solto and is easy enough for everyone.
Easy~2hLake view
⛰️
Via Valeriana
An old route running above the lake for more than 30 km. It can be walked in stages, passing medieval hamlets and fine viewpoints.
ModerateIn stagesHistoric
🌲
Piramidi di Zone
Rock formations found nowhere else in Italy – earth pillars each topped by a large boulder. A surreal landscape a few kilometres from the lake.
Easy~1hA must
The towns of the Sebino
The prettiest towns
around Lake Iseo
The lake is ringed by historic towns, each with its own character. Here is what to look out for in each, and how to get there from Vista Paradiso.
🏰
Iseo – the main town on the lake
The medieval town that gives the lake its name. The old centre has narrow lanes and tower houses, plus the Castello Oldofredi (free entry, now the town library), the 12th-century Pieve di Sant'Andrea church and the lively Piazza Garibaldi. The Friday morning market is one of the largest around and well worth a look for local produce. The lakeside promenade starts from the square – lovely for an evening stroll.
~20 min
Route: SS469 towards Iseo
Market: Friday mornings
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Sarnico – Art Nouveau and an elegant waterfront
Where the lake becomes the river Oglio. Known for its Art Nouveau villas by the architect Sommaruga, early twentieth-century masterpieces. The recently rebuilt waterfront is among the finest on the lake and is linked to Paratico by a footbridge. Also worth seeing: the Gianni Bellini art gallery (Palazzo Gervasoni, 15th century), the Riva boatyard – Italian boat-building at its most glamorous – and the medieval Contrada with its alleyways. In late July the town hosts the international Buskers Festival.
~25 min
Route: SS42 towards Sarnico
Buskers Festival: July
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Lovere – one of Italy's loveliest towns
Since 2003 it has been part of the “Borghi più belli d'Italia” association. The writer Lady Mary Wortley Montagu called it the most romantic place she had ever seen. The highlight is the Accademia Tadini gallery, one of the oldest museums in Lombardy, with works by Canova, Tiepolo and Bellini. Piazza XIII Martiri overlooks the harbour and is the prettiest spot in town. The Civic Tower gives a fine view over the water. The promenade is at its best at sunset. Lovere can also be reached by ferry from Iseo.
~40 min
Route: SS42, Bergamo shore
Accademia Tadini: entry ~€5
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Riva di Solto – a hidden gem
One of the most unspoilt medieval villages on the Bergamo shore, with a well-preserved centre of stone lanes, old houses and a small beach with turquoise water. Just to the north lies the Bogn di Zorzino gorge: cliffs dropping sheer into the lake, with a narrow lane running just above the water – one of the most striking sights on the Sebino. Excellent snorkelling below the rock faces.
~20 min
Route: SS42 towards Riva di Solto
Beach · snorkelling
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Pisogne – art and history at the north end
Pisogne sits at the northern tip of the lake, at the mouth of the Val Camonica. Don't miss the church of Santa Maria della Neve with its remarkable sixteenth-century frescoes by Romanino, often called “the poor man's Sistine Chapel”. The harbour and Piazza Mercato, with the thirteenth-century Bishop's Tower, form the heart of the old town. From here you can head into the Val Camonica , known for its prehistoric rock carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
~50 min
Route: SS42 to the north of the lake
Val Camonica, UNESCO
A geological curiosity
🗿 Piramidi di Zone
– the “Fairy Chimneys”
One of the most unusual natural sights around Lake Iseo: towering earth pillars up to 30 metres high, each topped by a large rock, shaped over roughly 150,000 years by erosion. The landscape is a little reminiscent of Cappadocia, and it is about 25 minutes from Vista Paradiso.
📍 How to get here da Vista Paradiso
~25 minutes by car · Take the SS42 towards Marone on the Brescia shore. In Marone follow the signs for Zone, 7 km of hairpins with views over the lake. There is free parking in the hamlet of Cislano, near the church of San Giorgio.
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The loop trail – 2 km · about 1h
The trail starts at the church of San Giorgio in Cislano and is well signposted, with information boards along the way. The first pyramids come into view after about ten minutes. The best spot for photographs is near the end, just before the path climbs back up along a stretch of the old Via Valeriana. Fine for families with children from about four years old. Best avoided after heavy rain or snow.
Free entry
Walking shoes consigliate
Open all year
🌲
The Gnomes' Wood – a hit with children
A short way outside Zone, on trail 227 towards Monte Guglielmo. The artist Luigi “il Rosso” Zatti carved dozens of dead trees into gnomes and wooden figures. A quietly magical wood that appeals to adults as much as children. The path continues up towards Monte Guglielmo, or branches off to the Pedrini cave.
Great with children
Trail 227
⛰️
Corna Trentapassi – for keen walkers
The path to Corna Trentapassi also starts from Zone and is one of the finest viewpoint walks on the lake, with a 360° outlook over Lake Iseo, Monte Isola and the valleys. Moderate, around three hours. Parking on Via Aldo Moro in Zone.
Moderate
~3h
Spectacular views
UNESCO World Heritage · ~40 min
🏙️ Bergamo Alta
– “the most beautiful place on earth” (Stendhal)
One of the finest medieval cities in Italy, only 40 minutes from Vista Paradiso. The sixteenth-century Venetian Walls have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017. Stendhal called Bergamo the most beautiful place on earth.
📍 How to get here da Vista Paradiso
~40 minutes by car. Take the SS42 south, then the SP35 towards Bergamo. Park in the lower town (the Fara car park or Via Quarenghi work well), then take the historic funicular (€1.30, every 15 minutes) or bus line 1 up to the walls.
🧱
Venetian Walls – UNESCO World Heritage Site
More than 6 km of sixteenth-century walls wrap around the upper town. They were built by the Republic of Venice between 1561 and 1588 and never saw battle. The walk along them is free and open to all, looking out over the plain. At weekends the whole circuit becomes a pedestrian zone. There are four monumental gates: Porta Sant'Agostino, Porta San Giacomo (the finest of them, pedestrian only), Porta Sant'Alessandro, Porta San Lorenzo.
Free entry6 km · about 1h30 on foot
🏛️
Piazza Vecchia and the monuments
The heart of the upper town. Piazza Vecchia with its Contarini fountain is considered one of the loveliest squares in Italy. Around it stand the Civic Tower (Campanone) – you can climb it, and at 10pm it still rings out its historic peal – the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Colleoni Chapel (1470–1476), a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance holding the gilded tomb of the condottiere, and the Duomo with its Romanesque baptistery.
A mustCivic Tower: ~€5Colleoni Chapel: free entry
🍽️
What to eat in Bergamo
Don't leave the upper town without trying casoncelli bergamaschi (filled pasta with butter and sage), polenta taragna with mountain cheese, and stracciatella – the ice cream was invented here, at Gelateria Marianna. For an aperitivo, Piazza Vecchia at sunset is hard to beat.
CasoncelliStracciatella at Gelateria Marianna
🎨
Accademia Carrara – a world-class collection
One of the most important galleries in Italy, in the lower town five minutes from the funicular, with works by Raphael, Botticelli, Mantegna and Lotto. Often skipped by visitors in a hurry, which is their loss. Easily combined with the GAMeC contemporary art gallery next door.
Lower townHistoric gallery~€10
Day trip ideas
Our favourite
day trips
Three easy itineraries we've put together for guests staying at Vista Paradiso. Use them as they are, or mix and match them to suit your day.
🌊
A day on the lake – Monte Isola and Iseo
~1 day · easy · for everyone
Morning: Drive to Tavernola (5 min) or Sulzano (20 min) and take the ferry to Monte Isola. Cycle around the island, walk up to the Ceriola sanctuary for the 360° view, and try the dried sardines.
Lunch: Lake fish at one of the island's restaurants.
Afternoon: Ferry back, then a wander through the old centre of Iseo and an aperitivo on the lakefront at sunset.
Evening: Dinner in Iseo, then back to Vista Paradiso.
Our favouriteFamily friendly
🗿
Nature and rock – the Zone pyramids and Riva di Solto
~1 day · easy to moderate · nature
Morning: Drive to Zone (25 min via Marone). Walk the pyramids loop (about an hour), then stop at the Gnomes' Wood. Fine lake views from Zone.
Lunch: Fried lake fish in Marone, looking out over the water.
Afternoon: Head down to Riva di Solto (15 min) for a swim in the clear water, the medieval village and the Bogn di Zorzino gorge.
Evening: Aperitivo in Lovere (20 min) and dinner on the lakefront.
Good for walkersWalking shoes
🏙️
Art and city – Bergamo Alta and Lovere
~1 day · culture · couples
Morning: Bergamo Alta (40 min). Funicular up to the old town, a walk along the UNESCO walls, Piazza Vecchia, the Campanone and the Colleoni Chapel.
Lunch: Casoncelli in the upper town, then an ice cream at Gelateria Marianna – stracciatella was invented here.
Afternoon: Back towards the lake with a stop in Lovere (40 min) for the Accademia Tadini and the lakefront at sunset.
Evening: Dinner in Lovere over the water, then back to Vista Paradiso.
RomanticArt and history