Motorcycle weekend between lakes, mountains and waterfalls

Departure from a Piedmontese town in the province of Alessandria. The fairly limited time available to us and the numerous destinations to reach, see us forced to take the highway to optimize times. We go out to Arona to skirt the lake Maggiore and admire its enchanting landscape. The road is also fun for the driver.

Arrived at Stresa, we decide to visit Pallavicino villa. In fact, since 1954, the splendid garden of the villa has been transformed into a zoological park at the behest of the Marquis Pallavicino. About 20 hectares of land are home to over 40 species of animals. Once you cross the entrance gate, a real immersion in nature takes place, able to make you lose track of time.

After the visit, we head towards the mount Mottarone (1492 m) along the Borromea road which, although private, is open to the passage of vehicles following the payment of a toll. We must admit that the asphalt falls short of our expectations, making the ride not very smooth. The summit, however, rewards us with a 360 ° view that allows you to admire the Po Valley, the Alps and seven lakes different: Lake Maggiore, Lake Mergozzo, Lake Varese, Lake Comabbio, Lake Monate, Lake Biandronno and Lake Orta. It is precisely towards the latter that we decide to head to stay overnight.

Thus we abandon the beautiful view and go to Omegna. Fortunately, the descent is much more exciting than the climb to the mountain. Not everyone is aware of the fact that the stream that crosses the city, the Nigoglia, seems to flow backwards, that is, from the plain to the mountain: a truly suggestive phenomenon.

An intense day awaits us, full of many places to visit. The first goal is the Toce waterfall in Val Formazza. With its 143 m height it is the second highest waterfall in Europe and a real feast for the eyes. At the top there is a panoramic balcony from which it is possible to admire all its majesty.

We continue our journey leaving Italy and heading to Switzerland. The visit to the waterfall is not easy at the level of itinerario, as it means taking the same road both on the outward and return journeys. However, we recommend anyone who happens to be nearby to take this fantastic detour. The next stop is the Simplon pass (2005 m), historical link between northern Italy and the canton of Valais. The asphalt is nothing short of perfect, if it were not for the severe speed limits it would seem to be on the track.

The last stop of the day is the the Great St Bernard pass (2473 m), located between Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa. The road to reach it offers a succession of breathtaking views: it is impossible to miss even a single detail, considering the slowness of the journey due to speed limits. We finally arrive at the top where the splendid lake, the statue of the religious Saint Bernard of Menton and the dogs of the homonymous breed arouse a set of emotions that makes the place truly unique. We return to the Italian side, which gives more driving emotions than the Swiss side, and we continue our journey to Saint-Vincent and then take the motorway and return home.

By Alessia and Cristian

we will take you where you haven't been yet