27-04-2011The best shopping at the lower price!Vicolungo Outlets. More than 130 shops and brands. Vicolungo Outlets is situated in Novara province, at the junction between the A4
Milan-Turin and the A26 Genova Voltri-Gravellona Toce motorways. It is the ideal
destination for a shopping trip that combines convenience, quality and relaxation. It
houses over 130 stores carrying clothing for men, women and children,
sportswear, cosmetics, articles for the home and ideas for wellbeing, with 30% to
70% discounts all year round. 
Leading brands include: Baldinini, Borbonese, Breil Milano, Bruno Magli, Cerruti
1881, CK Jeans, Dimensione Danza, Elisabetta Franchi Celyn b., Fornarina,
Freddy, Frette, Geox, Guess by Marciano, Henry Cotton’s, Hilfiger Denim, Iceberg,
Les Copains, Le Coq Sportif, Levi Strauss & Co., Luciano Padovan, Marina
Yachting, Massimo Rebecchi, Nike Factory Store, Parah, Piquadro, Pirelli Pzero,
Puma, Prenatal and Samsonite. It also offers a wide variety of places to relax,
such as bars, restaurants, green spaces and an exhibition hall with artistic and
cultural events.
Open 7 days a week from 10.0am to 8.00pm including Sundays and public
holidays.
www.vlungooutlets.com – info@vicolungooutlets.com |
22-06-2009Cruise on the Lake Maggiore. An "Enchanted Cruise" aboard the motorship Antares!
 A cruise day on Lake Maggiore, to admire the Fortress of Angera, the most beautiful beaches, luxurious villas, the Hermitage of Santa Caterina, to admire, such as from a balcony, the Isola Bella and Pescatori and to taste good perch fish pondering the Monastery of Santa Caterina.
It’s really an "enchanted" cruise what can be done on board of the newest ship Antares of Navigazione Lago Maggiore, which came into use for less than a month. A nice tourist trip, departing from Arona and Stresa, sailing in the middle of the lake, admiring the unique landscape and spend a day with the sun on the face and air in your hair.
The Antares, 41.60 meters motorship with two diesel engines, power of 367 kw, a width of 8.10 meters and height of 2.8 meters, has a capacity of 460 passengers, with 284 seats: 116 covered and 168 uncovered. It’s a real jewel, equipped with all comfort, including bar and restaurant on board.
The departure is from Arona, daily at 11.30, Stresa direction. First step in Angera to admire the Rocca Borromeo.
Then, back on the Piedmont side of the Lake,it stops in Meina, Lesa and Belgirate to put other passengers on board.
From the upper deck you can admire the lake, the famous tourist resorts, tourist boats crossing, take the sun and take beautiful photographs. The Antares is a perfect motorboat even for families with children: the protective barriers offer absolute security, and parents can enjoy the journey without any particular trouble, perhaps sipping an aperitif.
During the trip, the onboard chef cooks delicious dishes: lunch, with touristic menu or “à la carte” is prepared directly on the boat. The "Styl Restaurant” offers a touristic menu starting from € 23,00, with starter, first course, main course, dessert and coffee. (335/6394573 - infomaggiore@stylrestaurant.it). The arrival in Stresa is provided at 12.30, where Antares stops until 12.50: from this moment, the cruise itself starts without stopping. You go down in the restaurant, to enjoy the specialties coocked by the chef (in particular the exceptionally good breaded perch, according to the traditional recipe); crossing the lake you come to the Eremo of Santa Caterina del Sasso, where the ship stops for a few minutes to allow you to admire, from the panoramic window of the restaurant, or going up on deck, the monastic complex. Then, the Antares coasts the Borromeo Islands. The Isola Bella shows the majesty and elegance of its gardens. The motorship defilades the whole island and the view, from the upper deck, is breathtaking. Isola Bella is the most famous of the Borromeo Islands: until the early decades of the seventeenth century, the island was only a rough rocks until, in 1632, Count Carlo Borromeo III decided to transform it.
It was called Isabella, in honour of his wife Isabella d'Adda, and only later was renamed simply Bella. The complete works, commissioned to the most famous architects and artists, seemed to be a big ship anchored off the coast of Stresa. And so it was: the dock represent the bow while the stern of the bridge is the Palazzo Borromeo; the fore bridge is the highest garden, divided into ten overlapping terraces covered by the most different floral species. Leaving Isola Bella, here is the Little Island of Love. Shortly after the Isola Pescatori, famous for the long balconies on which the fishermen used to dry fish of the lake. Isola Pescatori, geographically, is part of the Borromeo Islands but history has followed a different course. Its official name is Island Superior but, because of the traditional activities of its inhabitants, is known as Isola Pescatori. Of particular architectural significance, is the seventeenth-century church of San Vittore, and also the very characteristic alleys, an ideal stop for shopping of local handicrafts. Then, the ship will cruise to Verbania and Villa Taranto, reaching Intra at 14.30. It starts again to Stresa at 14.35 (the arrival is expected for 15.30). From there, the departure for Arona at 16.15 and the arrival at 17.15, but it is better visiting also Villa Taranto for a visit to the botanical gardens.
A couple of hours to admire the flowers, plants and fountains in the park of Villa Taranto, a true jewel of architecture and botany.  The Villa was built in 1831 and the mounting of his gardens is due to the Scottish Captain Neil Boyd McEacharn who wanted one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world. So, the chaotic woodland mass that surrounded the villa, was turned into a route with 7 km of boulevards, perfect example of English garden in Italy.
You can admire also many rare plant species. The Park is accessible through the avenue of conifers, which leads to the tree ferns valley. A little bit forward, there is the garden of dahlias, with over 300 varieties; then you can walk until the greenhouse, where many tropical species were planted, among which some of the largest water lilies of the world. To reach the Villa, you must pass through hundreds of varieties of rhododendrons, the pride of the gardens. In 1939, Captain Mc Eacharn gave the garden to the Italian state and in 1952 its gates were opened to the public.
At Villa Taranto, spaces arranged with imagination, flower beds designed to enhance the colors, theme parks and waterways, create images of great beauty and cover the natural landscape of flowing forms (ticket adults € 9,00). From Villa Taranto you can return to Stresa or Arona with any of the ships of the Navigazione Lago Maggiore. If you want, you can extend the tour going to Verbania Pallanza for a stroll or an ice cream at the lake. From Pallanza, you can continue, even getting off the Isola Madre, Baveno, Isola Pescatori, Stresa using any of the racing line (approximately one run per hour).
The "Enchanted Cruise" is an incredible opportunity to admire, in a single day, the most precious jewels of Lake Maggiore. The cost of the whole cruise is € 20,00 starting from Arona, € 12,00 from Stresa. Every two paying parents, a child under twelve years old is free.
All information at the free number 800 551 801.
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