La Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra: an Enchanting Place

Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra is a picturesque and romantic route on Lake Maggiore where the beautiful lake panorama welcomes visitors and curious passersby. It is a place full of magical and immersive views where tourists will have the opportunity to lead an unforgettable experience. The atmosphere is characterized by exceptional views of the shores of Lake Maggiore. The Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra skirts a fabulous sandy beach where one can stop to fully enjoy the scenery. Walking through this place is like living inside a romantic and evocative painting where nature, the lake, the sky, and the mountains come together to give the tourist an extraordinary memory.

The trail is located in Ispra, on the eastern shore of the lake, where a steep hill between two mountains, Mt. del Prete and Mt. Nassi, enters the headland on the lake, creating creeks and rocky slopes. The Love Trail is the path that outlines the entire walk and is about 4.3 km long. The estimated walking time, without the stops, is about 1h 30min. To reach the trail, from Ispra, it is necessary to walk to the Amerigo Vespucci Lakeside promenade: the walk begins just after the small beach and the small bar on the right. The beginning of the trail is at the water's edge. Basically, the Love Trail is short but very intense as one must also walk on rocky sections alternating with gravel. Small bridges and footbridges can be encountered during the visit. In addition, there is an old 19th-century dock which outlines the entire landscape. The Love Trail is also dotted with love poems engraved on colorful tiles which decorate the entire visit. On a historical level, several elements stand out such as furnaces (Fornace in Salvalada, Fornace del Pinett and Fornace di Punta) and a small tower. The trail is suitable for all ages for both adults and children. It is also possible to do the walk with our 4-legged friends. We recommend wearing comfortable footwear such as sneakers or hiking shoes. Finally, if you want to continue, the walk will lead towards Ranco via the Quassa Park bike path.

Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra is also a place rich in historical and natural elements. Indeed, along the route it is possible to observe kilns that date back to the late 19th century: built from a basic body that formed the chimney, a cone made of rock flanked by service buildings and several piers. These activities are evidence of the docking of the barges that transported lime along the main waterway to Milan: the Ticino River.

The main furnaces are the Fornace in Salvalada, the Fornace del Pinett, and finally the Fornace della Punta. From the latter, it is possible to lead the way back, which is characterized by being ring-shaped, so called because of its structure.

Providing the backdrop for the entire trail described are the naturalistic views of great quality. In addition to the beautiful lake and the imposing mountains, the trail climbs back up to Monte dei Nassi with an earthen and wooden staircase, passes through a residential area, and leads to Località Lavorascio where the Acquanegra stream flows into Lake Maggiore. In general, Ispra's Love Walk is immersed in the green and lake landscape that surrounds everything. Depending on the seasons, the landscape takes on different colors and shades but always unique and magical. In spring, it is possible to breathe fresh air and observe the blossoming trees as they give off delicate and sweet scents. In essence, Ispra's Love Walk is a blend of beauty and history. Tourists have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an enchanted world where they can spend time in a prestigious natural oasis. Every aspect of the promenade is a moment to be remembered and experienced to the fullest with joy and passion.

The star of the whole scene is undoubtedly Lake Maggiore, which invests all the surrounding reality with skill and elegance.

A unique aspect of Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra are the love poems that decorate, elegantly, the majolica tiles along the route. They were winners of a literary contest dedicated to Ligurian artist Mario Berrino (Write Love - Mario Berrino Prize). The poems in question are engraved on some of the colored tiles and are meant to make the visit to the Path of Love ever more romantic. Some of the most symbolic poems are ''Coffee at the harbor'' and ''Buckle up. From tomorrow, together. This artistic intervention is well connected with the whole atmosphere during the Love Trail. Tourists, passersby and families can pause in front of the poems to fully enjoy the reading and immerse themselves in a romantic and picturesque world. In addition, the poems provide a backdrop for the surrounding landscape and add a gentle touch to the walk. The event of the laying of the tiles, decorated with the poems, was characterized by a strong cultural significance for the whole area in fact in honor of Mario Berrino, on March 2, 2014, a cultural association was born in Ispra (VA), named ''Friends of Mario Berrino''.

It aims to promote and organize literary, cultural, musical, theatrical and artistic animation events. Meetings, lectures and debates are organized. It is important to point out that the literary review "WRITE LOVE award MARIO BERRINO" was established by Davide Pagani. It was born in the fall of 2007 and is promoted and supported by the Cultural Association "Friends of Mario Berrino" with the patronage of the City of Ispra, the Mario Pannunzio Study Center of Turin, the Foundation "Mario Berrino for the Wall of Alassio" and My House My Style with the proximity of the administration of the City of Alassio.

Finally, every person walking along the Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra is attracted to the ''poetic'' majolica tiles because of the powerful romantic-literary content and the natural context in which they are masterfully placed.

For the more adventurous, there is a detail on how the Ispra (VA) trail continues to the village of Ranco (VA). The trail continues through the Quassa Gulf Park bike path. This extension provides an opportunity for more in-depth discovery of different views of Lake Maggiore. Between the municipalities of Ispra and Ranco lies a vast green area bordering the lake. This area is the Quassa Gulf Park and is significant for both natural and historical elements.

From the furnaces of the Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra then, it is possible to connect to the Golfo della Quassa Park near Ranco, where there is a walkable bicycle section. This park is a real link between the two towns, which stand out for high-quality lake views. Many sports and walking enthusiasts walk through the park to admire all the surrounding surroundings. What enhances the whole area is the fact that road and rail communication routes in this place are located much farther away than the lakeshore. This implies that the place in question is set in a completely natural context. Local people are often aware of this strategy of connecting from one point to another. Tourists, on the other hand, discover it by informing themselves or by coming across the park by pure chance.

It could be argued that this park is a kind of ''highway in the green'' to quickly and ecologically reach the two neighboring countries.

The Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra is located in Ispra in the province of Varese, on Lake Maggiore. It is easily reached:

• - Car: A8 highway in the direction of Varese, as far as Vergiate - Sesto Calende. Follow SS 33 to Sesto Calende and then SS 629 in the direction of Laveno Mombello. There is a free parking lot where you can leave your car safely and another parking lot where the gym is located (behind the library) or behind the cemetery (not in front if you want to avoid payment).
• - Bus: through Autolinee Varesine Line No. 20 line Angera - Sesto Calende
• - Boat: through Navigazione Lago Maggiore service, active mainly during the summer season.
• - On Foot: through the route suitable for both adults, children and 4-legged friends. It starts from the Amerigo Vespucci lakefront in Ispra.
• - Bicycle: it is possible to get as far as the parking lots near the lakefront

The best times to arrange one's visit at the Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra are obviously spring and summer when the sun is shining and the temperatures are warm. We also recommend visiting during the fall season where the fantastic warm and voluminous colors will dominate the scene.

Passeggiata dell'Amore di Ispra is a path not only physical but also linked to emotions. It is a highly symbolic and romantic place where tourists and passersby love to spend their time with the people closest to them. Friends, boyfriends and families organize trips and visits to this place to spend unique and unforgettable moments together. People enjoy taking pictures and filming some videos to capture magical seconds full of love. It is a path marked by true and pure feelings to be shared and fully experienced on the enchanting shore of Lake Maggiore.