Tulip Week at Villa Taranto

If you're trippy for tulips, you won't want to miss the annual Settimana del Tulipano (Tulip Week) at the historic Villa Taranto. Located on Lake Maggiore in the town of Pallanza, the beautiful Botanic Gardens turn into a kaleidoscope of color for a week every April, with more than 80,000 bulbs in bloom. More than sixty-five varieties of the famous flowers are available for viewing.

The gorgeous garden is noteworthy in its own right. It covers sixteen hectares (39 acres) and contains nearly 20,000 plant varieties, with about seven kilometers of walking paths. The garden is open from April through October.

Villa Taranto can be reached by boat or by road. There is a dock right at the edge of the property on the lake shore where the ferry company, Navigazione Lago Maggiore, stops on its route.