My wife and I were visiting Lake Maggiore for the first time and, at our travel agent's recommendation, we took an all day tour of the three principal Borromean Islands, Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, very personable, and made us feel very comfortable throughout the day. She had already arranged the private boat which took us to each of the islands and the timing for the entire day was like clockwork, without much idle time. We had plenty of time for lunch (there are dozens of restaurant options on Isola dei Pescatori) and for shopping without any of the "what are we sitting here waiting around for?" moments. Isola Bella and Isola Madre each has a beautiful palace to visit, with artwork, interior design, architecture and fabulous gardens to explore and admire. In contrast, Isola dei Pescatori provides a glimpse of the simple life of the ordinary fishermen who inhabited it and gave it its name. We recommend this tour for anyone who hasn't already visited the Borromean Islands.