Giona (river)

Maccagno railway station (Italian: Stazione di Maccagno) is a railway station in the comune of Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca, in the Italian region of Lombardy. It is an intermediate stop on the standard gauge Cadenazzo–Luino line of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana.

Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca (Ticinese: Macagn cont Pin e Vedasca) is a comune in the province of Varese, in Lombardy, Italy, that was formed on 25 May 2014 from fusion of the communes of Maccagno, Pino sulla Sponda del Lago Maggiore and Veddasca. A referendum to create this comune was held on 1 December 2013. The referendum was passed with 77% yes and 33% no votes. Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca borders the following municipalities: Brissago (Switzerland), Cannobio (VB), Curiglia con Monteviasco, Dumenza, Gambarogno (Switzerland), Luino, Ronco sopra Ascona (Switzerland), Tronzano Lago Maggiore. Its neighborhood of Maccagno Imperiale is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").

Maccagno was a comune (municipality) of 2,000 inhabitants located in the province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located in the Val Veddasca about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 25 km northwest of Varese. On 1 January 2014 the municipalities of Maccagno, Pino sulla Sponda del Lago Maggiore and Veddasca merged into the municipality of Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca.

Colmegna railway station (Italian: Stazione di Colmegna) is a railway station in the comune of Luino, in the Italian region of Lombardy. It is an intermediate stop on the standard gauge Cadenazzo–Luino line of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana.

The Roncovalgrande Hydroelectric Plant, also known as the Delio Hydroelectric Plant, is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of Maccagno in the Province of Varese, Lombardy, Italy. Using the pumped-storage hydroelectric method, the power plant has an installed capacity of 1,016 megawatts (1,362,000 hp). The power plant was complete in 1971 and the last generator operational in 1973. During construction, the upper reservoir, Lago Delio, was expanded in capacity with two gravity dams; a northern and southern, 28.5 metres (94 ft) and 36 metres (118 ft) in height, respectively. The lower reservoir, Lago Maggiore, already existed. The power plant itself is located underground in between Delio and Maggiore. To produce electricity, water is released from the upper reservoir to the power plant via two 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) long penstocks. At the power plant, eight four-stage Pelton turbine-generators generate electricity. Power generation occurs during periods of high energy demand and when energy demand is low, pumping usually occurs. The pumps are on the same shaft as the Pelton turbines and send water from the lower to the upper reservoir to serve as stored energy. Later on, this water will be sent back down to the power station and the process will repeat. The difference in elevation between the upper and lower reservoirs affords a hydraulic head of 736.25 m (2,416 ft) and Lago Delio has a usable storage capacity of 10,000,000 cubic metres (8,100 acre⋅ft).

The Castelli di Cannero are three rocky islets of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. They are located off the shoreline of Cannero Riviera while administratively forming part of the Comune of Cannobio. They are known as castelli, or castles, in recognition of the ruined ancient fortifications which are found on two of them. They are all that remains of the Rocca Vitaliana fortress built between 1519 and 1521 by Ludovico Borromeo, who gave it this name in honour of an illustrious ancestor. The fortress was built over the ruins of an earlier castle, the Castello della Malpaga, which had been used since the 15th century as a refuge by the powerful, cruel Mazzarditi family. The five Mazzarditi brothers took control of the burgh of Cannobio between 1403 and 1404, terrorizing the inhabitants of the district with their acts of violence and piracy. This went on until the Viscontis laid siege to the fortress, starving the bandits into surrender. The old castle was razed to the ground, so that no trace of it remains. The Rocca Vitaliana was then built to defend the upper part of Lake Maggiore from incursions by the Swiss after the Duchy of Milan lost control of the Canton of Ticino. The main part of the castle, on the eastern islet, still has its massive walls built right on the water, following the irregular contours of the rock, and some towers of different shapes which still have part of their battlements. All that remains of the castle on the western islet is a ruined tower and some crumbling parts of the wall. The ruins cannot be visited as they are unsafe, but the view of them from the shore or from a boat continues to be compelling. The islands’ rocky shores are a magnet for adventurous bathers.

Germignaga is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Varese. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,721 and an area of 6.2 km².The municipality of Germignaga contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Ronchetto, Ronchi, Fornace, Casa Moro, Premaggio and Mirandola Nuova. Germignaga borders the following municipalities: Brezzo di Bedero, Brissago-Valtravaglia, Cannero Riviera, Luino, Montegrino Valtravaglia.

Luino railway station (Italian: Stazione di Luino) is a border railway station in Italy. It divides the Swiss network (line to Cadenazzo) with the Italian one (line to Milan and line to Oleggio).Luino is a frontier station between the Italian network, managed by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, and the Swiss network, managed by Swiss Federal Railways.

The river Tresa leaves Lake Lugano at a point between Lavena Ponte Tresa in Italy and Ponte Tresa in Switzerland and flows into Lake Maggiore near Luino, a few hundred metres after joining the Margorabbia. At the outflow from Lake Lugano the river is crossed by a bridge which unites the Swiss and Italian parts of Ponte Tresa; a customs post divides them. The river is about 13 kilometres (8 mi) long, and for most of its course marks the boundary between the Italian Province of Varese and the Swiss canton Ticino. It passes through the Swiss communes of Ponte Tresa, Croglio and Monteggio, and the Italian communes of Lavena Ponte Tresa, Cremenaga and Luino. A dam on the river, known as the Creva dam serves two purposes: to use the difference in elevation between the lakes to produce hydropower, and as far as possible to regulate the flow of water into Lake Maggiore in order to avoid or limit the dangers of flooding.

Luino (Western Lombard: Lüin) is a small town and comune near the border with Switzerland on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, in the province of Varese, in the Italian region of Lombardy. Luino received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree in 1969. Luino is well known for its weekly market, currently held on Wednesdays, which is purportedly the largest of its kind in Europe. It is also a popular destination for tourists, especially from Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands.

Tronzano Lago Maggiore is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 80 km northwest of Milan and about 30 km north of Varese, on the border with Switzerland. Tronzano Lago Maggiore borders the following municipalities: Brissago (Switzerland), Cannobio, Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca.

Delio Lake is a lake in the Province of Varese, Lombardy, Italy. At an elevation of 930 m, its surface area is about 30 ha (74 acres). It serves as the upper reservoir for the pumped-storage Roncovalgrande Hydroelectric Plant.