Brissago

Lake Maggiore (UK: , US: ; Italian: Lago Maggiore Italian pronunciation: [ˈlaːɡo madˈdʒoːre]; Western Lombard: Lagh Maggior; Piedmontese: Lagh Magior; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (pronounced [verˈbaːno]; Latin: Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and the largest in southern Switzerland. The lake and its shoreline are divided between the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy and the Swiss canton of Ticino. Located halfway between Lake Orta and Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore extends for about 64 kilometres (40 miles) between Locarno and Arona. The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with many gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Borromean and Brissago Islands, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania, and the Alpinia Botanical Garden above Stresa. Lake Maggiore is drained by the river Ticino, a main tributary of the Po. Its basin also collects the waters of several large lakes, notably Lake Lugano (through the Tresa), Lake Orta (through the Toce) and Lake Varese (through the Bardello).

Ronco sopra Ascona is a municipality near Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.

The Brissago Islands (Italian: Isole di Brissago) are a group of two islands located in the Swiss part of Lake Maggiore close to Ronco sopra Ascona and Brissago. Both islands belong to the district of Locarno, in the canton of Ticino. San Pancrazio (also known as Grande Isola) is larger and is well known for its botanical garden. On the smaller island, known as Isolino, Isola Piccola or Isola di Sant’Apollinare, the vegetation is allowed to develop naturally. Both benefit from the mild climate provided by the lake. The minimum distance from the shore is 1,040 metres for San Pancrazio and 930 metres for Sant'Apollinare, making them the farthest islands from the shore in Switzerland. Both islands culminate at 200 metres above sea level or 7 metres above lake level (193 m).

Pino-Tronzano railway station (Italian: Stazione di Pino-Tronzano) 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 and is final station south of the border between Switzerland and Italy.

Pino sulla Sponda del Lago Maggiore is a former municipality of Italy, now frazione of the municipality of Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca in the Province of Varese. It held the status of comune until 2014 when it was merged with Maccagno and Veddasca to form the new municipality. It lies about located about 110 km northwest of Milan and about 70 km northwest of Varese, on the border with Switzerland. Until its suppression, Pino sulla Sponda del Lago Maggiore held along with San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore, the record of Italian comune with the longest name (30 letters).

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.

The Cannobino is a little river or stream located in the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola in the region of Piedmont in the north of Italy, which by the local population often is simply called 'Il Fiume' (the river).

Monte Verità (Italian; German 'Berg Wahrheit', meaning "Mount Truth" or "Mountain of Truth") is a 321 metres above sea level high hill and a cultural-historical ensemble in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The site is in the municipality of Ascona, about half a kilometre north-west of the old town. Monte Verità, located on Lake Maggiore, was a well-known meeting place for the life-reformers (Lebensreform), pacifists, artists, writers and supporters of various alternative movements in the first decades of the 20th century. After 1940 the place lost its importance. An attempt at a revival in the late 1970s met with very limited success. Monte Verità was originally the name of the local "nature healing sanctuary sun sanatorium" (Naturheilstätte Sonnen-Kuranstalt) established on the hill Monte Monescia and can be found for the first time in a brochure published in 1902. In the period that followed, the name Monte Verità was also transferred to the entire hill formerly known as Monte Monescia.

The Gridone, Ghiridone or Monte Limidario is a mountain of the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Lake Maggiore near Brissago. At 2,188 metres above sea level, its summit straddles the border between Italy and Switzerland. The summit can be easily reached from both sides, although it is nearly 2,000 metres above Lake Maggiore.

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 Isorno is an Italian and Swiss river, a tributary of the Melezzo Orientale. Its source is in Italy near Pioda di Crana. It passes through Bagni, a frazione of Craveggia, then entering Switzerland it flows through Onsernone, Mosogno, Isorno and Intragna, where it joins the Melezzo Orientale. Its valley, although easily reached from Lugano, Bellinzona, Domodossola and Locarno, is one of the wildest in Switzerland, and there is a proposal to institute a national park like that of Engadin.

Intragna is a village and locality in the municipality of Centovalli in the district of Locarno of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. Intragna has good railway connection with Locarno, Switzerland and Domodossola, Italy, as well as bus connections that lead to various hiking routes – several interesting paths begin or end in Intragna itself. Intragna is an old town with ancient-style buildings and small narrow streets. It has artist workshops selling handmade lacework and ceramics, as well as several hotels. The church tower of Intragna is claimed to be the highest tower in Ticino.