Stresa

Stresa
Comune
Comune di Stresa
Stresa and Lake Maggiore
Coat of arms
Stresa Location of Stresa in Italy
Coordinates: 45°53′N 8°31′E / 45.883°N 8.517°E / 45.883; 8.517Coordinates: 45°53′N 8°31′E / 45.883°N 8.517°E / 45.883; 8.517
Country	Italy
Region	Piedmont
Province / Metropolitan city	Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (VB)
Frazioni	Brisino, Carciano, Levo, Binda, Passera, Someraro, Vedasco, Magognino, Stropino, Alpino, Mottarone, Isola Bella, Isola Pescatori.
Government
• Mayor	Canio Di Milia
Area
• Total	33 km2 (13 sq mi)
Elevation	200 m (700 ft)
Population (30 September 2008)
• Total	5,155
• Density	160/km2 (400/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Stresiani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	28838
Dialing code	0323
Patron saint	Ambrose
Website	Official website

Stresa is a town and comune of about 5,000 residents on the shores of Lake Maggiore in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, about 90 kilometres (56 mi) northwest of Milan. Since the early 20th century, the main source of income has been tourism; like other places on Lake Maggiore, it benefits from spectacular views as well as areas of historical and architectural interest. It is situated on road and rail routes to the Simplon Pass.

The name of this town first appeared in documents in AD 998.

In the 15th century it grew into a fishing community and owed feudal allegiance to the Visconti family. It subsequently came under the control of the Borromeo family.

For centuries Stresa has been a popular retreat for Europe's aristocrats, who have endowed the town with a number of villas. Tourism increased substantially after tunneling of the Simplon Pass allowed train services from north of the Alps to pass through Stresa in 1906.

In 1948 American author and journalist Ernest Hemingway visited the town. He had set part of his 1929 novel Farewell to Arms in the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees. In 2002 Stresa hosted the 10th International Hemingway Conference.

Stresa has played host to two notable political conferences in the 20th century:

Stresa is also the venue for the "Settimane Musicali"; one of Europe's important classical music international festivals which is held annually in the summer.

Regular boat services from the town's two docks provide access to the nearby Borromean Islands. The cable-car, currently closed for a €1.6 million refurbishment, offers a 20-minute ride to the summit of Monte Mottarone, with the Giardino Botanico Alpinia en route. Regular Eurocity connections to Milano, Berne and Geneva.