Let's talk about swimming and tennis at the same time, since for the most part, you can arrange to do both in the same places. A lot of the larger hotels, in Stresa but also in the neighboring towns of Baveno and Verbania, have swimming pools and tennis courts on the property. So no problem for anyone staying in one of these hotels.

For those not staying in a hotel like that however, it is still possible for you to use the facilities at many of them. While it is not often mentioned on the hotel Web sites, it is common practice that access to the pool tennis courts can be granted for a small per person fee. The concierge in your hotel should be able to contact one of the large hotels for you to find out the particulars. Or don't be afraid to call them yourselves; all have multilingual employees answering the phones.


So if a day is particularly hot, or you need a day off in the middle of a hectic sight-seeing schedule, or if it's not a vacation for you unless you can hit some tennis balls, you can do these things, even if not at your hotel. In addition, you'll get to feel like a guest for a day at one of the fancier hotels in town. Here are links to a few of the large hotels in Stresa with swimming pools and tennis courts.

Of course, we have been speaking only about swimming pools here. Stresa also has a beach area on the lakefront, and there is another in Baveno, only a few miles away. We'll talk about those another time, ben presto, very soon.

Want to try a different sport now? Return to the main Top Ten Outdoor Sports and Activities page here.