Just enough news to enjoy with your cappuccino...

Ships, statues and stations are our news for today:

Woo Hoo! Great news for tourists in the 2013 season in Stresa! Navigazione Lago Maggiore has just published their 2013 schedule, and it shows a dramatic increase in the number of ferry trips offered. For example, beginning March 24, 2013, enjoy these changes:

--Ferries between Intra and Laveno will run every 20 minutes, instead of the current 30.

--The Carciano - Isola Bella trip will be made 25 times daily, instead of last year's 7.

-- From Stresa and Baveno boats will leave every 30 minutes for the Borromeo Islands; 22 times a day.

--The entire season is lengthened, to coincide with the longer opening schedules at the Borromeo properties and Villa Taranto.

--The popular Lago Maggiore Express will be available Thursday through Sunday during this season, and even more, every day during July and August.

--And once again, certain boats are available for hire for weddings and other private events.

These large increases come after last seasons cuts which were due to the financial crisis the company faced, but now, thankfully, the situation has stabilized. And some more good news -- no price increase! Here's the 2013 schedule.

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The Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees will celebrate 150 of business in 2013. For the occasion, it has renovated one of its entrances from the Lungolago, which previously consisted of only a simple iron gate which was closed at night. Instead, during this winter, an installation of two white marble statues, each supporting one of the existing pillars, has taken shape on either side of the opening. They will be topped with a double iron arch  and iron gates. The new opening will line up visually with the now-famous performing fountains, which were added in 2000, in the public gardens of the hotel. Not everyone in town is a fan of the statues -- yet -- but the idea was to create a striking visual monument for the marking of this 150th anniversary, and these certainly do. Happy 150 years Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees! Wishing you many, many more!

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It was only a scant two months ago that we reported on the design for the new station at the Carciano ferry dock, shown in the design to the left. And now, below, here is the finished station! Ready for all those new ferry runs mentioned above. With its covered waiting areas and ticket office, but not many walls to obstruct any views, this is a very pretty and helpful addition to the Carciano dock, which is bound to become more and more popular.