Once you've visited Lago Maggiore's major attractions, what better than to get off the beaten track and go hiking in the hills and mountains on your doorstep.

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Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a weekend walker, you’ll find miles and miles of great hiking trails in virtually every direction and as most people never venture far from their car, even in summer, you’ll often have the countryside to yourself.

If you’re looking for a short stroll from your accommodation, you’ll often be walking through woodland, often on pilgrim trails that wind past sleepy villages.

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But if you’d like to make a day of it and have time to drive up to the mountains (or maybe to take a cable car), you’ll be up above the tree line in a landscape where views go on forever.

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Our favourite hikes, all offering amazing views as well as the possibility of lunch, include the hike to Gattascosa mountain hut on the Swiss border, Alpe Ompio to Monte Faie, the walk from Al Carbon agriturismo in Coiromonte to Monte Falò and the route to the walser village of Salecchio for lunch at the cosy mountain hut.

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However, you’ll find the best source of local walks and hikes is undoubtedly www.itinerarium.it, an incredibly useful resource created by our two friends Francesca and Alan.