Day 8 – Lake Maggiore, Isla Bella, Isla Pescatore and Concert at Villa Guilia

What a breath-taking place Lake Maggiore Italy is! Cameras do not do it justice, but this is a special place. Our hotel, the Regina Palace, is a majestic hotel located right on the shore of the lake. Upon arrival the night before, everyone from GYC walked into the lobby and immediately looked up in awe at the beautiful ceilings, chandeliers and marble floors. Our day began with a short boat ride to Isla Bella, where we toured a palace and gardens.

Words and pictures cannot begin to describe the beauty, but this small island is a magical place!

The tour of the palace was highlighted by GYC singing 2 songs in one of the beautiful rooms of the palace. The acoustics of the room really accented the voices of the kids, it sounded like angels singing! I heard several adults touring the castle speaking as they continued their tour – the music really moved all who heard it.

After touring the incredible palace, the group toured the gardens of Isla Bella.

After the incredible gardens of Isla Bella, we boarded 2 boats again for a short trip to Isla Pescatore, which, as the name implies if you know your Italian, is a village known for its fishing. Here, the group split up for lunch in one of the island’s many excellent restaurants.

Most finished lunch in time for some quick shopping before boarding the boat back to the beach near the hotel.

The afternoon had a nice slice of time for shopping, swimming, relaxing, or getting some much-needed laundry done prior to dinner. Then it was up to the room to change into concert attire for tonight’s concert on the other side of the lake at the Villa Guilia. Before boarding the bus, some of the kids had time for a quick rendition of “New York, New York”.

The concert was very well attended considering a thunderstorm that moved through about the time the concert started. The room was pretty steamy, but the kids performed beautifully!