Castelli di Cannero - Lake Maggiore & Lake Orta Travel Guide

Off Cannero Riviera lie the Castelli di Cannero, or Castelli di Malpaga.

The islands are popular tourist attractions, whether admired from the shore, from a boat or from the air.

The ruins of the castle of Cannero can be seen on the rocky islands. It almost looks as if the castle had been built directly on the water.

The Rocca Vitaliana was built between 1519 and 1521 by Ludovico Borromeo. Until then the site was occupied by the Castelli di Malpaga, which had been the stronghold of the Mazzarditi family since the 15th century. In 1403 and 1404 they even seized the town of Cannobio and tyrannised the population of the upper Lake Maggiore shore. Only the Visconti succeeded in besieging the fortress, forcing the starving robber barons to surrender and hand over the castle. The original castle was completely destroyed at that time, however, so nothing of it can be seen today.


The Rocca Vitaliana served as a defensive stronghold for the upper part of Lake Maggiore against the Swiss Confederates, after the Duchy of Milan had been forced to cede the canton of Ticino to the Swiss.

The best-preserved part of the castle is on the eastern island, built right at the water's edge. From the shore at Cannero Riviera the castle seems to rise straight out of the water. On the smaller western island, the remains of a large ruined tower and a few fragments of wall are slowly crumbling away.

You can take a boat trip to the Castelli di Cannero from Cannero Riviera.

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