Sunset on Lake Maggiore: Is the Stresa Sunset Cruise Worth €250?
Updated October 20, 2026 · 5 min read
The Stresa sunset cruise on Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands is worth it for a group, not for a couple. It costs €250 per group of up to 10 for one hour, which is €25 per person for ten and €125 each for two. It has 4.4 stars from 38 reviews and is the only sunset boat on GetYourGuide for Stresa with more than a handful of reviews. For two people the price per head is steep, and the better plan is to watch the light from the Stresa lakefront.
What the description says
The listing says you board as sunset approaches and see the landscape of Lake Maggiore, with a group of friends. It names a duration of one hour and a price per group of up to 10. That is all. It does not list a route, a drink or a snack, or what happens if the weather turns. The title mentions the Borromean Islands, but the description does not say the boat goes to them. Look at the booking page for the departure times and the cancellation terms before you pay.
When the sun sets
The table shows approximate sunset times at Stresa on the 15th of each month, in local time, calculated for the latitude and longitude of the town. They can differ by a few minutes from a printed timetable and ignore hills on the horizon.
| Date | Sunset (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 15 April | about 8.10 pm |
| 15 May | about 8.50 pm |
| 15 June | about 9.15 pm |
| 15 July | about 9.15 pm |
| 15 August | about 8.35 pm |
| 15 September | about 7.40 pm |
| 15 October | about 6.40 pm |
| 31 October | about 5.15 pm |
The cruise lasts an hour, so the departure has to be set before the sunset time, not at it. The booking page shows which time slots exist.
One consequence: the palaces and gardens do not stay open that late. On Isola Bella and Isola Madre, the palace closed at 5.30 pm and the garden at 6 pm until 24 October in 2026, and an hour earlier after that. The palaces are a daytime plan, and a sunset cruise is a separate evening. See Is Isola Bella worth it? for the daytime plan.
What else is on offer at sunset
There are few sunset offers around Stresa on GetYourGuide, and most have almost no reviews:
| Offer | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Stresa: Lake Maggiore and Borromean Islands Sunset Cruise | €250 per group up to 10, 1 hour | 4.4 from 38 reviews |
| Boat Excursion on Lake Maggiore at Sunset | €370 per group up to 6, 1 hour | 1.0 from 1 review |
| Stresa: Private Sunset Walking Tour with Aperitif | €167 per person, 1 hour | no reviews yet |
| Stresa: Private Sunset Cruise and Dinner on Isola dei Pescatori | €980 per group up to 2, 3 hours | no reviews yet |
The second boat has one review with one star, which is too little to judge by, and it costs more for fewer people. The dinner cruise is the romantic option on paper: a private boat in the Borromean Gulf, a toast on board and dinner on Isola dei Pescatori. It has no reviews yet, so you would be the first to find out.
Cheaper ways to see the light
- From the shore. The Stresa lakefront looks over the water towards the Borromean Islands and costs nothing. Isola Bella lies just offshore.
- On the way back from a day trip. If you spend the day on the islands with a hop-on hop-off ticket from €12, look at the operator’s timetable for the evening departures; they change with the season.
- A meal on Isola dei Pescatori. The village has lake-fish restaurants; see Isola Madre or Isola dei Pescatori?
More boat tours are listed under Lake Maggiore boat tours.
Who should book it
- A group of six to ten: yes. At €25 to €42 per person for a private hour, it is the only sunset boat with a real review count.
- Two people who want a boat: the €250 is the same whether two or ten go. Ask yourself whether €125 each is what the evening is worth to you.
- Anyone who wants certainty about the route: read the booking page first; this description is too short to promise one.
The verdict
For a group, book the sunset cruise; for two, spend the evening on the lakefront and keep the money for the daytime boats.
