All Three Borromean Islands in One Day: All-Inclusive Ticket or Single Tickets?
Updated October 20, 2026 · 5 min read
For most visitors, the cheapest listed way to see all three islands is the 3-island hop-on hop-off ticket at €12 plus the operator’s combined palace ticket for Isola Bella and Isola Madre at €40, together €52 per adult. The all-inclusive ticket costs €20 and spells out what the cheaper boat ticket leaves unsaid, so it makes sense if you want the landing tax and the departures settled before you go. The description says nothing about palace entry.
What each way of doing it costs
Prices per adult, in euros. The palace tickets are the operator’s own prices; the boat tickets are the GetYourGuide listings.
| Plan | Boat | Entries | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-island ticket, both palaces | €12 | €40 | €52 |
| Second 3-island ticket, both palaces | €15 | €40 | €55 |
| All-inclusive ticket, both palaces | €20 | €40 | €60 |
| Entry and boat transfer for Bella and Madre | included | included | €64 |
| Isola Bella only: boat and palace | €8 | €27 | €35 |
The operator’s combined ticket for Isola Bella and Isola Madre is €40 for adults, against €27 and €23 if you buy each palace on its own. It costs €23 for ages 6 to 15 and is free for children under 6.
The €64 package names two islands, Bella and Madre, and a return transfer from Stresa. It does not say that Pescatori is part of the trip, and it costs €12 more than the €52 plan above. The description does not explain what the extra €12 buys, so ask yourself whether one booking in one step is worth that to you.
What the all-inclusive ticket actually promises
The description says three things: you can choose to visit one, two or all three islands; the price includes the landing tax; and boats leave about every 30 minutes. The cheaper tickets say nothing about the landing tax or the frequency. That does not mean they are worse, only that you have to check. The all-inclusive description lists the landing tax as included. For the other tickets, check the booking page and expect to pay it at the pier if it is not.
That makes the €8 gap between the all-inclusive and the €12 ticket a price for certainty, not for an extra island. If you travel as a family, the gap multiplies with every person who pays.
Is one day enough?
The operator’s 2026 season ran from 12 March to 8 November. On both palace islands the doors opened at 10 am. Until 24 October the last entry was 5 pm, and from 25 October it was 4 pm. Until 24 October that is a window of about seven hours (six after that) for two paid visits, a lunch on Isola dei Pescatori and the crossings between them. In our judgement that is a full but workable day, provided you are on the first boats; it is not a day for a long lunch followed by a slow start.
The order that fits the opening hours is simple: the two ticketed islands first, Pescatori last. Pescatori has no ticket and no palace closing time, so it can take the leftover hours. The reasoning behind that, and more about each island, is in hop-on hop-off from Stresa and Isola Madre or Isola dei Pescatori?.
Families
Entry for two adults and two children aged 6 to 15 for both palaces comes to €126: €80 for the adults and €46 for the children. Children under 6 enter free. The boat listings show one price per person and do not give child fares, so look at the booking page for the age bands before you add them up.
Strollers, umbrellas and large backpacks are not allowed inside the palaces; there are free lockers and a stroller storage area on Isola Bella, near the ticket office. The details are in Is Isola Bella worth it?
Other combinations
The operator also sells combined tickets for several sites that add Parco Pallavicino or Rocca di Angera to the two islands; prices are on its ticket page. They suit people who want more gardens or a castle, not a first visit. Boat tickets, entries and other options are listed under Borromean Islands tours.
The verdict
Book the €12 three-island ticket, buy the combined palace ticket for €40, and plan the day as two palaces first and Pescatori last. Choose the all-inclusive ticket at €20 if you want the landing tax settled in advance and do not mind paying €8 more for it.
