The Isole di Brissago are a group of two island

Island

An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...

s located in the Swiss

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 part of Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...

 close to Ronco sopra Ascona

Ronco sopra Ascona

Ronco sopra Ascona is a municipality near Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Ronco sopra Ascona is first mentioned in 1264 as Roncha. In 1498 it was mentioned as Ronca de Scona. Ronco sopra Ascona and Ascona a Vicinanza by 1321. The vicinanza had its own statutes by 1369,...

 and Brissago

Brissago

Brissago is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:An ax and ceramic pieces from the Neolithic era as well as Roman coins and other finds, discovered in 1846 in Brenscino, indicate that the area was prehistorically settled. In 1863, during the...

, both in the Distretto di Locarno

Locarno (district)

The district of Locarno is a district of Canton Ticino, Switzerland. It has a population of .-Geography:...

 of Canton Ticino.

In the 19th century they were the property of an Anglo-Irishman of the St. Leger family, Richard Fleming, who was married to a Russian-born lady, Antonietta, who developed the gardens at great expense. After the death of her husband the writer James Joyce

James Joyce

James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...

 visited the island and stayed at her house.

San Pancrazio (also known as Grande Isola) is the larger and is well known for its botanical garden

Botanical garden

A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...

. On the smaller of the islands, known as Isolino, or Isola Piccola or Isola di Sant’Apollinare, the vegetation is allowed to develop naturally. Both benefit from the mild climate provided by the lake.

External links

• http://www.isolebrissago.ch/welcome.php?l=e
• http://www.lago-maggiore-urlaub.de/brissago_bilder.htm