There are a growing number of Lake Maggiore water sports to enjoy during your stay. Moreover, the lack of speed restrictions on Lake Maggiore and the relative quietness of the lake make it a great place to enjoy activities such as water-skiing, sailing and kite-surfing.
Maccagno is the one of the best spots on to enjoy Lake Maggiore watersports such as windsurfing, sailing and kitesurfing. There is a sailing school in Maccagno as well as another further south at Cerro di Laveno www.scuolavela.ch. You can also rent boats for the half day, full day or for a few days from here. If you’re just looking for an hours rental, then there are plenty of options including companies in Luino and Maccagno. Prices are approximately 40 euros per hour to hire a small speedboat. Across the lake at Brissago, another sailing school offers lessons for children from aged seven and upwards as well as adults. (www.yachtsport-resort.com)
If you’re needing a larger boat to accommodate lots of people, then take a look at www.partyboat.it. They have boats to hire which can take over 20 people and can organise excursions exactly to suit you.
Also quickly gaining popularity on the Lake among Lake Maggiore water sports enthusiasts is scuba diving, with organized excursions taking place more and more commonly. Expert divers are able to descend 300 metres down.
Approx eight kilometres north of Maccagno, in Pino, La Darsena windsurf and kitesurf school offers both rental and lessons, and are open between April and September. Please see their website for more details. www.ladarsenawindsurf.com. They also offer waterskiing, wakeboarding and tube rides, but these activities are not prominently advertised so just ask one of the friendly staff for details. Windsurfing is definitely the most popular activity on offer here and is enjoyed by all ages, however don’t miss the opportunity to hire canoes and enjoy both waterskiing and wakeboarding. The school offers great value for money and has smaller waterskis for children as well as full sized skis for adults. Hire costs are dependent on the amount of time you want to be out on the lake. It’s an ideal place for children to learn to waterski or wakeboard in a safe environment. You’ll notice that people tend to spend the whole day here, relaxing by the lake in between watersports activities. There is a great restaurant on site as well as a relaxed cafe / bar area for snacks and drinks throughout the day. Although service at the retsaurant can sometimes be slow, the food is excellent!
On the other side of the lake, the lido at Cannobio boasts one of the few wide, sandy beaches along the lake, and the waters offshore are renowned for sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing and other Lake Maggiore watersports. Cannobio has three harbours for the launching and mooring of boats, with boat-rental also available.
If you’re looking to get some waterskiing or wakeboarding lessons, then there is also another company in Ascona which can help you. www.scuolavelaascona.ch. This company also offer rental of motorboats and sailing yachts and can organise corporate events. Their excellent team can provide sailing and motorboat lessons. Or, for the experienced sailor, you can rent a boat from them and explore the lake on your own. For the ultimate in luxury, why not hire a skipper from their team? They will take you to some of the most amazing sites, beaches and restaurants around the lake.
At the other end of the lake, the lido at Baveno also has a watersports centre whose main focus is on wakeboarding.
There are plenty of opportunities to go canyoning, rafting and kayaking in Switzerland. There are several companies based in Valle Verzasca that specialise in these type of activities. A couple worth trying include www.canyoningtours.ch and www.indepthoutthere.com.
Finally for those wanting a more sedate pace at which to enjoy Lake Maggiore water sports, it’s worth trying out the many lidos around the lakeside. Of particular note is the lido in Locarno which opened in 2009. It offers visitors three indoor and four outdoor pools as well as diving boards and water slides. Most lidos tend to have access to the lake as well. The lake water tends to peak at around 24 degrees in July and August.
