Italy's Uncharted Islands
Lake Iseo is located on the southern foothills of the Alps. It extends over the provinces of Brescia and Bergamo in the northern mainland of Italy. In the middle of Lake Iseo lies the largest island of the southern European inland waters. Monte Isola, as the island is called after its central mountain lies close to its two neighboring islands, Isola di San Paolo and Isola di Loreto. As early as the 11th century, a monastic association of Benedictines settled here. For many Italians, Lake Iseo is the most beautiful spot in their homeland. It is all the more astonishing how little the influence of tourism is here. Driving is strictly forbidden on the three islands, and only on Monte Isola. Only on Monte Isola there is a regular bus service in the summertime. Thus, the three islands are an oasis of an oasis of tranquility most of the year. The historical buildings and the nature remind of the long tradition in which the Italians have cultivated this retreat. Only every five years in the autumn a big celebration takes place. Then over 200,000 paper flowers decorate the island. The flowers are reminiscent of the time in the Middle Ages when a Roma woman brought her son to the island to be cured from the from the rampant plague. In gratitude, she donated a sea of flowers. The Festa di Santa Croce has been one of the main attractions in northern Italy ever since. The days are radiant with color, it is the only time when it gets crowded in the small streets of the island villages. The next festival was celebrated in September 2021.
