Information: Ufficio Turistico Stresa -- The Official Tourist Office

The official tourist office of Stresa, Ufficio Turistico Citta di Stresa, is located at the Stresa imbarcadero, on the right side of that building. It is organized and run by the City of Stresa, and therefore it has no ties to any of the individual tour or travel agencies. During the tourist season the office is usually staffed with at least two employees, and all of them are multilingual. There should always be someone on hand who can assist you in Italian, English, German, or French, and possibly a bit of some other languages as well.

 Don't hesitate to step inside and ask them any questions you have. While I was there taking these photos there was a steady stream of people coming in and out, and all questions, in any language, were answered to the satisfaction of the asker. 

Even if you don't have a specific question, you should stop in the Ufficio Turistico, and better to do so early in your trip rather than later. They have on hand a great supply of free maps: Street maps of Stresa indicating the location of all the major hotels, parking lots, taxi and bus stops, and other important-to-know sites. That same map also indicates the major hiking trails from Mottarone and in the hills around Stresa. Another map, published by the trekking association, shows more detailed hiking and trekking paths on the slopes of Mt. Mottarone. I also picked up a calendar of all the major events taking place in the Stresa/Lago Maggiore region in 2011. All of these publications are printed in several languages. In addition, there are piles of individual flyers advertising many musical, artistic, or cultural events. 

All of these services are offered completely free of charge. Take as many maps and flyers as you want. The only items for sale are a variety of Stresa posters, shown on the wall and offered for a few euros each.

In sum, I think it would be a great idea to make a stop here one of your first priorities once you arrive in Stresa. Get a lay of the land, see what's on during your stay, answer any boat or other travel questions, and learn the opening dates and times of the places you intend to visit.

The phone number is 0323/30150-31308

You can email them at:  info@stresaturismo.it