Isola Bella's Island Garden Aerial View

Isola Bella, Italy: Aerial wonderland. The stocky, battlemented shape of the Palazzo Borromeo is sure to be familiar to many. But few have seen the grounds that enclose Borromeo’s private estate like this — from above. Filmed by drone operator @enzoo.romanoo, the 9-second video showcases the geometric hedges, stone stair steps, and vivid flowerbeds in a way that ground-level visitors never see. The aerial perspective offers a unique view of Isola Bella’s complex layout and symmetry. The centrepiece of this luxurious island estate is the ornate Borromeo Palace. Built in the late 16th century for the influential Borromeo family, the palace is an architectural landmark renowned for its fanciful design and ornate decor. The Baroque exterior is a cascade of grand windows and balconies that create small terraces where guests can dine or take in the expansive views.

The Architecture of History

Isola Bella, the smallest of the Borromean Islands, is just a speck in Lake Maggiore, Italy. A half-mile ferry ride from Stresa, the island is a public tourist magnet. Drawing as many as 300,000 visitors each year, the whole ensemble is the central attraction. Visitors enter through walled grounds and cross the stone bridge leading to the grand staircase. The architecture of the Borromeo family estate doesn’t lift the island’s design above the surrounding landscape. It works with it to create a three-dimensional garden. Architectural features like columns, walls, and staircases are seamlessly integrated with the greenery. Careful thought has gone into arranging this garden as a performance space. The mirroring staircases, for example, don’t have a single pair of identical steps. Nor do they follow a traditional staircase design. Artisans mapped out both the horizontal and vertical planes of the staircase. Along the way, they alternated symmetrical pairs of steps with asymmetrical ones. This adds depth and intrigue. The Italian Baroque garden is a formal garden style. The symmetrical hedges create geometric patterns. Flowerbeds are often colorful, with plants and flowers strategically chosen for their visual appeal. The gardens often include fountains, statues, and other decorative elements. The key feature is how well the gardens are harmonized with their architecture.

One Island, Three Gardens

Though the Borromeo Palace is the island’s top draw, it’s the gardens that create the immersive experience. Each one is meticulously landscaped to match the island’s fanciful architectural style, and each has its own personality. The garden most visitors see first is the romantic garden. This one is just opposite the palace and features a grove of lemon trees and flowers. Its main attraction is the staircases. Though they look identical from a distance, no two steps are the same. This small garden has the most recognizable views of the palace. The windows, arches, and balconies are popular photo spots. The garden then seamlessly opens into the fanciful garden. Built in 1955, this garden is a love letter to Baroque fancifulness. It was built on the order of Count Oreste Borromeo, who wanted to rehabilitate a barren slope. So he commissioned a dream garden that included a terraced park with fountains and a waterfall. As fancifulness goes, this waterfall is among the best. The water cascades down from the top of the garden and into a shallow pool, and the sky reflects on the water. Beyond this garden lies the oldest of the island’s gardens: the Italian garden. Surrounded by walls, it is the heirloom of the Borromeo estate. Its most spectacular feature is the Grand Staircase, which is a single stair that takes visitors from the entrance up to the palace for a look at the fountain garden. Walls and plants along the garden’s edge blend to make the senses feel as though they are in a labyrinth. This is the only garden with direct access to the lake, bringing the water experience to the grounds.

This Garden Makes Good Use of Water

Though the gardens certainly evoke the enchanting views, it is the lakeside that sets them apart. Visitors often remark at the lake’s shimmering blue and the way it interacts with the pavilions. The lake’s limestone walls, boulders, and terraces mirror the water’s reflection. Dramatic views of the lake are what make the garden’s water usage so effective. The water treatments turn into a location of beauty that is also a functional space designed for relaxation, play, and entertainment. Equally important is the placement of plants. The presence of fountains, waterfalls, and reflecting pools complement the garden’s design. Each garden offers its own vista of the lake.

A Critical Moment for Drone Operators

The vantage point of drone photography reveals the give-and-take between space and form in garden design: how the symmetrical hedges and flowerbeds visually interact with the sweeping vistas of Lake Maggiore. These photos take on greater significance in a moment of tumult for drone operators. The Borromeo Islands have a long history of drones disrupting tourists, with studies showing that the number of drones per square kilometer in the Lake Maggiore area has been rapidly increasing. The islands aren’t alone. Everywhere you look, drone operators are on the rise. This has led to discussions by Italian lawmakers who want to regulate these drone operators. They cited concerns about noise pollution, privacy invasion, and safety hazards. Violations could reportedly bring steep fines. Proposals have emerged for more regulations, including restricted zones and licensing requirements in populated areas. This has real implications for operators. While drone photography has grown in popularity, some drone operators say the increased regulations would affect their livelihoods. In Lake Maggiore, drone operators say the current rules aren’t working, but stricter policies could lead to fines and legal trouble.

Taking the Drone Photo of Your Dreams

For some, there’s no better example of drone photography’s potential than the Borromeo gardens. Aesthetic choices such as symmetry, scale, and the placement of focal points all come through clearly. But creating a drone video is easier said than done. It takes more than just equipment to make this type of photo. Drone photography has its own technical challenges. It’s recommended to stick with a drone that has a top shutter speed of a minimum 60 frames per second. The sensor size will also matter. And keep in mind that subject movement, vibration, and changing light can all affect the clarity of the image. In terms of composition, drone photography is all about capturing the right angles. The angle you choose can make a huge difference. Vertical shots often capture the scale and symmetry of a garden, while diagonal shots can create a sense of depth.

Seize the moment

Beneath the surface, drone photography is happening at a moment of contestation. If current policy discussions in Italy are any indication, It’s hard to say what the future holds. No matter what, the video reminds us to appreciate these islands while they are still accessible. Visiting the Borromeo gardens is a chance to experience both a performance and a piece of history. The island’s gardens may not be in the public eye, but their beauty is undeniable.