Charming Lakefront Apartment, Breathtaking Lago Maggiore Views

• A Room with a View

  A Room with a View

  • Guest Virginians
  • Date of stay 09/15/12
  • Review Submitted 10/07/12
  The moment my husband and I walked into this home, Casa Barbara, I felt I was entering the movie of this title. The Casa is beautifully (and fully!) furnished but it is the wide view of the Lake from both the living room and the master bedroom as well as the view of the village lane from the small balconey off the kitchin which took my breath away. The entire villa was extremely clean and the welcoming hospitality personal and heartfelt. We wholeheartedly recommend this property to any traveller. The lake's ferry can twhisk you to Italy for a day, to small islands and other lakefront towns. The photo in the listing is exactly what it is - your own little villa in an old village with cobblestone streets, great food, and exquisite town squares. Spend a week, spend two. Your travel weary bones will be comforted and your soul renewed.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• Paradise on Lago Maggiore

  Paradise on Lago Maggiore

  • Guest Deb
  • Date of stay 09/01/12
  • Review Submitted 09/20/12
  Such an amazing place, such an amazing part of this world, such an amazing hostess! Our week at Casa Barbara was all and more then we hoped for. The photos just give you a hint of how lovely the apartment and area are. This was our 3rd trip to Europe and leaves us wanting more. Please listen to all of Lisa's recommendations - she will not steer you wrong! We truly hope to return sooner rather than later.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• Wonderful place

  Wonderful place

  • Guest Lisa
  • Date of stay 08/05/12
  • Review Submitted 09/06/12
  Lisa was an amazing host with great recommendations for dining and sightseeing. The small market in town had everything to prepare a few meals at home also. Ascona, a ferry ride across the lake, is a beautiful town in which to spend the day shopping, walking, eating, and relaxing. We enjoyed the swimming area. The amenities in the house were great for a family stay.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with teenagers, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• Simply perfect in every way!

  Simply perfect in every way!

  • Guest Michelle W.
  • Date of stay 08/10/12
  • Review Submitted 08/31/12
  Lisa, thank you for an incredible stay! Your home was everything we could have dreamed and more! We have traveled all around, staying in apartments, cottages, hotels, but nothing compares to this. Your home is so charning, so comfortable, so spacious....as our 7-year old daughter said, we could have lived there forever. The views from the home are truly breathtaking! The images online just don't do it justice. We enjoyed walking to the corner market and shopping for local treats. The location was perfect! We could sit & relax on the beach (just steps outside the house), or jump in the car for easy day trips. Opening the windows, feeling the lake breeze while enjoying views of Swiss paradise......it was a magical stay. Did I mention how comfortable the beds were? Seriously! The most comfortable night sleep, away from your own bed, you could possibly imagine. Thank you for your attention to detail & making us feel at home. Lisa was just the warmest, nicest hostess.....she even left a birthday surprise when she heard it was my husband's birthday. We will always remember you and hope to visit again one day.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, pet owners, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• Wonderful stay - Too good to be true!

  Wonderful stay - Too good to be true!

  • Guest Meg
  • Date of stay 06/25/12
  • Review Submitted 07/29/12
  My husband and I stayed at this property for several nights in June and had an incredible experience. The waterfront apartment is absolutely STUNNING with unbeatable views of Lago Maggiore. The place itself has a well equipped kitchen, a washing machine, a large living room and dining space, along with spacious bedroom accommodations upstairs. The apartment is beautifully furnished and everything is clean and luxurious. The owners of the property, Lisa and Fritz, were also lovely during our stay. When we arrived, the kitchen was stocked with complementary wine, Swiss chocolate, and espresso for our espresso machine in the kitchen. They are incredibly detail oriented in preparing the apartment for guests and will even supply the house with beach towels, bathroom toiletries, and extra power outlets - They think of everything! Furthermore, Lisa and Fritz were incredibly warm and kind and made us feel very welcome and special during our entire stay there. I would HIGHLY recommend this property for anyone travelling to Gerra. It is perfect for families and couples alike. It was a dream come true to stay at the apartment and it was a vacation we will always cherish and remember.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+, families with young children.

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• Authentic slice of Ticino

  Authentic slice of Ticino

  • Guest Art & Tim
  • Date of stay 04/16/12
  • Review Submitted 06/03/12
  We were desperate for an escape from our hectic ex-patriot lives in Zurich and decided, last minute, to book a week in Ticino—a part of Switzerland we had not yet visited. We are so glad we stumbled across Casa Barbara on VRBO. Our stay was special for so many reasons, I hardly know where to begin. First of all its location is ideal. Gerra is a charming little village on the shores of Lago di Maggiore that time seem to have forgotten. (What you’re hoping you’ll find in Ascona, actually, but can’t because of the legions of tour buses.) Casa Barbara itself is one of the cheerfully painted villas on the waterfront that make up Gerra’s Old Town. You can hardly believe your good fortune when you arrive. From the French doors lakeside there’s nothing obstructing your movie-set view of the lake, Ascona on the other side, and the snow-capped Alps rising above. Town-side, your breakfast balcony overlooks the cobbled main square and ancient church. Lisa, the owner, modestly calls Casa Barbara an apartment; but it’s really a small house: there’s a kitchen, guest toilet and dining/living area on the main floor, and two generous bedrooms with a full bath on the top floor. Lisa has generously equipped the place with every imaginable cooking utensil and home-entertainment appliance; there’s also wifi, a washing machine, even a working fireplace. The décor itself is just right—great taste, but comfortable and informal. You don’t actually feel like you’re in a vacation rental. You feel like good friends have lent you their home. And like a good friend, Lisa wants you to enjoy your stay. She’s compiled her own guidebook of things to see and do, where to hike, swim or stroll; and there’s a helpful list of places to eat in town, in Ascona and across the border in Italy. In inclement weather, there’s even a library of novels and videos to raid, ranging from the classics to page-turning thrillers. I still can’t think of what would have made our stay better—except the weather a couple of days. Here are our favorite reasons to return to Casa Barbara: Wake to the sound of water lapping against the boat dock below. Walk up to the local shop (there’s only one) for fresh-baked bread, olives, hard salami, and marinated artichokes to make an impromptu antipasti lunch. Build a roaring fire at sunset, throw on a playlist of classic Gershwin songs, and waltz slowly around the living room, grinning. And I ask you: when was the last time you did THAT?

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, pet owners, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• Osso Buco 2010

  Osso Buco 2010

  • Guest Rusty
  • Date of stay 05/20/10
  • Review Submitted 02/19/12
  Hi Lisa, sorry it took so long to do a review, but your apartment is still in our memory, it feels like is was yesterday. We've spend a weekend in your then new guesthouse, your company, the lake, snow capped mountains, childhood memories, talk about times long gone, cooking and sharing food, it is quite some time ago, we still talk about it to day. Hope to catch up again soon. Gisela and Richard, just back from OZ

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• Heaven in Southern Switzerland!

  Heaven in Southern Switzerland!

  • Guest Greg
  • Date of stay 09/21/11
  • Review Submitted 10/14/11
  Where do you begin when talking about this wonderful place. My family has stayed in numerous locations throughout Europe and none of them can beat this place. The pictures don't do this apartment justice and the location is magical. Many renters have an apartment that has the basics but not much more. This place has everything you could need and if it's not there, you probably do not need it. You really feel as though someone has truly opened up there home to you and a wonderful home it is. We had 6 adults and 1 child (2 years old) and we all had great accommodations including a crib for our daughter. The views of the lake are intoxicating and the gentle breeze is wonderful in the morning as you sip you coffee and try to figure out how to spend the rest of your life here. If our group had one regret it was that we didn't stay here long enough!! Finally I would be remiss if I did not mention Lisa, the owner, and all she did for us. It is rare to find someone who has an apartment for rent and cares so much about your trip. Lisa truly wants to make sure that your trip to Lake Maggiore is a memorable one. She made herself available to us if we had questions or recommendations and she was spot on with all of them. We could not thank her enough for her kindness, generosity and all that she did for us in making our stay the best it possibly could be. I could go on but really all you need to know is that if you are coming to this area and decide to stay somewhere else then I feel sorry for you. You will have missed out on the experience of a lifetime.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, tourists without a car, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• Fabulous!

  Fabulous!

  • Guest Kim
  • Date of stay 07/10/11
  • Review Submitted 07/30/11
  We stayed at "Casa Barbara" in July 2011. The house is absolutely beautiful! I have read the other reviews and agree with everyone's comments. The house is stunning, the surrounding area is amazing and the homeowners are incredibly friendly and warm! The owners have a list of "must do activities" and we tried to fit in as many as we could. We visited Ascona, took a day trip to see the castles in Bellinzona and hiked in Valle Verzasca. We also followed their restaurant recommendations. We were not disappointed! I wish we could have spent a few more days in this beautiful and peaceful place. I would love to return. Our experience with "Casa Barbara" is definitely a 5/5!

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

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• It's the real deal

  It's the real deal

  • Guest Chris
  • Date of stay 06/26/11
  • Review Submitted 07/16/11
  My children (Son 22 and Daughter 9) and I stayed at the Casa Barbara at the end of June 2011. We had a wonderful time. The "Casa" is right on the water and overlooks the beautiful Lake Maggiore. On the opposite side there is Locarno and the picturesque Ascona. The lake is surrounds by hills and the alps rise up at the Northern end of the lake. The view from the lakeside windows is spectacular. All the positive comments made here are true. The apartment itself is comfortable and well appointed and Lisa really does think of just about everything. When i first came in i looked a bit stressed from our drive down from Switzerland so Lisa (who was finishing off getting the place ready) went and got me a beer from her place next door. The facilities in the Casa are good, we like to buy local product and cook for ourselves and this was no problem in the kitchen. There really is so much to do around the lake. We went to Ascona and wandered through the charming little alleyways until we found a nice restaurant. Another day we drove right around the lake. Bellinzona is just up the hill and has some stunning world heritage castles on the hill. We visited the Borromean islands at the southern end of the lake and they are amazing - especially Isola Bella. We also did a day trip to Milan. I didn't want to drive into Milan (there's nowhere to park and they're a bit crazy on the roads) so we drove to the last station in Swizterland (Chiasco). Then caught the express train to Milan (40 minutes), easy peasy. On our last day we drove around the top of the lake and went up the Valla Verzasca which is also very beautiful. If you're into self contained apartments/houses you will love this one, it is very good value for money considering how many people can fit in there and the village itself is lovely to stay in. One final thing. If you're coming from Switzerland and you have plenty of time, don't go through the Gottard tunnel. Go over the pass. You won't regret it, it is amazing up there. Stop at the top near the dam and go for a walk among the bits of snow and the lovely little lakes. Make sure you have jackets at the ready).

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, families with teenagers, sightseeing, families with young children.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

Additional information about rental rates

Refundable reservation/security deposit of $500

Additional Fees and Taxes:

Cleaning charge of $125