The Lago Maggiore, nice weather, concerts in historic and stunning settings, good food and fantastic wines; the “Settimane Musicale” had enough to offer! This year, national musicians where dominating the impressive list of concerts and recitals, possibly due to recent more complicated budget regulations of the Italian Government. It looks like more than ever festivals need to join forces to engage their artists. Stresa Festival offer their musical encounters in elegant and historic settings, among other, on three islands on the Lago Maggiore full of indigenous trees and flowers, historic buildings and small streets that are providing breath-taking views of the lake and the Swiss Alps. Read the full blog by Irme de Jong on Festival Bytes.