On the south side of the Alps, Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy. Since the climate is mild year-round, the area is filled with Mediterranean vegetation and exotic plants. Its shoreline touches not only the swiss canton of Ticino but two Italian regions., Piedmont and Lombardy. The lake was named after Maximus (Maggiore) by the Romans in ancient times as it was the largest of the Pre-Alphine Lakes. After the Simplon Pass was built through the Alps to connect Switzerland and Italy, Lake Maggiore became a popular tourist destination. By the 19th Century, it was a popular weekend getaway for wealthy Italian families from the big cities.
