Our nearest town is Intra, on Lake Maggiore. It takes about 10 minutes by bus or car, and about 45 to walk, which we often do as it is downhill! There is a wide selection of shops, cafes and restaurants in Intra, in addition to a ferry service which goes to various other towns on the lake. It holds a hugely popular Saturday market, people travel for miles to come. It is easy to get to Cannobio, Stresa or Laveno, by bus, car or ferry, and we are about 40 minutes from the Swiss border if you feel like a trip to Switzerland! Locarno is the nearest Swiss city. Lake Orta is about 45 minutes away. In summer there is a bus which goes from Intra to Milan, though you can also get the train from Stresa or drive. It takes about 1 hour and a half.
We spend a lot of time walking there, as routes through the mountains are generally well marked, but we also spend a great deal of time sitting on the balcony reading books in the sunshine looking out over the incredible views.