Lake Orta

Lake Orta, situated just west of Lake Maggiore, is one of our favorite lakes. Because it is so close to Lake Maggiore, it can be visited as a day trip from there. However, because it so appealing, we feel it deserves a stopover on its own. One doesn’t hear much about Lake Orta, although it abounds with a charm and is filled with of Romanesque and Baroque treasures. It is probably less known because it is so small and doesn’t have many quaint towns tucked along its shoreline. However, it does have one outstanding village, Orta San Giulio. It is picture perfect with a tiny square facing the water, narrow cobbled streets, noble mansions, a wonderful, very old, town hall, many boutiques, fragrant gardens, painted houses, and picturesque churches. Adding to the perfection, just across from the town, you see Isola San Giulio shimmering in the water. You can take a boat out to this tiny island where you can walk the narrow street that circles the island and visit the Romanesque style church with 15^th-and 16^th-century frescoes.