Welcome at the foot of the mountains, in the tasty Piedmont, by the most romantic of Italian lakes
"Imagine a traveler who, weary from the thousand rich impressions of Brazil, Italy, and India, returns to his homeland and along the way encounters a charming lake, Lake Orta, with a lost island lying on the water. The pomp and bustle are far away, and its proportions become human again." Honoré de Balzac
These lakes of northern Italy are a unique promise.
You cross the Alps, and at the latest at Lake Maggiore, you open the car's sunroof and immerse yourself in a life full of lightness, joie de vivre, pleasure, culture, and warm hospitality. While snow still adorns the mountain peaks, camellias, magnolias, and azaleas are already in bloom along the shores, and in the cafes on the pleasant squares, there are hardly any free tables left.
The cleanest lake of all the lakes in northern Italy
Nestled between Lake Maggiore, Val Vigezzo, Valle Anzasca, Valsesia, and to the south bordering the Po Valley and its famous rice fields, this gem is located in the "Hortus conclusus," the great enclosed garden. Its shores are hilly; they become steep only on the western side between Ronco and Oira. The "silent neighbor of Lake Maggiore," as Balzac called it, is just 13.5 km long and 2.5 km wide and is the cleanest lake of all the lakes in northern Italy!
Orta San Giulio
This pedestrian village with a lakeside is the very essence of idyll. Stroll through the narrow alleys between faded Renaissance facades with inviting delicatessens and boutiques until you reach Piazza Motta. On three sides, this beautiful square is surrounded by ancient buildings with arcades; the fourth side opens onto the water and the island of San Giulio. What a stage!
On the path to tranquility
Let your gaze wander over the island of San Giulio, where it is said that snakes and monsters once lived, until Saint Julius in the 4th century put an end to their threat. Take a water taxi or the regular ferry to reach it, walk around the island in a few minutes, buy a souvenir at the store next to the church, or stop for a meal under the shade of the kiwi trees at the island's tavern. Here, one could truly end the day in complete relaxation. But there is still so much to discover.
Easily accessible
From a transport perspective, Lake Orta is easily reachable by car, train, or plane. There are good connections to Switzerland, for example to Cannobio – from Pella it is 52 km, to central Milan 86 km, to Turin 130 km, to Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, and the wine regions of Piedmont. The international airports of Milan Malpensa (50 km away) and Milan Linate (103 km away) allow for even faster access to the holiday destination at Lake Orta. The Ligurian Riviera, with its crystal-clear waters and picturesque villages, is about 1.5 hours by car.