While Lake Como and Lake Maggiore may get all the attention, Lake Orta has equally enchanting scenery without the crowds. The main town on this overlooked lake is Orta San Giulio, a quaint hillside village set on a peninsula. Climb to the to top of the Sacro Monte, where 20 chapels filled with frescoes and statues of San Francesco d’Assisi are nestled within a national park. A short boat ride away is Isola di San Giulio, a small island home to a Benedictine monastery and the Romanesque Basilica of San Giulio. Walk the route of silence and meditation, which goes along the perimeter of the island, and take in the views.
With multi-colored houses, cafes, and gates lining the cobbled alleys of the medieval town of Orta San Giulio, finding things to do on Lake Orta is easy.
1. Chiesa di San Rocco, Via Bossi
If you got lucky and managed to find parking like my Mom and I, make sure to put at least 2 hours in the parking meter–and that’s the minimum in my opinion. As you walk down the hill signs will point you in the direction of Orta’s entrance. You will first come across one of Orta’s smaller churches, the Church of Saint Rocco. It was built in 1631 by those who wanted to free themselves of a plague that had struck Italy. It is dedicated to Saint Rocco via a beautiful fresco located in the church. The church isn’t too ornate compared to others, which makes it quite charming.
2. Apparition of Saint Pio, Via Bossi
What makes this church even more special though is the apparition of Saint Pio on an old house from the 700s located directly in front of the Church of Saint Rocco. If you look up at the last floor, next to the balcony, people claim that you can Saint Pio in the now dilapidated wall. A local priest decided to honor this apparition by placing a statue of Saint Pio in the nearby courtyard and a book where visitors could write their thoughts. Some claim they’ve even been healed after visiting the apparition…either way, it’s definitely worth a visit. Where you able to see it? I was, but my mother was not.
3. Hotel San Rocco, Via Motta
Continue down Via Motta and you will come across what I find to be one of the most beautiful hotels in the lake district, Hotel San Rocco. I remember the first time I came across it years ago, I claimed it would be the perfect place for a wedding. I still do.
The hotel has a beautiful floating dock extended beyond it’s lakeside terrace. Non-guests of the hotel can grab breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon, or aperitivo in the evening. You can see the neighboring docks in the distance, boats that moor up to the floating dock for breakfast, and the island of Orta San Giulio in the distance. It’s truly a stunning and breathtaking place.
4. Isola San Giulio
The hotel owns a beautiful pink palace to the side, which you can reserve for events and special occasions. A beautiful courtyard covered by trees ends with an ornate iron wrap around balcony facing the colorful island of San Giulio, or Isola San Giulio. Today the island is home to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery of Benedictine nuns. It has a cloistered convent and basilica built in the 4th century.
5. Comune di Orta San Giulio
Right next to Hotel San Rocco is the beautiful public Comune di Orta San Giulio, where a couple was actually getting married. I think it’s one of the most beautiful municipalities in the area. A beautiful arch leads to a hidden garden with a iron gate opening up to Lago d’Orta and Isola San Giulio. A small balcony overlooks a moaring next to the municipality.
