Northern Italy: Lake Orta
On our 2000 trip to Italy we flew from Vancouver to Milan, picked up our car and headed to Lake Orta to stay in the very pleasant old village of Orta San Giulio. Whether this is a travel destination or if you are flying into Milan, and need a day to recoup from the jet lag this is a great place to relax. and get over your jet lag.
Orta San Giulio is the main tourist centre and also the location of the health resort on the small Lake Orta. There is a section of the old town that illustrates the previous wealth of its history. Baroque style elgant buildings make this a charmingt place to stay. The Palazzo della Communità dates fro 1582 and is found on the central piazza overlooking the lake.
On our 2000 tip, our hotel was clean, and right on the lake, but, we were unhappy with our treatment. Perhaps it was our error - arriving quite late in the evening due to a delayed trip, and not really asking the right questions as we checked in, but somehow we never realized we had paid for half-board and did not know it. They would wave to us each evening as we left for dinner, and you would think that after three days or never taking a meal in the hotel someone would say something! We even asked her for directions to a restaurants many evenings!
The old town is build around the small, Lake Orta. Cars are left in a car park at the end of town and you walk the narrow lanes to arrive at the village centre. The lack of cars and the continual parking crisis of most Italian towns is a pleasure.
The main Piazza Motta is a great large meeting place. There are plenty of great little hotels in the town and some very good restaurants. I don't think you can get it more relaxing thatn sitting in the piazza in the evening having a drink, listening to music of the italian language and just soaking in the sights.
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| Looking towards the island of San Giulio. | Kids running along the "ring" of narrow roads that run along the Island of San Guilio. | Wonderful artchitecture. |
In the middle of the lake is a small island - Isola di Giulio - with an old basilica that dates from the 11th and 12th centuries and restored later. It sites in the middle of the small island and there is a ring of old houses along the shore of the island. It makes for endless views. Inside the basilica are Romanesque scultures and frescos from the 15th and 16th centuries. Take a boat to the island and walk the narrow walkways around the monastery.
Lake Orta makes a great base for touring the area, or taking a train for a day trip to Milan. It is a short drive to Stresa on Lake Maggiore.
Be sure to try the Albergo Ristoro Olina, via Olina 40, Orta San Giulio. In 2000, this was our second visit to this restaurant. It was just as good five years later! The Olina also offers a few rooms.
Other trips through Italy include:
- Italy 2001 | A tour from Sirmione, Venice, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, Rome, Cinque Terre, Alassio
- Italy 2002 | San Remo, Bussana Vecchio, Alassio, Villanova Albenga, Montecantini Terme, Certosa di Firenza, Arezzo, Agricola Casentinese, Poppi, Prato Vechia, San Gimignano, Alassio
- Italy 2003 | Rome, Sicily, Malta, Amalfi Coast