The charm of a holiday on Lake Orta
Let’s face it. Going on vacation represents for us the typical encounter between relaxation, magic, fun and discovery. All these elements are guaranteed to say the least if you decide to go and discover the Lake Orta itineraries. As a whole it is in fact a destination that has so much to offer, and romance will be guaranteed to say the least if you know how to examine and visit the right places of an unforgettable place hidden in the wonderful Piedmontese mountains.
A romantic and fairytale atmosphere, made of slate roofs, silent alleys that descend to the placid waters of the lake. We are in Orta San Giulio, on the shores of Lake Orta, in the province of Novara. We begin our visit from Piazza Motta, closed on three sides by arcades, overlooked by shops and cafes. Surely you cannot fail to know that among the most beautiful places on Lake Orta there is the Palace of the Community of the Riviera from 1582. It is nothing more than the testimony of a period of self-government of the small local community. From here, your romantic walk must continue along Via Olina, where you will find some important historic buildings, such as Casa Olina, the ancient 17th-century hospital and, at the foot of a small hill, Casa Monti Caldara, from the 17th century.
A little further on, we see Casa Bossi, the seat of the Municipality Continuing further, there is also the Oratory of San Rocco, dotted with some nineteenth-century residences that literally take your breath away. From here on we advise you to continue your journey towards the Motta climb, on the right side of which is the fifteenth-century Casa dei Nani. The latter is so called for the four small windows that overlook the architrave. On the left, a little further on, is Palazzo De Fortis Penotti, with its neoclassical facade. On the right side, on the right side, Palazzo Gemelli, in late Renaissance style, acts as a counterpart.
The climb leads to the church of Santa Maria Assunta, which dates back to 1485. We then skirt the walls of Palazzo Gemelli to reach the climb that first leads to the Sacro Monte di Orta. Dedicated to San Francesco, it consists of 21 chapels connected by paths that lead into the woods. Inside they keep more than 900 frescoes and 376 terracotta sculptures. In short, on closer inspection there is no shortage of beautiful places on a lake which, despite being little named and too often eclipsed by other lakes, has so much to offer and so much to guarantee its tourist people who fill the streets every year.
