Piccolo Hotel Olina

Orta San Giulio: like a fairytale

by MariaK

I would suggest a walk around the piazza and further along the lake bank. The beautiful view to the isola, the souvenir shops and cafes full of tourists (though it does not feel annoying at all - I'd say it gives some more and different "colour" to the place), the boats BELOW the houses which are built right on the bank...

Lago di Orta

by Callavetta

"Passing the Hottest Days of June"

Lago di Orta is the smallest of the famous lakes in northern Italy. This tiny jewel has a number of towns surrounding it and a beautiful island in the center with an old church and school and some homes and small restaurants. The most popular tourist destination in the area is Orta San Guilio.

We arrived on Lago di Orta during what was to prove to be part of the hottest month of a hot summer. This is one of Italy's smallest lakes and is beautiful and less crowded than Como, Garda, Maggiore, or Lugano. The town of Orto is charming and tiny with cobble streets and pedestrian only walkways. Cars are permitted in (if they can fit through the very narrow tunnels that take you into the town) only long enough to drop off their passengers. Parking is high above the town.

On Saturday morning there is a huge market in the Piazza. The things that are sold are pretty pedestrian and frankly not very unique. Restaurants and shops line the piazza and narrow streets of the town. There are some wonderful artesan bakeries and a shop with a wonderous selection of cheeses. And of course, there is the omnipresent gelato!