The Lake District: Como, Maggiore, Iseo, Lugano ..., Milan

Additonal info. on Lake Orta (Italian Piemont)
An apparently lonely little universe, an enchanted world held by the ancient walls of XVII century convent and bound for ages to the mysterious and fairytale-like Island of 'San Giulio'. You will sweetly spend Your time, enjoying the quiet beauty of the cosy Lake Orta, described by Balzac as a 'grey pearl' in the 'green casked' of the Piedmont hills.

A floodlit minaret rises out of the larch woods that run down to the shores of Lake Orta. Ornately carved in the islamic style, Villa Crespi is some sort of Knights' palace, the 19th-century folly of one Cristoforo Benigno Crespi. Crespi was a successful cotton trader whose business took him to Persia. Seduced by the charms of the orient, he built the villa of his dreams back home, filling it with richly carved, Moorish-style columns, capitals and archways, intricately patterned floors and frescoed ceilings. In the 1930s royalty and rich industrialists, poets and artists were entertained here.
Now, the villa has opened its doors as an exclusive hotel, restoring the rich interior colours and furnishing the luxurious bedrooms with four-poster beds and 19th-century paintings. For all this exoticism, the acclaimed cuisine is thoroughly Mediterranean and the wine list includes the best from Italy and France. Best spirits and cigars are available at the bar. Enjoy it!!

Location:

40 minutes from Milan Malpensa Airport - Follow motorway A26 to Lake Maggiore, direction Gravellona T. Exit at Arona, direction Borgomanero and then Lake Orta SS229. You will arrive to Orta san Giulio, Villa Crespi is on the left of the main cross road.

Villa Crespi
Address: Via G Fava 8/10
28016 Orta San Giulio
Italy
Tel: +39 0322 911902
Fax: +39 0322 911919

E-mail: villacrespi@tin.it

Lago D'Orta - The Lake Orta is in Piemont, on the west side of the Lake Maggiore. The Road of the laKe Orta n. 229 runs along Its east coast and along the Raylway line Novara - Domodossola.
The public boats service reaches in summer the ports of Orta, Island of S. Giulio, Pettenasco, Omegna, Ronco, Pella, Lagna, Buccione.
You can join The lake Orta driving the Motorway n. A26 - direction Gravellona Toce - exit Borgomanero. Then follow the road signs for Gozzano, the first town at the south end of the lake.
The lake Orta is at 135 km. away from Turin, 70 km. from Milan, 80 km. from the Airport Milano Linate and 42 km. from the Airport Milano.

Thought I'd include a pic of this grand hotel to entice you a little. Start planning for your trip to Northern Italy... and don't forget to include this hotel and Lake Maggiore in your itinerary! ;-)

Lago di Como (http://www.lakeofcomo.com)
a beautiful lake close to Milan. 'all' the milanese go there in the weekends and on holiday. a lot of famouse persons have a house here, like the Versace.

Como lake Rent a car and go around Como lake. Especially west side between Como and Menaggio, it's magic...