One of the most beautiful ponds of north Italy is called "Lago d'Orta". Despite the fact that its location is not to far from the Alps massif of Monte Rosa, the Lago d'Orta area enjoys a mild climate that allows the growth of vegetation that is normally found in subtropical zones.
A woody small peninsula stretches into the lake and on this peninsula lays the small town of Orta that gives the name to the lake itself.
Orta is a very special place and you can discover yourselves how moving around its silent streets. Ancient houses. Some of them with a baroque façade, others with wrought iron balconies,
more others with very nice loggias.
And then the small port where you can board a rowing boat or a speedboat for an excursion around the lake. From the port you have a full sight of the isle of San Giulio, that is the pearl of this Italian sheet of water .
Mario Motta square is surrounded by age-old chestnuts and is the centre of the town of Orta. In the ancient houses are now of this square there are now hotels, restaurants and bars that are patronized by Italian but mainly by foreign tourist, specially during spring and summer. Between the buildings of the square the most important is the one that centuries ago was the office of "Monte di Pietà" (pawnshop). On its front a fresco, of unknown painter, depicting a "Pietà". Another interesting point of the square is the "Palazzo delle Comunità", a small building of 16th century with a colonnade on the ground floor and a nice flight of steps leading to the first floor. The façade is adorned with fancy armorial bearings.
To reach the Parish of "l'Assunta" we must climb the Motta slope that start exactly from the Mario Motta square. Inside the church we are able to see many paintings of artists from Piedmont and Lombardy like Stella, Procaccini and Morazzone.
A visit to Orta is not complete we don't have a tour of the isle of San Giulio (Saint Julius), consequently we leave the Assunta church e go back to the Mario Motta square. Once reached the pier we can rent a boat (I leave to you the decision on which type of boat to rent but personally I suggest a rowing boat, it is more romantic and we don't increase the pollution of the lake's water) and then in about ten minutes we land in the island.
The legend says that during the 4th century San Giulio reached the island not with a traditional boat but using his cloak. San Giulio spread his cloak over the lake's water and using his stick as an oar crossed the lake reaching what, at that time, was a wild and inhospitable rock. A rock inhabited only by reptiles and dragons. San Giulio put up his 100th church and he turned the rock in a tree-lined and flowering garden.
Landed, we go along the only existing road of the isle. It is about one kilometre long, with an elliptical run, and allows us to visit practically the whole island. The San Giulio 100th church has been, during the centuries, enlarged and readapted and again restored. Today is a very nice Basilica dedicated to San Giulio with outside some parts that remember its original Romanic style. The mail style inside is baroque with a lot of stuccos and gilded decorations. A sculptured stone ambo represents the four Evangelist. Another sculptured bas-relief represents San Giulio while crosses the lake over his cloak. There are many frescos ascribed to Gaudenzio Ferrari from Novara. A crystal glass urn contains the remains of the Saint. In the sacristy is kept one vertebra that the legend says was belong to one of the dragon of the island when San Giulio landed here.
Orta is in one area where there is a good tradition with foods and wines, so it is quite automatically that we should include a stop in a restaurant. I suggest "Taverna Antico Agnell" located in Olina street.
-how to reach Orta-
From Milan or from Turin take the highway A4 (Milan-Turin) and go out at Novara exit. Then take the local road 229 toward Orta. It takes about an hour. Alternately take the highway A8 Milan-Sesto Calende the follow the A26 (direction Alessandria). Go out at Borgomanero exit, turn left and follow the local road. It takes little more than one hour.
P.S. I suggest to visit, if possibile, Orta during the week as on Saturday and Sunday Orta is very crowded.
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It sounds a beautiful place and I love the legend about the cloak. Maureen
ms19 19.06.2005 12:55
This place sounds beautiful. I regularly go to stay at my house in Milan so will probably visit here next time. By any chance are you Italian I noticed the name?-Ms19
torr 14.06.2005 11:42
I once spent a very pleasant week at Orta. Good to be reminded of it. Duncan
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