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Best Things to Do in Lake Orta

Italian lakes have grown a reputation as luxury retreats. Postcard-like landscapes and extreme relaxation are features that have attracted visitors looking for rest, inspiration, and magnificent nature for decades. Lake Orta is not any different.

Among the things to do in Lake Orta, visitors enjoy sailing and swimming, but also like to relax in a stylish villa and soak in the magnificent landscape around the area.

In the afternoon, they enjoy walking the cobblestone centennial promenades or sitting for an aperitivo at a seafront café for a long chat with friends. However, there is more to do and see in the area…

Sail From Pella to Isola San Giulio

This is the most obvious thing to do when you visit. Navigating the lake and reaching the tiny Isola San Giulio is one of the best things to do in Lake Orta!

You can jump on a boat departing from the small marina of Pella, along the waterfront promenade. The ride is short and often quiet, and if you’re traveling in spring, you will probably ride on an almost empty boat.

If you want to book before getting there, this hop-on-hop-off tour takes you directly to Orta San Giulo.

We sailed from the town of Pella, but there are boats also leaving from San Filiberto and Lagna, two small towns further south of the lake.

The return ticket is about €4.50 however prices change according to your point of departure. All fees and timetables (including winter and summer updates) can be found on this website.

The navigation time from Pella to Orta San Giulio is about 10 minutes.

Visit the Benedictine Monastery on Isola San Giulio

The enchanting islet of San Giulio is 275 meters long and 140 meters wide, which means that you can walk around it in about an hour.

The whole area has been a Benedictine Monastery for the last thirty decades and it is, of course, traffic-free.

In the Early Middle Ages, the island’s strategic location made it an important defensive point in the region of Novara, even a castle was built on the island by a former bishop of the region. However, most of it was demolished back in 1841 to allow for the enlargement of the monastic buildings.

When visiting the monastery, there are a few things you can enjoy doing, my favorite was walking the different suggestive paths that surround the premises of the monastery.

There are two paths you can walk, La Via del Silenzio (Pathway of Silence) goes in one direction; La Via della Meditazione (Pathway of Meditation) goes in the opposite direction.

On Isola San Giulio, there are a few small cafés where you can sit for a while and some souvenir shops as well.

On the small island, the pace of life is slower than on the mainland, you will come across nuns holding books but also families wandering the little port waiting for water buses.

About San Gulio

According to the legend, San Giulio (Julius of Novara) founded his church here in the fourth century AD when the island was the lair of a giant serpent, which used the island to attack nearby villages.

But the saint, with his ability to command the waves, stood on his cloak over the water and managed to send the monster away.

Basilica San Giulio

The church you can visit today mostly dates back to the twelfth century, although there are more modern additions.

It is believed to have been constructed on top of an ancient Christian church from at least the fifth century.

The basilica is built in the Romanesque style and it features a single nave and two aisles.

The interior of the church was refurbished back in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with new architectonical elements in the Baroque style.

The few nuns that live here and run the monastery also take care of the basilica.

Ferry to Orta

From the monastery, you can jump on the boat again to visit another favorite attraction in the area, Orta or Orta San Giulio is a small town overlooking the small island, where dozens of tourists flock every summer to unwind and relax, eat by the lake, or simply walk around the settlement.

The town itself is on a promontory on the eastern bank of the lake and it is famous for the Sacro Monte, a pilgrimage site part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Built in traditional northern style, the pastel houses lining up the narrow, cobblestoned alley feature picturesque balconies with flowerpots and colorful wooden shutters.

If you’re looking for a very Italian place, quieter than Lakes Como or Lake Maggiore, then you can’t miss spending some time in Orta.

San Rocco Church

One of the places to visit in town is the tiny church dedicated to San Rocco, which is located on a tiny corner, on via  Gippini, at the entrance of the historic part of the village, and is a delightful example of Baroque architecture.

The small temple dates from 1631, and the villagers ordered the construction to thank the saint after getting rid of the Great Milan Plague (1629-1631).

The church features the saint on the external fresco located on top of the access door. If you happen to visit on August 16, then don’t miss the celebrations!

Lake Navigation from Orta San Giulio

It is a good idea to do a bout tour of the lake if you want to learn more about the area as well as to see several other settlements, other than Pella and Isola San Giulio.

Shop for Traditional Gastronomic Products

The path right at the angle of the church leads to the center of the village where you will find ice cream parlors, pizza places, and traditional shops where you can purchase local products and unique pottery souvenirs.

Several alleys lead you to the main square, Piazza Motta, where more restaurants and cafeterias with views of the lake are animated with visitors having a drink.

However, walking along these small winding alleys is perfect to find unique Italian gastronomic products, including pasta with unusual shapes and colors, and an insane variety of salami, prosciutto, and other delicious cold cuts and cheese.

Another staple product you can get in the area is the wine from Piedmont. Italy features 20 different major wine regions, and Piedmont ranks sixth in the highest production volume.

Some of the favorite wines produced in the area are the following

• Barbera (for instance, Barbera d’Asti, Barbera del Monferrato Superiore, Barbera d’Alba, Colli Tortonesi Barbera, Piemonte Barbera, etc.)
• Dolcetto (for instance, Dolcetto d’Alba, Dolcetto d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Acqui, Dolcetto di Ovada, etc.)
• Nebbiolo (for instance, Barbaresco, Barolo, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo, Colline Novaresi, Piemonte Nebbiolo, etc.)
• Other important red varieties include Brachetto, Grignolino, and Malvasia.
• Among the whites, Piedmont is known for varieties such as Moscato Bianco, Cortese, and Chardonnay among others.

Public Market

Wednesdays are busy days in Orta San Giulio because that’s the day when the weekly public market happens.

So don’t forget to carry your coin purse with you and head to Piazza Motta, the village’s main square in order to indulge in local products.

At the market, you will also find some interesting fashion bargains and other souvenirs, including old books and magazines.

Around the area, the whole place gets animated with visitors from nearby villages. The bars and restaurants around the square are filled up with shoppers taking a break as well as tourists while there are boats sailing the lake back and forth from the tiny island too.

Local Architecture

Characteristic buildings and wide flocks of stairs populate the area, while the Palazzotto della Comunità (Comunity Palace) imposes its presence on the visitors reaching Piazza Motta with its walls covered in ancient frescoes. 

The Palazzotto is an important central structure with impressive frescoes and a colonnade, dating back to the 1500s. 

The square, instead, faces the promenade and the marina, from where it’s also possible to navigate back to Pella.

Where to Eat Around the Lake

The culinary tradition is typical of the Piedmont region; for a simple yet genuine choice of tastes reach Edera, a small restaurant a few meters away from the Motta Square (Via Bersani 13-15).

Here you can try local mushrooms and fish. Kids will happily feast with huge hamburgers or simple dishes of pasta and will be treated as guests of honor.

Pizzeria La Campana is another option if you are interested in tasting a variety of unusual toppings other than the traditional Margherita.

Hike Along the Lake

As the path takes you further away from the central square and the more popular areas of the village, the path facing directly the lake is a great place for a bike ride, a hike, or simply to walk and take in the local atmosphere.

From the path by the water, it is possible to marvel at gorgeous views of the lake and the small Isola San Giulio as well. And if you get tired, sit by the water, and get a refreshment or an aperitivo in the true Italian style.

Honorable Visitors

If you are looking for inspiration, the lake has always been loved by painters and writers. Friedrich Nietzsche, Samuel Butler, Lord Byron, Honoré de Balzac, and Robert Browning visited the lake and have referenced mentioned the surroundings in their works.

For more information get in touch with the municipality here.

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