Orta San Giulio

Orta San Giulio is a village on the shores of Lake Orta in Piedmont, near Novara. It is known for its historic centre of cobbled lanes and colourful houses opening onto Piazza Motta, the main square lined by the Palazzotto della Comunità, a former 17th-century town hall. From the waterfront, visitors can see Isola San Giulio, a small island reached by a short boat trip, home to a Romanesque basilica dedicated to St Julius and an enclosed Benedictine monastery. Above the village stands the Sacro Monte di Orta, a UNESCO World Heritage site comprising twenty Baroque chapels depicting the life of St Francis of Assisi, set within a wooded park with views over the lake. Lake Orta itself, smaller and quieter than nearby Lakes Maggiore and Como, is well suited to boating, swimming and lakeside walking. Local cuisine features risotto, freshwater fish and Piedmontese wines. The village has also drawn notable visitors in the past, including the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who stayed there during a well-documented journey through the region.