Little but delightful, Lake Orta lies to the west of Lake Maggiore, in Piedmont – Northern Italy. This charming lake, surrounded by lush green hills and with the island of San Giulio in the middle, is the most enchanting and romantic of the Italian Lakes.
The ancient borough of Orta San Giulio is built on the slopes of a steep hill (the Sacro Monte) that forms a peninsula jutting out into the lake. It is the only traffic-free town with romantic stone archways and balconies, street lanterns and leafy courtyards. Its lakeside Motta Square, with its garden cafés, surrounds the 16th century Palazzo della Comunità.
Villa Bossi, the town hall, faces the lovely island of San Giulio that can be easily reached by boat.