Occupying a promontory that juts into Lake Orta, Orta San Giulio is an attractive town in the Italian region of Piedmont. It’s famously home to the elaborate Villa Crespi and the hilltop pilgrimage site of Sacro Monte, which is located along the CoEur devotional path.
Things to do in Orta San Giulio
One of Orta San Giulio’s most impressive architectural landmarks is Villa Crespi, a Moorish Revival-style palace constructed in the late 19th century for Cristoforo Benigno Crespi. It is topped by a minaret-inspired tower and is elaborately decorated with arabesque stucco work. Villa Crespi can be viewed during a miniature train ride on the Trenino di Orta.
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Sacro Monte of Orta, a Roman Catholic pilgrimage destination on the summit of San Nicolao. The complex includes 21 votive chapels decorated with centuries-old frescoes, as well as hundreds of terracotta statues created by artists of the Lombard School. Follow the devotional path that leads to the Church of Saint Francis and Nicolao, which was designed to resemble the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Magnificent views across Lake Orta can be enjoyed from the Punta Movero, which can be accessed along a leafy walking trail that hugs the northern shores of Orta San Giulio. On the opposite side of the promontory is Spiaggia di Sassi, a small, pebble beach where you can sunbathe in the warmer months or enjoy a dip in the turquoise waters.
Getting around Orta San Giulio
Orta San Giulio is around 1.5 hours’ drive from the centre of Milan and about an hour from Milan Malpensa Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Orta-Miasino railway station and the town is compact enough to explore on foot.