Try one day from the square of Orta San Giulio to look in front of you, high on the other side of Lake Orta< ; /strong>. Then, you will see a shining white church perched on a granite spur of rock, it is the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, place to me particularly expensive, as a place where I celebrated my wedding. The climb made of numerous hairpin bends to reach the municipality of Madonna del Sasso in the hamlet of Boleto reminds me that the Sanctuary is located more than 630 meters from Lake Orta. So I arrive at the end of the road that opens in the back of the Sanctuary where a large parking lot allows me to place the car quietly. I walk along the small road that passes next to the Sanctuary and arrive in the terrace in front of the church where I stop to admire the spectacular view of Lake Orta < ; /strong> and in the Alps which is even more wonderful from here. I go up the short staircase and enter the Sanctuary, it is a small jewel in Baroque style with two side altars and numerous frescoes by Lorenzo Peracino. At the center of the Sanctuary there is a large dome, while above the altar a fresco that gives me the illusion that there is another dome, actually & agrave;, explains to me the nice and always helpful parish priest of the church, is simply a fresco that thanks to an excellent technique of perspective and the use of columns frescoed by the appearance of being just a dome. The Sanctuary is lovely and definitely worth a visit, perhaps on the occasion of a trip to Lake Orta.
In the middle of Lake Orta, but not really in the middle, there is the island of San Giulio”. So begins the novel by Gianni Rodari “Baron Lamberto was twice there, or the mysteries of the Island of San Giulio”. After visiting Orta and its Sacro Monte dedicated to the life of San Francesco, from which you have a wonderful view of the lake, you can reach the island, in 5 minutes, with a boat. Quiet and silence reign here, disturbed occasionally by the footsteps of tourists. The state of affairs is also reflected in the two streets that frame the island: one is called the Way of Silence, the other Way of Meditation. Along the streets are the signs on which are the highs that lead visitors to reflection and meditation. Listen to the silence, listen to the water, the wind, your steps. Silence is the language of love, silence is music and harmony say the signs inserted in the centuries-old walls of the monastery and in those of villas with beautiful gardens, sending us the message of the power of silence. Walking along the island in the opposite direction we find other signs, which invite you to meditation and inner reflection: When you are aware, the journey is over. If you come to be who you are, you are everything. The wise man makes a mistake and smiles. Be simple, be yourself. These are the words written by Mother Anna Maria Canopi, abbess and founder of the monastery of the Beneditine Sisters, who together with the Basilica of San Giulio, contributes to the atmosphere mystic and religious of the island.
Many people don't know Orta, the small town of artists, which is located just ten kilometers from Lake Maggiore, on the shores of Lake Orta. It is famous for its 'Sacro Monte', which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the hill, above the city, a church was built in the 17th century, from where you can take a walk to reach the lake. Along this path, we can find numerous small chapels of the Via Crucis. In Piedmont and Lombardy, numerous “Sacri Monti” were built as a solution to the continuous loss of faith. on the part of the people. These paths had to reunite, through the contemplation of their wonders, to reconciliation with the Christian faith. From the parking lot, which is directly at the entrance of the city, you can reach the center or, on foot or, with a few euros, using a train. We prefer to reach it on foot, as it is a pedestrian zone, and we admire the beautiful villas located on its banks. On the main square the walk ends from the church of Sacro Monte, and here are the restaurants, hotels and cafes, and also the port. With a scheduled boat you can reach all the small towns on the lake, or with private boats you can go to the Island of San Giulio, which is known for its church. The entire city consists of medieval buildings and is crossed by very few streets. You can see the exhibitions of many contemporary artists, or acquire typical products from local artisans. In the concert hall you can listen to the auditions, otherwise we can buy in the store in front of the classical music CDs, of the more or less well-known composers. From the town hall garden we have a nice view of the lake. If we continue on the main road, after a few hundred meters the road leads directly to the shore, where everyone likes to swim, or sunbathe.
A few steps from Lake Orta and from the homonymous village is the small town called Legro. The peculiarity of this small town is its houses, whose walls have been decorated with about fifty colorful frescoes and paintings. The idea of embellishing the walls, and thus animating the location, was born in 1998. From that moment on, every year artists from all over the world, artists of international fame and those little-known or sometimes unknown, try their hand at telling, through the paintings on the walls of houses, scenes of cinema and television produced on the territory of Cusio and the nearby Lake Maggiore. So we can see the gigantic fresco, which reproduces the posting of the poster of the movie “Bitter Rice” by Giuseppe De Santis, from 1949. There are other frescoes inspired by neorealism such as the 'Homage to Mario Camerini, 'The Secret Lover' or 'The Master'. There are also paintings that refer to older films such as 'The Ragger' or 'A Thorn in the Heart'. I can assure you, it's a lot of fun going around with your head in the air, trying to guess what movie it's all about. I would say that the visit to Legro is mandatory and, by now, it is part of the tourist itinerary of Lake Orta. Not only as a curiosity, but as one of the main attractions, on par with Orta San Giulio, the island of San Giulio and Sacro Monte
