Orta San Giulio, the small town of artists

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.