A private tour around Lake Orta and its mounts from Lake Maggiore

Lake Orta is a small, quite unknown pearl, lying a few kilometers westwards of lake Maggiore. Its chief town, Orta San Giulio and the close by isle of San Giulio create a unique, charming "lounge" on the lake coastline. This private tour will lead you to discover the atmospheres, the fascinating alleys and the view points of these sites, connected by a short and pleasant boat cruise. Later, you will have the chance to enjoy an astonishing view of the lake from the heights of the Holy Mount of Orta, a magnificent sanctuary reachable through an ascending path dotted of gorgeous baroque chapels. The site is a UNESCO heritage and you will surely understand why.

This small town, standing on the Western coast of Lake Maggiore in the so-called Borromea Gulf, is one of the most visited touristic sites of entire Piemonte. Its territory includes three of the four Borromean Islands: Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola Superiora, also named Isola dei Pescatori. The first recorded file about the town is dated 998, but even in the Roman age, the way leading from Milan to the Sempione pass ran by this site.

Also simply known as Orta, it is part of the club of the most charming villages in Italy. From the Medieval age to the 18th century, Orta was the chief town of an independent association of cities called "Comunità della Riviera", well defended by the natural configuration of the site. The town centre is characterized by narrow alleys, mostly converging into the beautiful Piazza Motta, seat of the City Hall and overlooking the lake.

The isle is the only one in the lake of Orta and belongs to the municipality of Orta San Giulio. Probably inhabited since the Iron age, the isle has been considered a strategic site since the 6th century and thus surrounded by defensive walls. After having been a stage for the rivalry between the Sacred Roman Empire and the Lombard kingdom in the 10th century, the whole lake district was ceased to the bishops of Novara, who reconstructed on the island the cathedral of San Giulio in a Romanesque style. In 1841, the medieval castle was demolished to make room to a Seminary, designed by architect Ferdinando Caronesi.

This Sacred Mount is the only one, among the others standing in Lombardy and Piedmont, dedicated to a saint, Francis. It was built between the 16th and the 18th century, thus showing traces of Mannerism, Baroque and later other, less specific styles. It is composed by twenty-one chapels, built along an ascending path, plus the church of San Francesco, a monumental door and a fountain. The church garden features an amazing look over the lake of Orta.

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

• A private tour around Lake Orta and its mounts from Lake Maggiore
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• Qualified private guide
• Tickets for a public taxi-boat

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• This Tour is Provided by Book Your Italy.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Europe/Rome.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 6 Travelers is accepted for booking.