24 JUL 2024

A CAMPERVAN TRIP TO LAKE ORTA: A CHARMING LITTLE CORNER OF ITALY

TOURING IN A MOTORHOME

Italy has many lakes, but one of the most beautiful and romantic is certainly Lake Orta, Italy. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a holiday in our trusty Ducato-based motorhome. It’s not a big lake, but it’s very pretty. Not to mention the fact that there are several motorhome stopover sites not far from its shores. The lake is only 13 kilometres long and a few hundred metres wide. Perhaps this is what makes it such a fascinating place to visit.

The most famous tourist attraction is certainly the town of Orta San Giulio. Take a stroll down the romantic staircases and through the narrow streets. Some of these lead to some of the town’s most picturesque spots and stunning lake views. There are interesting craft shops, art galleries, bars and restaurants of all kinds (including that of Italian Michelin-starred chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo). The absence of cars makes it a quieter place, as all motor vehicles are to be left in the upper part of the town, where there are several car parks. From the square overlooking the lake, you can catch a motorboat which will take you to the island of San Giulio in just a few minutes. It is one of the most striking features of Lake Orta. It’s a tiny island, but you can visit it in about an hour and it’s definitely worth the trip. There are few houses on the island and much of the land is taken up by a monastery and a beautiful abbey, the abbazia di San Giulio. There aren’t any cars around, just a walkway between some ancient stones. It’s like time has stood still, and you can appreciate the silence that surrounds this small group of historic buildings. If you take a walk on the hills above Orta San Giulio you will get to the Sacro Monte di Orta complex dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it has 20 chapels with frescoes. From here you will be able to enjoy a breathtaking view of the lake.

The largest town on Lake Orta is Omegna, an average-sized town (about 15,000 inhabitants) whose buildings line the shore for several hundred metres, making it ideal for quiet walks along the lake. Gianni Rodari, an illustrious citizen of Omegna, won the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award for Children’s Literature in 1970. Several children’s areas have been created in his honour. Not to be missed is the ‘Parco della Fantasia’, a literary and educational park for children close to the town centre. Omegna is also home to the new Lago d’Orta Zip Line, a 450-metre-long cable suspended above the lake and where you can enjoy being up in the air. There is also a pleasant motorhome parking area near the sports fields, just a few metres from the lake. Lake Orta is easy to get to: it takes about an hour and a half from Milan or Lugano via the A8 and then the A26, and about the same time from Turin via the A4 and then the A26. Once you arrive in one of the towns on the lake, it is best to leave your motorhome in a parking area during the tourist season and use other means of transport to get around: bicycles and boats are great options.
Would you like to spend a few magical moments on the shores of a gorgeous lake with plenty of parking space for your campervan trip? Lake Orta is a bucket list destination, a fascinating place that is well worth a visit.