LAKE ESCAPE

Lap up the views from a small but gorgeous lakeside town on this full-day excursion from Turin. Meet your driver outside your accommodation and relax on the ride to Orta San Giulio, snuggly ensconced between the slopes of a steep hill and the shores of the enchanting Lake Orta. “God’s watercolour”, as Italian writer Piero Chiara described the town, boasts a beautifully preserved historic centre of irresistible charm: medieval houses protected by ancient stone roofs, wrought iron balconies blooming with potted flowering plants, narrow cobbled streets flanked by craft shops and cosy eateries, hidden gardens overlooking stunning lake views.

Your private guide will be waiting at the meeting point, ready to lead you on a memorable trail past Orta San Giulio’s main attractions, including the 18th century parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, the picturesque Piazza Motta and the tiny, delightful public park of Villa Bossi.

Next, hop aboard a shuttle boat and reach the pocket-size Island of San Giulio, believed to have been infested by snakes and dragons before the arrival of the prodigious miracle-worker St. Julius in the 4th century AD. The island is dominated by a Benedictine abbey and a 12th century Romanesque church. Inside you will find a splendid marble pulpit, remarkable 14th and 15th century frescoes and a reliquary with St. Julius’ earthly remains. A circular path dotted with signs bearing inspirational lines to encourage peace and meditation leads around the monastery: “Silence is the language of love”; “Walls are in the mind”; “Accept yourself, grow, ripen”; “In the silence you breathe God”…. food for the soul.

Later, cruise back to Orta San Giulio to enjoy some free time for lunch. In the afternoon complete your spiritual experience with a pilgrimage to the top of the Sacred Mount, rising behind the town. This UNESCO-listed site comprises a winding path up a hillside lined with twenty devotion chapels, decorated between 1591 and 1770 with frescoes and life-size terracotta statues. These feature the most significant episodes in the life of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and of the country of Italy itself. The views to be admired from here of the lake and island below are simply breathtaking.

After the tour rejoin your driver and return to your accommodation in Turin.