Orta San Giulio

For five centuries Orta was the seat of a small state ruled by the bishops of Novara, and its 1582 Broletto, with frescoed front and stone-slab roof, still stands on Piazza Motta. The car-free town fills the tip of a promontory on Lake Orta, facing the island of San Giulio, reached by boat from the square. Behind it, the UNESCO-listed Sacro Monte tells Saint Francis's life in 21 chapels.

Highlights

• Isola di San Giulio and its Romanesque basilica
• Sacro Monte di Orta: 21 chapels with 370 life-size terracotta statues
• Piazza Motta, lakeside square with a Wednesday market held since 1228
• The cobbled Motta climb to the church of Santa Maria Assunta
• Villa Crespi, a Moorish-style villa with a minaret-like tower

Summary based on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), written with AI assistance.