Lake Orta is one of the best-kept secrets of Piedmont: smaller and snugger than neighbouring Maggiore, it’s its quiet, romantic sister, with calm waters, villages facing the water and an atmosphere of times gone by. It’s a perfect destination for a couple’s escape, made of lakefront walks, boat trips to the island and dinners with a view. Here you’ll find where to stay best, with the small addresses we choose one by one, never by hearsay.
There’s a good reason to stop and sleep rather than just take a day trip: the heart of the lake, the pedestrian village of Orta San Giulio, fills with visitors on high-season weekends, but those who stay overnight experience it in its finest moments, at dawn and in the evening, when the streets empty and only the enchantment remains. So let’s look at where it’s best to sleep, village by village.
Orta San Giulio, the village and the island
Orta San Giulio is one of the loveliest villages in Italy, awarded the Touring Club’s Orange Flag: a maze of pedestrian lanes, shops and palaces descending to Piazza Motta, the “drawing room on the water” facing the island. Opposite, the Island of San Giulio holds a Romanesque basilica and an enclosed Benedictine monastery, reached in a few minutes by boat. Above the village, the Sacro Monte of Orta, dedicated to Saint Francis with its twenty chapels, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Staying here means experiencing the village in its most authentic magic. The addresses we choose in Orta:
Casa Longhi
A self-contained holiday home in Orta San Giulio, a stone’s throw from the lake, with a panoramic terrace, an equipped kitchen and free private parking. The independence of a home in the heart of the lake’s loveliest village, with the water and the island in front of you. Ideal for a couple or a family who want to experience Orta on foot, at dawn and at sunset.
Relais & Châteaux Villa Crespi
A five-star Relais & Châteaux residence with unmistakable Moorish architecture, facing Lake Orta, with a starred gourmet restaurant, private gardens and a wellness area. The height of luxury and fine dining in a fairy-tale setting. Ideal for a special occasion or an unforgettable romantic escape on the lake.
All the small hotels in Orta San Giulio →
Omegna and the northern shore
At the northern end of the lake, Omegna is the liveliest, most service-oriented town: a busy lakefront, shops, a historic market and beaches along the shore. It’s more practical and less touristy than Orta, with more choice of accommodation and services, ideal for those who want a handy, livable base, perhaps with the beach a stone’s throw away. The choice for families and for those after a swimmable lake with the services of a town:
Residence Belvedere & Private Beach
A self-contained holiday home facing Lake Orta in Omegna, with a private beach, a garden, a lake-view terrace and free parking. The luxury of having the water on your doorstep and a piece of shore all to yourself, for a swim as soon as you wake. Ideal for families and couples who want a swimmable lake and the convenience of a home.
Lakes and Mountains Magic Holiday House
A self-contained holiday home in Omegna, with a sauna, a hydromassage tub and an equipped kitchen in each unit: wellness at home after a day on the lake or in the mountains. The space and independence of a house with an extra touch of relaxation. Perfect for couples and families after comfort and quiet.
Pettenasco, on the lake
Between Orta and Omegna, Pettenasco is a snug village right on the water, with its Romanesque bell tower, a little harbour, beaches and a quiet lakefront. It’s the choice for those who want to be on the lake in a central, calm position, a few minutes from Orta but away from the weekend crush. Ideal for a relaxed holiday at the water’s edge:
Laqua by the lake
An aparthotel facing Lake Orta in Pettenasco, with apartments fitted with a kitchen, a solarium terrace, a private beach and an in-house restaurant. The pleasure of having the water and the shore within reach, with the independence of a home and the services of a hotel. Perfect for a lake holiday between relaxation and convenience.
Armeno and the hills above the lake
Those after quiet and wider views can climb the hills that dominate the lake, towards Armeno and its hamlets, at the foot of Mottarone. From here the view over Lake Orta and the mountains is spectacular, and the calm is absolute, a few minutes’ drive from the villages on the water. It’s the choice for those who love nature, walks and sunsets from on high:
Casa Elisa affittacamere
A family-run guest house in the Bassola hamlet of Armeno, among the hills above the lake, with a panoramic room and parking. The quiet of the heights and a view that sweeps over Lake Orta, a few minutes from the villages on the water. A warm, genuine welcome. Ideal for those after peace, nature and views.
When to go
Spring and summer
The best seasons: the lake is at its finest with mild weather, gardens in bloom and boat trips to the island. Spring is ideal for walks and for the Sacro Monte, summer for swimming and life on the lakefront. They’re also the busiest periods at weekends: those who sleep on the spot, though, enjoy the village of Orta once the day-trippers have left.
Autumn
A season with a particular charm: light mists over the water, warm woodland colours and an even more romantic, intimate atmosphere. The weather stays pleasant for walks and the calm reigns again. A perfect period for a couple’s escape away from the crowds.
Winter
The lake turns silent and suspended, with many places and boats on reduced hours. It’s the quietest season, with gentler prices and a cosy atmosphere, ideal for those after romance and absolute peace. It’s worth checking openings and connections before you set off.
Getting here
Lake Orta is easy to reach: the Orta-Miasino station is on the Novara–Domodossola railway, and by car you arrive from the Arona or Borgomanero exits of the A26 motorway. The village of Orta San Giulio is pedestrian: it’s best to leave the car in the car parks at the entrance and walk down. To tour the whole lake and the hills, though, a car remains useful.
For the full picture on trains, airports and getting around the region: how to get to Piedmont. Lake Orta pairs beautifully with neighbouring Lake Maggiore and Verbania; to the north open the mountains of Val d’Ossola.
This guide is part of our grand tour of the region: discover all the destinations and areas in Where to Stay in Piedmont.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we’re asked most often about where to stay on Lake Orta.
Which is the best village to stay in on Lake Orta?
Orta San Giulio is the loveliest and most romantic, ideal for experiencing the village and the island; sleeping here you enjoy it at dawn and in the evening, when it empties. Omegna, to the north, is livelier and more service-oriented, with beaches; Pettenasco is a quiet village on the water; Armeno and the hills offer peace and views. They’re all close and easy to combine.
Is it worth staying in Orta San Giulio rather than a day trip?
Yes: the village is pedestrian and fills with visitors on high-season weekends, but those who stay overnight experience it in its most magical moments, at dawn and in the evening, when the streets empty. It’s the best way to enjoy the unique atmosphere of Orta and the island, away from the day-tripper crush.
How do you visit the Island of San Giulio?
With the boats that leave from Piazza Motta in Orta San Giulio, in a few minutes’ crossing. On the island you visit the Romanesque basilica and walk the “path of silence” around the enclosed Benedictine monastery. It’s an unmissable stop, to be paired with the Sacro Monte, a UNESCO site above the village.
Is Lake Orta suited to a couple’s holiday?
It’s one of Piedmont’s most romantic destinations par excellence: small, quiet and striking, with villages facing the water, dinners with a view and the island to reach by boat. Its intimate atmosphere makes it perfect for a couple’s escape, especially outside the busiest weekends.
How do you get to Lake Orta?
By train via the Orta-Miasino station, on the Novara–Domodossola railway; by car from the Arona or Borgomanero exits of the A26. The centre of Orta San Giulio is pedestrian, so you leave the car in the car parks at the entrance. To tour the whole lake and the hills, though, a car is useful.
