Lake Orta: The Holiday Destination Of Milan's Chicest Travellers

Lake Orta, like its more well-known nearby siblings, is an unbelievable looker but many actually claim it to be the most beautiful of all the Italian lakes: the island of San Giulio with its pretty cluster of buildings set in a jewel-toned body of water surrounded by blue peaks and lush hillsides, all shrouded in atmospheric mists in the mornings and golden and lovely in the evening light. Having drawn the likes of Nietzsche, Lord Byron, and Robert Browning in the past and writers and poets to this day to work in this peaceful and magically gorgeous place, Lake Orta has come to be known as somewhere truly special and, as such, the Milanese and locals have been careful to keep it as much a secret as possible.

Word, of course, has gotten out through travel articles, writers' accounts, and posts on the internet but, still, Lake Orta has remained more low-key and less touched by mass-tourism. It remains an idyllic place to come and wander the various picturesque little villages clinging to the shores, to go on longer jaunts along the hiking trails through the mountains and woods surrounding the area, to take the boat tours on the water, and to simply stop and enjoy vantages from any particular spot and find it rather lovely.

Located just an hour north of Milan, Lake Orta is often visited by the well-heeled inhabitants of Milan who have villas on the lake to escape during the most gaspingly-hot weeks of the summer in the city, in addition to in-the-know visitors from Switzerland and Germany. And while, as noted, there are plenty of things to do and see in the area those who know how to enjoy Lake Orta will tell you that days here are all about doing very little of anything at all, other than idling by the water or on it in a boat, sunning yourself, splashing around for a while in the cleanest lake water in Europe, working up an appetite and eating in the authentic local establishments, and then sipping on a fresh Aperol Spritz while watching the sun dip behind the mountains and the lights from the villages begin to turn on and glimmer prettily on the water. I don't know about you but it sounds like a perfect day out while on holiday in Italy to us!

So, why not take a look at some of our holiday rentals in Lombardy and then begin planning a trip to this stunning lake to relax in style like the locals? Lake Orta is truly a magical place and the perfect spot to leave all of your daily troubles and concerns far, far behind in order to really unwind and get some proper R&R.