This will be our first visit in September to the Italian Lakes and we are staying on Lake Orta. Would any regular visitors to the area please assist with some day trip suggestions / restaurants, returning to Orta San Giulio each day. Thankyou

Hi,
You need Bob the Navigator.

Do a search, On this site, on his name or better still on Lake orta, and you should get some good info.
Good luck,
j

Hi,
in Orta S. Giulio you can find one of the best restaurant in Italy VILLA CRESPI.

Which area do you want to visit? Are you travelling by car? Have you already been to Maggiore or Como lakes?

Please let me know.
Grazie, ciao.
Gianni (Milan, Italy)

Hello Bigarm,
Where are you staying? If Hotel Orta I would take their half board deal and eat there. Another good place to eat is Villa Olina. As for day trips, how much time do you have? Here are 3:

1. Drive the back road thru Gignese to Stresa for a full day. Include the Isles and the cable car to Mt. Mottaone.

2. Go to Villa Taranto near Verbania for fabulous gardens. Then drive up to Locarno and find the Val Versasca just north of town. A real experience.

3. Drive to Domodossala and then inland to the village of Santa Maria Maggiore---terrific scenery.

You will love Orta--we have been there 3 times. Read about the Sacro Monte above the village and do not miss it.

Thanks bobthenavigator, these three suggested day trips sound great and this leaves us with two more days to spare. For our 4th day we are thinking we would like to drive a while, park and take a boat for a few hours and then return back to Orta for dinner. Any recommmendations as to which lake and town is best for such a day trip ? Finally, for our 5th day we thought of a day in Torino. Do we drive from L Orta or is the car a problem and are we best by train ? Appreciate your comments, thank you.

Check out my web page which describes 2 different visits to the Italian lakes area:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/5733/

Perhaps you can find some useful information...

If you want a lake excursion then include Lugano. Spend 2 hours in town and then take the boat trip to Morcote et al. But, you can boat all day from Stresa as well.