Lago d'Orta Suggestions
 

Hi Fodorites,

I would love some day trip suggestions. I will be finishing my retirement trip to Italy at Lago d'Orta where I have 3 nights, so 2 full days and 2 partial days (late May). I will have a car. I have visited Lago Maggiore and the Borromean Islands as well as Villa Taranto botanical gardens. Loved all these places.

One thing that we didn't have time for on that trip was a boat ride all the way up to Locarno so I thought I might do that this time around. What is your input on Locarno? I honestly don't know much about it.

Other suggestions for a relaxing day trip? I would probably enjoy driving up into the mountains for a nice lunch somewhere if there is a nice loop to do. I LOVE the Dolomiti and wanted to include a few days on this trip, but even with 6 weeks, I ran out of time!

I know Lago Orta is very small and I don't need too much time for sightseeing there, but will certainly be ready to do some relaxing there I'm sure!

I so appreciate your suggestions! Grazie!

Drive into the authentic and untouristy mountain valleys just around Lake Orta:
Val Strona up to the mountain village of Campello Monti;
Drive to Quarna Sopra and then westwards up to the ridge (former hotel), 500 metres above the village of Cireggio just below, with stunning views over the lake.
Drive over Passo della Colma to Varallo, visit the monastery with it's world famous way of the cross and continue then to Scopella/Alpe di Mera and to the mountain village Alagna Valsesia (unfortunately, the gondolas to the glaciers of Monte Rosa will not run in May). Alagna, like other villages in the area (Rimella, Carcoforo, etc.) were built in the 16th century by people from the Swiss Canton of Valais. The Swiss dialect of Valais was widely spoken there until the middle of the 20th Century.
You may also visit the mountain village of Macugnaga (Simplon highway up to Piedimulera, then picturesque mountain road through Val d'Anzasca). Macugnaga is very busy during the season, but rather dead in May. The gondolas to the glaciers (Belvedere, Monte Moro Pass, etc.) don't run neither.
If you are fond of big watgerfalls, you may drive to the Tosafall/Cascata del Toce, along the road from Ponte Formazza/Zum Steg to La Frua/Uf der Frutt (Simplon highway up to Crevoladossola)
For mountain areas with more live, you have to go to Brig in Switzerland (over the Simplon Pass or by car shuttle train through the Simplon tunnel) and then to the Aletsch Glacier area (Riederalp-Bettmeralp) or to the scenic Loetschental.

LOCARNO
Protected from Northern winds by up to 8000 ft high mountains, Locarno has the best climate of Lake Maggiore. The Locarno-Ascona area counts some 40 thousand inhabitants. Locarno is very popular (since the 19th Century) with Swiss and German tourists. The whole touristic infrastructure runs all the year round (gondolas up to 5000 ft, buses into all the mountain valleys and along both shores of the Lake, Panoramic Centovalli train, etc.) Trains to Bellinzona (3 medieval castles) and Lugano run every 30 minutes, those to Zurich and Lucerne every 30-60 minutes.

LAKE MAGGIORE
There are 2 daily boats from Stresa up to Locarno. Most people combine the boat ride to Locarno with the Centovalli Express ride to Domodossola and come back from there by local train.
Thanks to the car and passenger ferry between Intra and Laveno, you can easily drive to Locarno along the Western shore and come back a long the Eastern shore. It's also possible to include Bellinzona and Lugano in this loop: Locarno - Bellinzona (castles) - Tamaro park - Lugano - Swissminiatur - Lake Lugano - Capolago (Monte Generoso cog wheel railway) - Luino - Laveno - ferry - Intra - Gravellona - Lake Orta.

neckerdv,

Such good info! Thank you very much for the suggestions. I had not researched enough to know if the gondolas would be running in May. I was hoping!
Which mode of transportation do you think would be the most scenic? Driving over to Intra and doing the boat/train excursion on the Express to Domodossola, or driving? The village with the castles sounds like something I would really like. I will be driving solo, so will it be hard to enjoy the scenery if driving, or would traffic be normally light in the area during late spring? I am very used to mountain driving and really enjoy it at home in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.

In the second half of April (after Easter!) the roads along the lake will not be congested, except on weekends with fine weather when day trippers from Milan (and from Zurich too) may create some chaos in late afternoon/early evening when all want to go home at the same time.

For the Italian mountain valleys, you will have to drive. Public transport there is very poor.
For Omegna - Domodossola - Centovalli - Locarno - Lake Maggiore - Intra or Pallanza - Omegna
and for
Omegna - Intra - Locarno - Luino - Lavena - Intra - Omegna or so, it's up to you.
Public transport along these itineraries is not bad, but you will have to study the timetables:

Bus Omegna - Verbania railway station - Intra about every hr.
Bus Intra - Brissago (Swiss border) about every hr, but no bus after 6pm; Brissago - Locyarno every 30 min or so.
boats Stresa - Intra - Luino - Locarno twice daily (last departure from Locarno at 4pm)
Trains Locarno - Cadenazzo - Luino - Laveno every 2 hrs until 19.31
ferry Laveno - Intra: every 30 min or so
trains Locarno - Bellinzona: every 30 min
trains Verbania -Domodossola and Locarno - Domodossola every 1-2 hrs (last departure from Locarno 17.44).

Thank you neckervd!

Lake Orta is a hidden Gem. Be sure to Visit the small town of Orta on the Lake and the Island. Some fantastic restaurants in Orta.

Yes, Villa Crespi and Locanda di Orta are fine, but don't forget the Ristorante Sorriso at Sorriso!

We spent a couple of nights in Lake Orta in the fall of 2018. We had a great airbnb. The scenic island boat trip is a must, but I think the surprising place was the hike up the hillside above the village and the complex of 20 chapels in a park-like setting, including a couple filled with dozens of terracotta statues un like anything we have ever seen. Here is our trip report: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...ember-1659620/

Grazie Vocier, neckervd and Whitehall. I love good restaurant recommendations and the hike sounds wonderful! I will check your TR now.

Nice report whitehall. I knew Orta is very small, but thanks for sharing the hike info. Just my style!

Santa Caterina del Sasso
 

on Lake Maggiore, have you already been there?

Lago Orta
 

Only 3 days??? Too much to do for only 3 days. I'd suggest Lago Orta or Locarno as you are now retired and can return.

Suggest the Swiss Post Auto Bus, Domodossola to Brig (or vice versa) over the Simplon Pass for the scenery. Return via the train to either city. Great scenery, I travelled this route last October. While in Locarno, spend the day on the bus traveling to Valle Verzasco up to Sonogno. On the return trip, stop along the way to enjoy the magnificent scenery along the river. Locarno is great, you can spend the day traveling on the Centovalli Express, running from Locarno to Domodossola.

I can recommend the City Hotel in Locarno. Great location, a couple of blocks from the rail station and has an excellent pizza restaurant attached.

Neckervd is a great resource for all things Switzerland.

Huggy

Hello Huggy,
thanks for the additional suggestions! The trip over the pass sounds wonderful. Im such a mountain person. My lodging is in Lago d Orta and cannot be changed so I am limited to day trips.

If I am ever able to return, Switzerland and Austria are on my list!

Sanctuaries:
you will have to make a choice between
Madonna del Sasso at Locarno Orselina
Sanctuario di Re (Centovalli)
Monte Calvario (above Domodossola)
Madonna del Sasso soprai Boleto (Lake Orta)
Santa Caterina del Sasso (Leggiuno - Monvalle)
Sacromonte di Varese
and the absolute gem of the area:
Santuario di Varallo

Wonderful! I expect these are all beautiful places. I will be researching to find out more! I so appreciate your detailed local's input. A detailed local guidebook would be needed because all these would never be in the typical books!