We are spending 3 nights, 4 days in the Lake Region in May and will have a car. Would appreciate any advice regarding Orta San Guilo. If we stay there, is it too out of the way to visit Lake Como and Lake Maggiore easily?
Thanks very much!

> If we stay there, is it too out of the way to visit Lake Como and Lake Maggiore easily? <

Orta S Giulio (note the spelling) is our favorite Lakes town. However, for practical purposes, it's too far to easily reach the other lakes, especially Como.

Lake Lugano is centrally located and Lugano would be a better base IMO. The lake itself is also our favorite of all of them...

We love Orta and have stayed there 4 times over the past 20 years. Como is too far but certainly not Maggiore, which is only about :45. The drive from Orta to Stresa via Gignese is easy and suggested. Here is my recent photo gallery of both. You can add the north end of Maggiore at Locarno as well. Read about Val Versazca as well Good luck !
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=4173

Bob...as you may recall, we are Orta fans, too...your pic of the hotel Orta shows our most recent room, 1st on the left above the restaurant, with its own terrace. Rate two years ago was under $100..certainly upped a bit by now.

On one of our trips we did Como by driving the autostrada just south of Orta all the way to Como...visited the Carlotta gardens and took a ferry across the lake to take lunch and spend the afternon in Bellagio ... still got back to Orta before 6 pm.

Yes, Maggiore is an easy ride of less than 45 minutes, and Locarno can be done on a day trip also, IMO.

Have a great trip...you'll love Orta...it's old Italy at its best.

stu T

Meant to add....Have a great trip and enjoy Orta Margategirl!

Stu T.

I do recall Stu.
Our last room was on that 2nd level to the right. We have stayed in that room twice. The price was 155E with the half board---I think 115E for the room and 20E each for dinner. I was comped before, but that was in April. I have sent perhaps 20 clients there.

Thanks for all the help. We will switch to staying further east at a more central location.

Look at the Stella d' Italia on Lake Lugano. Great location and charming family run hotel.

Not much to add, but enjoy Orta.

My wife and I were married there 10 years ago. We stayed at the Hotel Orta and the mayor performed the ceremony at city hall (he looked very official in his suit and silk sash). They even gave us a coffee table book with photos of the town and a fountain pen with the town name enscribed as a wedding gift. Everyone in town stopped to congratulate us as we walked from hotel to the ceremony and we were a favorite photo op of several groups of Swiss tourists.

After the ceremony, we took a boat out to the island and had the wedding brunch at the restaurant out there. It was a great time.

Bob, Thanks for the recommendation for Stella d'Italia on Lake Lugano. Would this be a good location to also visit Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, as well as Lake Lugano?
And, are there restaurants near the hotel that you can walk to?
Thanks for your help.

The hotel has wonderful food. I would eat there at night. Or, drive to Gandria for great seafood. The Lugano ferry boat stops at the hotel dock---very handy.

Sorry, it is a great location for Como and Lugano---a bit far to Maggiore. The Italy lakes are really 3 destinations.

Bob: Thanks again for your help!