Travels in Italy-- Lago d'Orta (Part 2 of 2)

After visiting Sacro Monte, we walked down to the lakeside town below, Orta San Giulio.

The town is a long established Summer vacation getaway for Italians and other Europeans.  The town is small with narrow streets and has many hotels, restaurants and shops.  We enjoyed a long lunch just steps from the water's edge and took in all the sights--boats ferrying people here and there, ducks paddling and quacking, and the lake glistening.

We also walked around the town and took a few photos. Enjoy.

The main square

The town hall with market space beneath

Colorful buildings on the main square

A modern bronze statue of St. Francis of Assisi, with the telltale roses, two birds and thrice knotted rope belt

An edicola with a modern painting

Some random folk-art dogs

A view of the town from the lake

Following the visit to the town of Orta San Giulio, we took a water taxi to nearby L'isola di San Giulio, a small island in the middle of the lake.  The island was settled by St. Giulio at the start of the fifth century. He rid the island of snakes and dragons and started the building of a Christian shrine there.  The shrine was the 100th he helped build during his lifetime.  Since then the shrine has been rebuilt again and again.  Today, the shrine is a church with lovely paintings from the middle ages and the post Renaissance era.  (Unfortunately, no photos  were allowed.)

The island (pictured below) is completely covered with buildings. It has one narrow, circular street that is known as the way of silence.  The island is home to a convent with nuns that observe the rule of silence.  The way of silence is marked with signs about the virtue of silence.  We strolled around the island quietly so as to not bother the nuns, while taking a few photos. 

L'isola di San Giulio:  a view of the island from Sacro Monte

L'isola di San Giulio: The bishop's residence next to the pier

Signs along the Way of Silence:

Along the way, we also spotted two lovely sights, blooming hydrangea and an edicola.

Thanks for visiting Lago d'Orta with us.

P.S.  While strolling around L'isola di San Giulio, we spotted the sign below next to the door of a house. 

Rough translation:  Protect this house, dear God, so that neither a lawyer nor a doctor will ever have to set foot in it.