By car: from the A26 exit at Borgomanero or Arona. Follow the signs for Lake Orta and continue to the crossroads where the road turns off for the village. After the turn off go straight on for 300 mt, then turn left up the hill. There is also a cobbled path which starts to the right of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in the village. Orta San Giulio is 42 km from Malpensa Airport.
By train: the nearest railway station is Orta-Miasino, 2km from the centre of the village.

The religious complex of the Sacro Monte of Orta lies on the hill above the village, looking out over Lake Orta.

The riches of its art and architecture, allied to the beauty and harmony of its natural setting, contribute to an atmosphere of indefinable spirituality which has a profound impact on visitors.

The history of the complex goes back to 1583, when the Community of Orta decided to found a convent near the Church of San Nicolao, all of which remains today is a 15^th century wooden sculpture of Our Lady of Mercy. In 1591 the Capuchin Franciscans authorised the start of work to build chapels dedicated to the life of St Francis, beginning with what is now chapel number XX, the first to be founded but the last in the cycle.

The building work was concluded between the end of the 16^th century and the end of the 18^th.

The chapels were arranged on a spiralling path which exploited the slope of the hill, in an itinerary guided by the surrounding trees, which enabled pilgrims to pause on their upward journey to meditate for a while in the shade, emerging at the top to see the superb panorama of the lake. Prominent among the many artists who worked on the decoration of the chapels were il Morazzone, Stefano Maria Legnai and il Beretta, artists from different periods, resulting in a mixture of styles – Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical.

The purpose of every Sacro Monte was to give religious instruction the faithful (most of whom were illiterate) through the descriptive images of the frescoes and the tableaux of terracotta statues.

In 1980 Piedmont Region made the Sacro Monte of Orta a Special Nature reserve, to protect the valuable artistic and environmental heritage which the place represents.

A visit to the Sacro Monte is obligatory for anyone coming to see the historic village of Orta San Giulio. Facilities include a restaurant and bar, a picnic area and a visitor centre. The staff of the Reserve will be delighted to give you any information you require.

Historical curiosity: in May 1882 the German philosopher Nietzsche fell in love here with the young Lou Salomé, as emerges from letters written by the philosopher to his friend Paul Rée.