ORTA SAN GIULIO

The island of San Giulio sits in the centre of the lake — a small, dreamlike piece of land with a Romanesque basilica dating to the 4th century and a Benedictine monastery that still functions today. From the village of Orta, you can reach it by boat in five minutes. It's the kind of view you have from your window that never becomes ordinary.

The Sacro Monte di Orta rises above the village — a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a series of 20 chapels built between 1590 and 1770 on a wooded hillside, connected by paths through chestnut and oak. Walking up through the chapels in any season is a different experience, and the views from the top take in the lake, the island and the mountains beyond. Below, the village has a Wednesday market that has been running since 1228.

The surrounding territory connects to the wider Piedmontese Alps. Valsesia, the valley famous for its mountaineering tradition, is close. The skiing at Alagna Valsesia — one of Piemonte's best off-piste destinations — is under an hour away. Lake Maggiore is 25 kilometres east. For a life that combines lakeside calm with genuine Alpine access, Orta San Giulio sits in a very particular sweet spot.