Orta: Day 2 … Isola di San Giulio

First on our sightseeing agenda today was Isola di San Giulio, an island in the middle of Lake Orta.

People have lived on the island since the Neolithic and Iron Ages, but it was abandoned for a time during the Roman Period. It later became home to a Duke of Lombard and to Berengar II, a King of Italy. Otto the Great, a Holy Roman Emperor, lived on the island for a while during the 10th century. Today just a few families live on the island permanently, allowing it to maintain its old world charm.

There are a couple of companies that operate the boats that ferry people to the island and the other towns that rim the lakeshore. We simply chose the next one leaving from Piazza Motta, purchasing tickets for the island transfer only.

Isola di San Giulio is thought to have been a pre-Christian cultural center … perhaps the reason why Julius of Novara — now St Julius — “reached the island sailing on his cloak, freed it from dragons [pagans], and built a church here that was dedicated to the Twelve Apostles.” It is generally accepted that he lived and died on the island during the latter part of the 5th century.

That first church was later replaced by larger ones. The current Romanesque-style church — Basilica di San Giulio — dates back to the 12th century … modified during the following centuries. Today, it is part of a Benedictine monastery, which was built on the site of a fortified castle that was razed in 1841 to make room for it.

Arriving at the island, we visited the basilica first. I was immediately struck by the frescoes that date back to the 14th and 16th centuries. While not pristine by any means, they are in remarkably good shape. Before leaving the basilica, we went down to the crypt where we saw the reliquary of St Julius … and a small exhibit of architectural features uncovered during archaeological excavations.

Next, we took a stroll on the narrow pedestrian road that circumnavigates the island. Along the path, signs encourage people to walk in silence and meditate. The aphorisms were in Italian, German, English, and French, making Google Translate unnecessary … The Way of the Silence … Listen to the Silence … Walls are in Your Mind … Listen to the Water, the Wind, Your Steps. I think that adding a few benches along the road would give people a chance to sit and enjoy the serene atmosphere as they meditate.

As popular as the island is, we were surprised at how few people we encountered on the island … even though a good number of people had disembarked the boat with us. No more than 10 people passed us as we slowly strolled the road. Where had everyone disappeared to? There were no cafés around … the buildings themselves were not open to visitors … the few unobtrusive shops were still closed. I had read that the perimeter walk took just 10 minutes, so perhaps they had come, walked, and left. We weren’t amongst the fast strollers … it took us a good 60 minutes to return to the ferry landing.

A couple of boats came and went, but they were heading from the island to other towns along the shoreline. Sitting under a tree as we waited for the boat back to Orta, we enjoyed the sound of the waves gently coming ashore … entertained by small birds bathing in the water and searching out goodies the receding waves might have left behind.Read more