Italy's Socialites Vacation at this Secret Lake
In Milan, no summer is complete without at least one weekend trip to the lake, but just as New Yorkers pledge allegiance to their beach getaways (Fire Island or East Hampton?), a proper Milanese is likely devoted to a particular lake. The two major lakes, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, are world-famous for their gorgeously Italian savoir faire, and their celebrity fans, like George Clooney.
But to local Milanese, the real status symbol is a private villa at Lake Orta, where palazzos are kept so deeply under wraps that real estate agents don't have listing prices for them.
Just an hour north of Milan, the lake, renowned for its crystal clear water, is surrounded by Alpine mountains dotted by medieval and baroque buildings. Lake Orta's romantic charm once drew artists and writers, such as Lord Byron and Honoré de Balzac, and now attracts well-heeled vacationers from Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, who spend their summers in grand palazzos on the mysterious San Giulio island.
Once thought to be inhabited by dragons, the sole permanent residents on the island today are the cloistered Benedictine nuns of Mater Ecclesiae Abbey, the owner of the island’s souvenir shop, and a poet (of course). The nuns live in an 19th century seminary, and the building’s tall, winding rock walls and covered passageways-to conceal the nuns-add to the island’s mythical reputation. Also on the island is exactly one restaurant and a 12th-century basilica that connects to the seminary, resplendent in 14th century frescos.
Each summer the island fills with vacationers looking to swim, boat, and gloriously laze about, Italian-style. To get to the island (if you don't have your own boat, of course) a little ferry shuttles back and forth from Orta San Giulio, the small town that serves as the area's central hub.
For those merely visiting a week, stay at the recently opened casaFantini designed by Italian architect Piero Lissoni for the Fantini family, who owns and runs an eponymous luxury bathroom fixture company. On the shores of Pella, a small town across the lake from Orta, the boutique hotel offers modern comforts without spoiling the ancient architecture and natural features.
Expansive rooms face the lake with floor-to-ceiling windows, each with a balcony or terrace, and a gradual, stepped layout designed to promote relaxation-aided by the personal Turkish steam bath in every room. The hotel itself is comprised of two buildings, one older and one newer, which Lissoni merged together in such a way to blend into the surrounding landscape.
For architecture buffs, the Fantini headquarters, also designed by Lissoni, are just a few steps away. The building is minimal, but in harmony amidst the rocky landscape and 15thcentury buildings.
A gracious lawn-once a load-in dock-meanders down to the lakeshore and promises to be the origin of several block parties this season; in true Italian style, the Fantini family has lived near Lake Orta for generations.
Classicists, however, may prefer to visit Sacro Monte di Orta across the lake. It is a UNESCO world heritage site with 21 Roman Catholic chapels built in the 16th and 17th century and a park, all dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. Redolent with the scent of hanging wisteria, it boasts one of the best views of the lake.
After swimming in the fresh water (it’s the cleanest lake in Europe), meandering along medieval pathways, and absorbing Italian architecture, there is, naturally, amazing cuisine. Villa Crespi, in Orta, is a two-Michelin starred restaurant in a sprawling Moorish estate and certainly a good place to start, but one of the most charming qualities of the area is its unpretentious atmosphere.
Follow a curving cobblestone path to any trattoria or restaurant that suits you, order an Aperol Spritz at sunset and, like Milan's blue bloods have been doing for generations, enjoy the grand Italian tradition of il bel far niente.
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