Lake Orta, or Cusio, is located west of Lake Maggiore: it is the westernmost of the pre-Alpine lakes in northern Italy, located entirely in Piedmont. The eastern side has the gentle slopes of the hills that separate it from Lake Maggiore and culminate at the 1491 meters of Mount Mottarone. In contrast, the western shores are more rugged and steep: the hills give way here to the mountains of Valstrona and nearby Valsesia.
The lake has an area of 18.2 square kilometers, stretching 13.4 km from north to south and with a maximum width of 2.5 km. The lake is 290 m. above sea level and reaches a depth of 143 m.
In the central area of the eastern shore lies the village that over time has also given its name to the Lake, once called Cusio, as Cusio was, and still is, the area where it is located. Orta San Giulio, a renowned and romantic resort town, is dominated behind by its Sacro Monte, with its 20 chapels frescoed by Morazzone. Opposite is the Island of San Giulio, with its 4th-century Basilica of the same name, rebuilt in the 9th and 11th centuries.
Julius and Julian came to preach Christianity in the late 4th century, and remained in these splendid places forever, influencing its art and history.
The area’s ancient roots, its landscapes and picturesque villages, sources of inspiration for writers, painters and filmmakers, have not prevented these places from also developing traditions that were first artisan and then industrial. Distinguished today are the "housewares district," centered in the Omegna area at the northern end of Lake Orta, and the "tap district," which arose between San Murizio d’Opaglio and Gozzano.
