Ciao bella

Day:8
Miles:1345/200
Coordinates: +45° 47' 43.63", +8° 25' 19.28" (Orta San Giulio)

Early in the morning we left Monaco, briefly entered France and soon were in Italy heading for Lake Orta. We did most of the miles on the Autostrada dei Fiori. This road is basically a succession of viaducts and tunnels; and this is good, as they kept us entertained and time flew. We counted 85 tunnels and viaducts (or thereabouts). Our soundtrack was Michael Jackson (radio reception was interrupted while in the tunnels) and the rythmic thumping noise as the tires passed over the expansion joints of the viaducts.

We knew in advance that Villa Crespi, our "home" in Orta, was a special place. An architectural attraction by itself in the area, as well as a gastronomic destination with its famous 2-star restaurant. But no picture we had seen did the Villa justice, and as we entered its drive we uttered our first Mama Mia's.

It is a haunting, Moorish-styled building, whose imposing minaret-inspired tower, cuts an outworldly shape in the Lake landscape. Villa Crespi surprises do not stop there and we stronlgy recommend a visti to experience this for yourselves.

The day ended with a stroll to Orta Saint Giulio, the cutissimo village at the edge of the Lake. If you ever consider writing a book, detoxing or simply remembering how summer holidays used to be before mass tourism, this village/lake are for you. Although the smallest and quietest of the Lakes, Orta, we feel, is the most pitcuresque of them all.

A presto.