Orta is called Cinderella by the locals because ‘she is more beautiful than her big sister’. Orta is the Italian lake that is even more beautiful than Maggiore

Mi scusi, can you tell me where I can see the dragon fossil?’ I ask a passing priest in the 4th century basilica.

I am on the islet of San Giulio on Lake Orta in northern Piedmont, and according to legend, in the year 390 a Christian preacher sailed across, defeated the monster and started building this church.

But now the priest points to a sign on the wall stating that the fossilized remains are no longer on public display. “Disappointing,” I sigh, as my husband rolls his eyes.

Lake Orta is just 40 km from Milan Malpensa Airport. While its flashy neighbors Lake Maggiore and Lake Como – havens for the rich and famous – get a lot more tourist attention, the Milanese like it that way. They call Lake Orta La Cenerentola (Cinderella) because ‘she is much more beautiful and untouched compared to her bigger sisters’.

Dragons or not, on the shuttle boat to the island from the medieval town of Orta San Giulio, low, sultry clouds hang between the mountain and the lake and a bell rings from Benedettina Mater Ecclesiae.

Beauty on the water: Kate Wickers travels to Lake Orta in the Italian region of Piedmont. Above Isola San Giulio, the ‘quiet’ island of the lake

Home to 75 nuns, Isola San Giulio (just 300 meters long and 130 meters wide) is also called the Island of Silence, and the thoughtful abbess has created a circular meditation walk. Signs encourage contemplative moments, such as “Walls are in the mind” and “Listen to the water, the wind, your steps.”

Back on the mainland, hotel La Darbia is hidden in the forest between the lake and the Monte Rosa mountain, with views down to the water over the small vineyard. The 20 apartments are rustic in stone walls, in keeping with repurposed farm dwellings, and guests receive a welcome cake which sets the bar for the fantastic food on offer.

The restaurant is overseen by Matteo Monfrinotti, who, very un-chef-like, isn’t too grand to hang your coat on. I order the vegetarian ‘From the Garden’ tasting menu – something unusual in a region known for its rich, meaty dishes – and get a thumbs up from the chef. “It’s easy to prepare beef or fish,” says Matteo. ‘You have to be more creative with vegetables.’ The raviolini pasta with chanterelles and the pumpkin cream with warm chocolate sauce and thyme mousse are bursting with autumn flavour.

Kate checks into hotel La Darbia (seen here), which is ‘hidden’ in the forest between Lake Orta and Monte Rosa mountain

Above, the Monastery of Benedettina Mater Ecclesiae on Isola San Giulio, home to 75 nuns

All the narrow alleys in traffic-free Orta San Giulio lead to Piazza Motta on the lake, with its faded, pastel-colored houses in ochre, yellow and pink. One of the oldest is the House of the Dwarves, dating from the 14th century. A market has been held here on Wednesdays since 1228. I nibble on samples of salame al vino Barolo and crumbly gorgonzola – fuel for making the steep cobblestone climb to the Sacro Monte di Orta, a 16th-century devotional path around 21 chapels.

The path, constructed between 1591 and 1750, tells the story of Saint Francis of Assisi through 376 sculptures and 900 frescoes. The sculptures are not a highlight – at best they are comically creepy – but the chapels are interesting because they chart Italian architectural style over two centuries, from the Renaissance era to the theatrical Rococo period.

With spectacular views of the lake and mountains, the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso is a dazzling white church that dominates the western granite cliff. We cover the last kilometers there on foot, past fields with cows decorated with bells and hamlets where every house has a supply of chopped wood.

Kate reveals that Omegna (pictured), on the north side of the lake, is home to the Alessi factory, famous for its quirky kitchenware

In the town of Orta San Giulio, Kate explores Piazza Motta (seen here), with its ‘faded pastel houses of ochre, yellow and pink’

On the lakeside at Pella, gelato from Antica Torre is the draw, where chocolate with grappa is one of the more unusual flavors. In Omegna, on the north side of the lake, hiking trails lead from the town – the most popular is the Anello di Quarna, a loop through pine forests to panoramic viewpoints – but it is the Alessi factory, family-owned and famous for its quirky kitchenware . that I’m here to see.

You’ll need an appointment to browse the archive that contains every design prototype since the 1920s, from pewter coffee pots to the bestseller Juicy Salif (designer Phillipe Starck got the inspiration for the iconic lemon squeezer while eating squid).

Tucked away in the hamlet of Crabbia, Osteria San Martino is a cozy restaurant with a menu as traditional as it gets, from the rather vague ‘rabbit osteria style’ to bagna cauda, ​​which I order after hearing about anchovies . What arrives is delicious: a creamy, bubbly fondue made with anchovies and garlic, served with chopped vegetables for dipping.

Back at La Darbia’s outdoor bar, next to the vegetable garden where plump purple eggplants hang and the air smells of rosemary, I watch the clouds roll in and out of the valley below, waiting for the next big reveal of the lake and mountains. that there is actually no need for dragons when the landscape is so special.