A Lake Orta tour is the easy way into the quietest of the northern lakes: the village of Orta San Giulio and the island of San Giulio just offshore. Two private tours lead Viator. The romantic village of Orta San Giulio with a tour guide is rated 4.9 across 17 reviews, from about $289 per group. Discover lake Orta – Private tours from Stresa, Baveno, Verbania is rated 4.9 across 23 reviews, from about $532 per group.
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The verdict
Choose by where you sleep. If you are already in Orta San Giulio, or can get there on your own, the guided walk is our pick. A local guide spends three to four hours with your group around Piazza Motta and the village, then crosses to Isola San Giulio for a walk around the island and its Romanesque church. The price covers up to 15 people, which makes it good value for a family or friends traveling together.
If you are staying on Lake Maggiore, the private driver solves the transport. You are picked up in Stresa, Baveno or Verbania, and the day of five to six hours includes a stop at the Sacro Monte above Orta before free time in the village. It is a driver, not a guide, and it covers up to four people.
Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and both confirm within 48 hours. In both cases the public boat to the island, €5 per person, is extra.
Isola San Giulio is a few minutes by public boat from the square in Orta San Giulio. Neither tour includes the €5 return ticket, so keep some cash. For Lake Maggiore’s islands, compare the Lake Maggiore tour options.
Which one is for you?
Take the guided walk if
- You are staying in Orta or can get there yourself.
- You want a guide, not just a ride.
- You want to visit Isola San Giulio.
- Your group is larger than four.
Take the driver if
- You are staying on Lake Maggiore.
- You want a door-to-door day with no trains or buses.
- You want to see the Sacro Monte above Orta.
- You are a group of up to four.
What each price covers
The guided walk, from about $289
Included: a private local guide for your group.
Not included: transport to and from Orta and the €5 per person public boat to the island.
The driver, from about $532
Included: hotel pickup and drop-off, a private vehicle, an English-speaking driver and fuel.
Not included: lunch, food and drinks, gratuities and the €5 per person public boat to the island.
Where each one starts
- Guided walk: Via Panoramica 26, Orta San Giulio, in front of the mini golf.
- Driver: your hotel in Stresa, Baveno or Verbania, on Lake Maggiore, at 9:30 a.m.
Side by side
| Guided walk | Driver from Maggiore | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9 from 17 | 4.9 from 23 |
| Five-star reviews | 15 (88%) | 21 (91%) |
| Price | from about $289 per group | from about $532 per group |
| Group size | Up to 15 | Up to 4 |
| Length | 3 to 4 hours | 5 to 6 hours |
| What you get | Private local guide | Private driver and vehicle |
| Starts | Orta San Giulio | Your hotel on Lake Maggiore |
| Island boat | €5 per person, extra | €5 per person, extra |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before | Free up to 24 hours before |
What travelers say
On the guided walk
Giulia was fabulous. She brought us around the village and the island and was so knowledgeable about the area.
Beatrice_C, May 2024, via Viator
We had a great day with Julia.
Ethan_M, August 2025, via Viator
On the driver from Lake Maggiore
Davide made an excursion to lake Orta so easy.
Karen_L, June 2026, via Viator
We stopped at a UNESCO heritage site on the Sacred Mount which was such a special experience.
Tammy_L, May 2026, via Viator
Both tours have only five-star and four-star ratings: 15 and 2 for the guided walk, 21 and 2 for the driver. The numbers are small, so read the latest reviews on Viator before you book. We left out a third private tour of Orta, rated 5.0, because it is non-refundable.
More of the Italian lakes
Next door, compare the Lake Maggiore tour options and read our guide to the Borromean Islands.
For every lake in one place, see our guide to the lakes in Italy, and for a day out of the city, the best day trips from Milan.
Questions travelers ask
Which Lake Orta tour should I book?
If you are in Orta San Giulio, the private guided walk with Isola San Giulio, rated 4.9 from 17 reviews on Viator, from about $289 per group (checked October 2026). From Lake Maggiore, the private driver from Stresa, Baveno or Verbania, rated 4.9 from 23 reviews, from about $532 per group.
Is the boat to Isola San Giulio included?
No. On both tours the public boat to the island costs €5 per person, paid on the day.
How many people does the price cover?
The guided walk covers up to 15 people and the driver up to four, both per group.
Is the driver a guide?
No. The Lake Maggiore tour comes with an English-speaking driver, who takes you to the Sacro Monte and gives you free time in Orta San Giulio.
Can I cancel a Lake Orta tour?
Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
Book the guided walk if you can get to Orta yourself; book the driver to see Orta in a day from Lake Maggiore.
Editorial assessment by Italy2Love, October 2026. Itineraries, inclusions, meeting points, group sizes, accessibility, prices, ratings, review counts and cancellation terms read on both Viator product pages (product codes 109655P3 and 8251P8), October 1, 2026. Reviews quoted with attribution to their authors and to Viator. Next review March 2027, or sooner on any change to either option.