Miasino - Lake Maggiore & Lake Orta Travel Guide

Miasino lies 479 m above sea level on a plateau above the world-famous town of Orta, set on a peninsula, and the island of San Giulio just offshore.


From Miasino there are magnificent views of Orta San Giulio, across Lake Orta and the surrounding mountains.


Miasino, with about 1,000 inhabitants, also includes the smaller villages of Pisogno and Carcegna.



Many of Miasino's houses date from the 17th and 18th centuries.


In the centre of the village lies Piazza Betrame. Particularly worth seeing here is the Casa Nigra, one of the most elegant country residences in the Cusio hinterland, dating from the late 16th century. The square is also home to the Rococo church of Santa Maria, built at the beginning of the 16th century, with frescoes in the nave and a remarkable altarpiece by Camillo Procaccini depicting the Nativity.


The village is dominated by the parish church of S. Rocco, built in the 16th century in place of a Romanesque chapel. The third-largest church in the Novara area, it houses fine woodwork inside (pulpit, font, choir stalls), a 17th-century marble high altar and numerous notable paintings, above all in the side chapels.




The village of Carcegna lies at the foot of the Motta di Carcegna and has very old origins; the defences of the Cusio are said to have stood here. Many medieval architectural elements have survived even in the newer houses.


The parish church of S. Pietro is of late Romanesque origin with later alterations, and contains fine 18th-century frescoes.


Between Carcegna and Orta lies the village of Legro, which already belongs to Orta S. Giulio. Legro has the railway station for Orta and Miasino.




From Miasino you can hike or make an excursion to Mottarone (1,491 m), a walk of about four hours.


Via Armeno and Gignese, a very pretty drive along a winding road leads across to Stresa on Lake Maggiore.

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