The Italian saga comes to an end…

So after all the fun we did arrive at the “last day”.

Je me réveille,

un lac à mes pieds,

l’air frais,

l’esprit léger,

l’âme en paix.

Quelle belle journée.

From my room

from the balcony

at my feet

 Breakfast was enjoyed in the dining room overlooking the Lago d’Orta – with a view to the Madonna del Sasso chapel as well.

flowers in front of the Hotel Panoramico

more flowers at the hotel

Hotel Panoramica in Madonna del Sasso

The 17^th century Madonna del Sasso (Our Lady of the Rock) sits on a promontory overlooking the Lake of Orta and in the peaceful morning sun seemed a world away from the world.  The inside was so full of interesting bits that it was hard to know where to concentrate. At one point there was a group of some 10 motorcyclists taking pictures (is she known for protecting motorcycles?). What is the meaning of the arrow through the heart up on one wall? And how did the painter manage to make the main vault look domed although it wasn’t? Even outside the beauty and simplicity of the site worked its’ magic.

Our Lady of the Rock sanctuary

inside

Although it looks like a domed ceiling, it is only the paint that achieves that effect

detail on a column

Porch directly in front of the main door

Flowers in front of the porch and view of the lake

Then it was down the mountain and on to the small village of Pella to find a boat to cross the Lago d’Orta to the village of San Giulio Orta. Asked directions three different times (with three different answers) and even then ended up walking quite some distance from where we had parked the car towards the main dock.  No boat in sight so allowed our selves to be talked into a private taxi-type boat. It did make for a much better crossing.
 

Pella

Middle of the lake - on the taxi boat

Pella in the wake of the boat

Our captain

Ah the views from the boat

loved the protective copper on the dock pillars

In the gardens of San Giulio Orta

Gardens of the City Hall

Small allies leading to the gardens

Lots of lovely wrought-iron decorations

Many pictures to be captured

A restaurant right on the lake

Main Square

Another glorious day so lunch on one of the many terraces looking back towards the small island of San Giulio and the Sanctuary in the distance.
 

Looking back towards one of the squares of San Giulio

Madonna del Sasso Sanctuary as seen from the village across the lake

 Finally with no more interest in lakes, churches or sight seeing we headed back to Geneva. A great trip, one that I can highly recommend (now if I can figure out how to make a map of all the things covered…)

Falls towards the Simplon Pass - return trip

Back into Switzerland

Napoleon's Eagle at the Simplon Pass

 Davvero triste partire Italia - si erano bellissime

More mountains and churches – a walk through history

Italy 4 Varallo Sesia

After a good night’s sleep (getting a hotel room always improves the chances of sleeping decently, funny thing that) and breakfast it was off to discover the many historical points of Varallo Sesia, most of which are linked to churches in the large sense of the term (some are chapels, some pilgrimage sites, others churches, etc.). The Collegiata of San Gaudenzio was first as just across the street: paintings by Ferrari.

 

Bell Tower of the Collegiata of San Gaudenzio

Inside the Collegiata of San Gaudenzio

Giacobini sepulchre in the Collegiata of San Gaudenzio

The pope visited Varallo Sesia in 1984

Collegiata of San Gaudenzio as seen from Sacro Monte

Next was the 15^th century Santa Maria delle Grazie and Gaudenzio Ferrari’s 15^th century fresco depicting the life of Christ, which covers an entire wall (one can pay to light up the fresco). 

The Lady of our Graces inside.

The Fresco

Then it was on to the top of the hill and the Sacro Monte di Varallo. An UNESCO Heritage site, it is one of the most famous Piedmont pilgrimage sites, the oldest Italian and foreign one of its kind.  It blew my mind away. Didn’t count all of the marvelous chapels with painted sculptures of the life of Christ, but later learned that there are 45 (and no I am not going to publish pictures of all of them).  The “minor basilica” from the outside gives no clue to the splendor of the Baroque style inside. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacro_Monte_di_Varallo for those interested in learning more.

map of the Sacro Monte di Varallo

vaults and earthquake bars

Adam and Eve, one of 45 separate frescoes and statues

Part of the Last Supper

Note the detail in the expressions

Again part of the more than 800 painted life-size statues of wood and terracota

details on one of the "window" boxes

Post number 40 - with statues and frescoes behind

A plaque in honor of the English writer Samuel Butler and his "Ex Voto"

The minor basilica

Inside the minor basilica

The coffee shop itself was a splendid Art Deco room and needing to use the facilities I was flabbergasted to see a tile wall that was round (how they managed that without any seems I certainly don’t understand). 

Dining room of the Sacro Monte restaurant

detail in the dining room

detail on the linen table clothes

 A few more photos from around town in Varallo Sesia

In a courtyard

Reflection

Sheltered flowers

wall mask

Spring has sprung

Interesting chimney pots

The Collegiata and town seen from Sacro Monte

The perfect tulip

Then it was winding roads and a village restaurant where just the anti pasti would have been more than sufficient, but was followed by fresh pan-fried trout. No room at any point on this trip for dessert!

The afternoon was spent in Fobello, a small mountain town, which was the home to Vincenzo Lancia and his son Gianni Lancia – yes there is a Lancia street. It is also one of the villages with the best preserved traditions in costumes (a particular stitch) of the area.

Fobello

Fobello, home to the Lancia family

Then back to the Lago d’Orta and a room overlooking the lake. Life is tough.

View from Madonna del Sasso overlooking the Lago d'Orta