On the western side of the lake, a Baroque sanctuary perches on a granite outcrop 638 metres above the water. Built between 1725 and 1748, the Madonna del Sasso is a single domed church with a tiled roof, frescoes by Lorenzo Peracino, and a terrace that opens onto one of the best high views over Lago d'Orta — the island, the town, the wooded ridges behind, and on a clear day Monte Rosa rising further north.
The sanctuary is reached by road, about a 20-minute drive from Orta, or by a longer hike up from Pella on the lake's western shore. Open daily, free to enter. Combine it with lunch in one of the small Pella restaurants for a half-day round trip from town.