Orta San Giulio, Italy

Occupying the tip of a peninsula on the lake's eastern shore, ORTA SAN GIULIO is a seductive little bolthole with charm and character in spades. The pace of life is slow, with everything revolving around the main square, Piazza Motta, ringed around on three sides by elegant facades and open on the fourth to the lake and island. Gelaterias, terrace cafés and restaurants share space under the arcades with galleries, boutiques and fancy shops. On the north side is the Palazzotto, Orta's titchy town hall, decorated with faded frescoes and supported on an arcaded loggia. From here, head northwards on the main street, Via Olina – cobbled, and barely three metres wide – through the village and out for a stroll or a sunbathe on the lakeside promenade.