Orta San Giulio: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Novara, Piemonte. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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Search for an address in Orta San Giulio
The report looks at the exact point: landslide and flood risk, seismic zone, price per square metre for the area, services and nearby stops.
For example: Via Novara 1, Orta San Giulio.
Orta San Giulio, the island, the Sacro Monte and Lake Orta
In front of the village, out on Lake Orta, lies the island of San Giulio with its basilica; behind it, on the hill, is the Sacro Monte, a series of chapels dedicated to Saint Francis, part of the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy listed by UNESCO. Orta San Giulio, in the province of Novara, lives largely on tourism, and it shows everywhere in the historic centre, closed to traffic and looking out over the water.
For buyers this means an unusual market. In the old village, homes are historic palazzi and flats subject to heritage restrictions, reached on foot and with parking some way off, sought for the view and often used as second homes or short lets. Outside the centre, on the hill and in the hamlets, there are villas and detached houses that are easier to live in. There are 43 bars and restaurants on record, 38.60 per 1,000 residents against 4.54 in the province.
Istat, the national statistics office, counted 1,114 residents in 2023, down 4.2% on 2011. Over-65s make up 32.0%, against 24.9% for the province, and the estimated average age is 50.9. Foreign residents account for 16.2%, and declared incomes are above the provincial average.
Earthquakes are a minor concern: all 87 municipalities in the province of Novara are in seismic zone 4, the lowest in the Civil Protection Department's classification, with expected ground acceleration of about 0.042 g. Damp, roofs and the upkeep of historic buildings matter more, along with the permits needed for work in a protected centre.
Near the water and along the streams running down the hill, the report reads the official flood and landslide maps for the address. Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published, and the report finds the plot.
Key points
- Island of San Giulio and the UNESCO-listed Sacro Monte.
- 43 bars and restaurants, far above the provincial rate.
- All 87 municipalities in the province in seismic zone 4.
- Historic centre: check restrictions, access and parking.
Overview
Orta San Giulio is a municipality in the province of Novara, in Piemonte. At the end of 2023 it had 1,114 residents, ranked 62 of 87 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Orta San Giulio is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 87 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.042 g, a low value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.
In zone 4 the risk is low, but for an older building it is still worth asking about the state of the structure.
Population
Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 4.2%. The estimated average age is 51 years, higher than the province average (47). 32% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 16.2% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Orta San Giulio declared an average taxable income of 28,272 euros, in line with the province (26,949 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Orta San Giulio is in climate zone E, with 2,687 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 October to 15 April, for up to 14 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 294 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Orta San Giulio has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop.
The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
Public transport
We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.
How built-up it is
Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 9.2% of the land in Orta San Giulio, compared with 11.2% in the province and 6.7% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.
Radon and contaminated sites
Orta San Giulio is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Piemonte in 2023. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.
Official databases list no contaminated sites in Orta San Giulio.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Orta San Giulio: the report checks the address against the ISPRA maps.
House prices
The Revenue Agency's price ranges per square metre (OMI) apply to zones, not to whole municipalities: the report gives the range for the address's zone.
Land registry
The cadastral maps for Orta San Giulio are public: from the address the report finds the sheet and parcel number.
Liveability area by area
The Vicinalia liveability index runs from 0 to 100 and looks at the place, not the people who live there: services within walking distance, transport, green space, natural hazards, air, quiet, buildings and connection. Here it is worked out at the centre of each of the 21 inhabited census areas in Orta San Giulio. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 53 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 26.3%
- fair 45.9%
- good 27.9%
Vicinalia index by census area, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Data: IdroGEO ISPRA (2026), Istat, INGV, EEA, AGCOM, Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.
The colour is the value at the centre of the area. For an exact address, search for it above: the free check looks at that exact point. How the index is worked out
Data sources
- Seismic classification of municipalities, Dipartimento della Protezione Civile. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 2025-05.
- MPS04 seismic hazard model, INGV. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2004 model.
- Data by census section, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, residents at the end of 2023, compared with the 2011 census.
- Places, Overture Maps Foundation. Licence CDLA Permissive 2.0 and others depending on provider, release 2026-10-21.0.
- Income and main IRPEF variables by municipality, MEF, Dipartimento delle Finanze. Licence CC BY 3.0 IT, tax year 2024.
- Climate zones and heating degree days of municipalities (Presidential Decree 412/1993, Annex A), Normattiva. Licence CC BY 4.0, current text.
- Land take, territorial dynamics and ecosystem services, ISPRA e SNPA. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2024 data.
- Predictive radon map by municipality, ISPRA. Licence CC BY 4.0, version 2022-11.
- Radon priority areas (Legislative Decree 101/2020), Regione Piemonte, national list compiled by ARPA Lombardia. Licence Atto pubblico (art. 5 L. 633/1941), 2023.
- Contaminated sites, Regione Piemonte, Anagrafe regionale dei siti contaminati (ASCO). Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 9 November 2026.
- Liveability index by census area, Vicinalia, from the data in the report sections. Licence CC BY-SA 4.0, worked out on 30 September 2026.
- List of Italian municipalities, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 21 February 2026.
ISTAT code 003112. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.