Saturday Pella by boat is not confirmed. The published full-lake timetable ended on 3 October. The notes flag an official restriction on navigation near Lungolago Gramsci from 12–21 October. Arrange a road transfer only after checking course-access rules. Navigation notice.
Race diary
UTLO Village is at Lungolago Gramsci. Times below are from the supplied notes; check the official 2026 programme before race day. All times are local.
Friday 16 October
- 16:30 · Village opens.
- 17:00–21:00 · Bib pickup for the 58 km and 34 km races.
Saturday 17 October
- 06:45 · 58 km briefing.
- 07:00 · 58 km start.
- 08:00 · 34 km start.
- 14:00–20:00 · Bib pickup for the 21 km and 12 km races.
- 22:00 · Last 58 km finishers.
Sunday 18 October
- 07:45 · 21 km briefing.
- 08:00 · 21 km start.
- 08:45 · 12 km briefing.
- 09:00 · 12 km start.
- 12:00 · Shorter-race prizegiving.
A weekend with modest walking
Friday · settle in and collect the bib
Check in and rest around 15:00–16:30. Walk to the village for bib pickup, then stop at Savoini or Coop on the way home. Have an early pasta dinner and head back. Estimated walking is 3–4.5 km total, including accommodation legs and shopping.
The main guide proposes a 14:43 train arrival, with a later option arriving at 16:18. Adjust rest and shopping if taking the later service; bib pickup is listed until 21:00.
Saturday · race and support
Walk to the 07:00 start and return to recover. In the afternoon, travel by car or taxi to Pella only if road logistics and the actual checkpoint are verified. Do not expect a boat from Omegna. Otherwise relax by the lakefront and watch finishes.
Estimated walking is 2.5–5 km in Omegna, or about 1–3 km at Pella plus local transfers. These estimates exclude the race itself.
Sunday · choose based on recovery
Attend the 08:00 or 09:00 starts, or watch finishes. If energy and transport allow, spend the afternoon in Orta San Giulio for the historic square and island. Skip steep Sacro Monte when tired. Allow 3–5 km walking in Omegna and about 2–4 km additionally in Orta, not counting transfer legs.
Shorter option: remain in Omegna all weekend. Replace the Orta excursion with a 30–45-minute lakefront circuit and target 1.5–3 km on Sunday.
Monday · breakfast, pack and travel
Have a café breakfast, pack and walk to Omegna station if departing by train. Allow around 1–2.5 km depending on route and luggage.
The local notes suggest leaving around noon; the main transport plan proposes a 13:37 train to Novara, onward to Florence, with arrival at Omegna station by 13:15. Confirm checkout and bag storage with the host rather than treating noon as a confirmed train departure.
All walking distances are rough planning estimates, not measured pedestrian routes.
Things worth seeing
Omegna historic centre and Piazza Salera
Allow 30–45 minutes. Lakeside streets, small squares and canal crossings make a low-effort introduction. Look at how the town meets its lake rather than expecting a large monument.
Omegna and Lake Orta details · Map
Lungolago Gramsci and Buozzi
Allow 30–60 minutes. The northern lakefront is also the race setting. Take a slow stroll, find a bench and look across to the mountains. Dusk is a good time for the light.
Orta San Giulio
Allow 60–90 minutes. A medieval lakeside settlement with narrow lanes, Piazza Motta and island views. Look for the old civic buildings and stone details. Plan a road transfer or confirm regional public transport before going.
Isola San Giulio
Allow 45–75 minutes. The compact island has a 12th-century Romanesque basilica, medieval frescoes, a carved pulpit and the quiet Way of Silence around the Benedictine convent. Take a short ferry from Orta Piazza only after verifying October service.
Sacro Monte d'Orta · optional
Allow 60–100 minutes. This UNESCO-listed sacred site was begun in the late 16th century, with 20 chapels illustrating St Francis. Look for the theatrical sculptures and frescoes. Uphill access makes it a poor post-race priority.
Pella village
Allow 45–75 minutes. A quiet western-shore village facing Orta and the island. For race support, go only after confirming the runner's route and permitted assistance points. Pella is not a confirmed 58 km support station in these notes.
Getting around the lake
Do not plan around the summer boat timetable
The published full-lake timetable covers 1 April–3 October and is not valid for this visit. Some Orta–island crossings may still operate through late October; ask the operator directly before travelling. The notes flag restricted navigation at the northern Omegna waterfront during this stay.
Expired full-lake timetable PDF · Boat operator · Navigation notices
Pella on Saturday after lunch
Do not infer that Pella is a confirmed 58 km support station solely because the municipality collaborates in UTLO. Check the official 2026 GPX, aid-station information and spectator guidance. Friends and family may assist only in designated zones. See the race regulations.
The most robust option in the notes is a prearranged car or taxi via roads around the lake, with a flexible pickup. Budget roughly 35–60 minutes each direction depending on routing, traffic and closures. This is an unverified estimate, not a confirmed transfer.
A public bus could require connections and may not suit the afternoon window. No confirmed Saturday departure was found in the supplied notes. Verify transport before leaving Omegna.
Breakfast, pasta and dinner
Walks are rough estimates from the Villa Ada vicinity, not audited street routes. Listed hours come from business directories and may change during race weekend. Call ahead, especially for dinner. Food budgets are estimates per person before drinks.
Breakfast at El Cafetero
Largo Vittorio Cobianchi 6 · 15–20 min · €4–8. Espresso, pastries and house-roasted coffee. Listed Friday and Saturday 06:00–20:00, Sunday 08:00–20:00.
Breakfast at Risumà Cafè
Lungolago Gramsci 1 · 15–20 min · €4–9. Espresso-bar breakfast by the lake. Listed Friday and Saturday 07:30–22:00, Sunday 07:30–19:30.
Dinner at I Cavalieri
Via Alessandro Manzoni 27 · 15–20 min · €15–25. Pizza and Italian comfort food; ask about plain pasta. Listed daily 18:00–23:30. Call +39 0323 63989.
Dinner at Punti di Vista
Lungolago Antonio Gramsci 33 · 17–22 min · €25–40. Italian sit-down restaurant. Pastas are likely, but confirm the menu. Listed Friday 18:30–23:00, Saturday 18:30–23:30 and Sunday 18:30–23:00. Reserve by phone on +39 320 795 9613.
Groceries on Friday
Savoini Lungolago
Lungolago Buozzi 14. A practical stop near the centre and lake for groceries, water and basic race-food ingredients. Listed Friday and Saturday 08:00–20:00, Sunday 09:00–14:00 and 16:00–20:00.
Coop
Piazza Nobili de Toma 4. An alternative full supermarket. Listed Friday and Saturday 08:30–19:30, Sunday 08:30–12:30 and 15:00–19:30.
Water, bananas, bread, rice, pasta and breakfast foods are normal supermarket categories, but the notes verify neither product listings nor live shelf stock at either branch. No particular branded race-fuel item is confirmed. Buy essentials Friday rather than relying on Sunday hours. For specialist fuel shopping before arrival, see the Milan race-fuel notes.
Local knowledge
- Ask for "un primo" or "pasta" for a first course, and "pasta in bianco" for a simple pre-race meal.
- Local specialities around Piedmont include agnolotti, risotto, lake fish and regional cheeses.
- Italian dinner often starts around 19:30. A "coperto", a cover charge, may appear on the bill. Counter coffee is usually quicker and sometimes cheaper than table service.
- Carry a small amount of cash, a light rain layer and a portable power bank.
- Race support is allowed only in designated zones. Confirm the course, assistance points and road access before arranging a trip to Pella.
- Save this page with its stylesheet, or use Print → Save as PDF. Check the saved copy in airplane mode. External links, maps and live transport information need internet.
Stay and onward travel
16–19 October: 31 Via Privata Villa Ada, Omegna. Confirm entry instructions, Friday bag drop and Monday checkout with the host.
- Friday arrival from Milan. Use Omegna station, not Omegna-Crusinallo. The proposed main-guide arrival is 14:43, with a later option at 16:18.
- Monday onward journey to Florence. The proposed main-guide train leaves at 13:37. Dated services and tickets still need confirmation.