Lake Orta, or Cusio, is located to the west of Lake Maggiore: it is the westernmost of the pre-alpine lakes in northern Italy, located entirely in Piedmont. The eastern side features the gentle slopes of the hills which separate it from Lake Maggiore and culminating at 1491 metres on Mount Mottarone. The western shores, on the other hand, are more rugged and steep: the hills give way here to the mountains of Valstrona and nearby Valsesia.