Ormea, a municipality in Piedmont, is surrounded by imposing peaks rising in the splendid rocky backdrop behind the city. It is situated on a wide plain extending along the banks of the Tanaro River. Pizzo di Ormea (2,476 m) and Monte Antoroto (2,144 m) are among the prominent peaks of the Ligurian Alps, offering breathtaking views to those who arrive in the city.

It’s a very extensive municipality, rich in villages where intense pastoral activity and cultivation of buckwheat, potatoes, and chestnuts have been practiced for centuries. Numerous are the hamlets of the municipality including Chionea, Chioraira, Eca, Aimoni, Quarzina, and many others connected by a route of about 40 km, the Balcony of Ormea, with stages of immense natural and historical value. Discover the path.

Each hamlet tells a different story, as some are very distant from each other. Viozene, the westernmost, is dominated by the massif of Monte Mongioie and is part of the so-called Terra Brigasca, where Brigasco is spoken, a particular dialect transitioning between Ligurian and Occitan.

Of particular interest are the numerous hiking, mountaineering, and speleological activities on the massif of Monte Mongioie, the “little Dolomite” of the Ligurian Alps, and the Passo delle Fascette, a canyon surrounded by rocks and cliffs characterized by the presence of many karst cavities. The typical houses of this town make it spectacular, adorned with flowers and wooden doors carved, a true gem worthy of a visit.

The cuisine of Ormea is in some ways the link between that of the lower Piedmont and that of the neighboring Liguria, and among the most original dishes, certainly stand out the “tultei,” special ravioli filled with “Cin,” a filling of sautéed potatoes and leeks, flavored with aromatic herbs and toasted on a wood stove. Ormea is also a city rich in history that dates back to the remote era of Saracen invasions.