Holiday apartment in Ormea – among alleyways, mountains and history

Ormea lies at an elevation of 750 m in the heart of the Ligurian Alps and in the Alta Val Tanaro. The town combines impressive mountain scenery with a historic centre whose distinctive details invite immediate exploration; in Ormea, an alpine setting, local history and paths through the surrounding area come together.

Historic centre: alleyways, “trevi” and “biale”

Ormea’s historic centre is characterised by an intricate labyrinth of alleyways locally known as “trevi”. It is also home to an original system for cleaning the streets and clearing snow: the “biale”, which, together with the alleyways known as “trevi”, forms part of the townscape. Statues and fountains made of local black marble are also scattered throughout Ormea, shaping the appearance of the town.

Church, museums and historic buildings

The Parrocchiale di San Martino in Ormea was built around 1300 and is dedicated to Saint Martin, the town’s patron saint and bishop. The Casa dei Signori di Ormea is a stately residence dating from the 14th century. The ruins of the Castello di Ormea remain above the town among the pine trees; the castle is believed to have originated around the 10th century. In a private house in the historic centre, the Museo Etnografico Alta Val Tanaro reconstructs a form of dwelling typical of the Alta Val Tanaro at the beginning of the 20th century. The Museo degli Alpini displays memorabilia, photographs, documents, eyewitness accounts and other materials relating to the history of the Alpini corps, with a particular focus on the wartime experiences of soldiers from the surrounding area.

Hiking between valley trails and routes

The Balconata di Ormea is approximately 40 km long and runs along the orographically left-hand side of the valley within the municipality of Ormea at an average elevation of 1,200 m. The approximately 40 kilometres and the average elevation of 1,200 metres are important reference points when dividing the route into individual hiking days. During the first three stages, the Alto-Tanaro circular route follows the restored and signposted La Balconata di Ormea trail. The route offers panoramic views and is suitable for hikes and guided school visits, especially in spring and autumn. The area around Ormea has numerous trails for hiking, horse riding and mountain biking. The trails in the surrounding area complement hiking with horse riding and mountain biking, thereby offering different forms of outdoor activity. La Balma del Messere is a large natural cavern sealed off by a massive stone wall.

Torre dei Saraceni: trail and construction

The trail to the Torre dei Saraceni begins in the hamlet of Barchi and is suitable for everyone. The Torre dei Saraceni stands on a rocky outcrop at an elevation of 893 metres and was built from stones bonded with air lime.

More destinations in the region

For further travel planning, also discover Castiglione Falletto, Valdieri, Paroldo, Pocapaglia, Boves, San Lorenzo, Baldissero D'alba and Frassino.

To the higher-level travel overview: Cuneo.