Piedmont With Kids: Chestnut Forests, Mountain Trails and a 1,000-Year-Old Village
Most people planning Piedmont with kids think of Turin or the wine hills of the Langhe. We fell in love with somewhere quieter: Ormea, a 1,000-year-old village in the Val Tanaro, in the Province of Cuneo, with a river running below the old town and mountains all around.
We first came in May 2026, then brought our first group of families in October for Roots & Future, our worldschooling family residency. This guide covers what Piedmont looks like with kids from there: what to do, where to stay, how to get there and when to go.
Roots & Future, our worldschooling family residency in Ormea, runs again May 8 to 17, 2027. Get the details by email, see the residency, or follow along on @bravefamilyroots.
Why this corner of Piedmont works for families
- It is small and walkable. Kids can run down the old town street, and you can be on a trail ten minutes after leaving the café.
- It is real. Ormea is not a tourist town. People still know every family on every street.
- It is close to the sea. The Ligurian coast is near enough for a day trip.
- It is quiet outside summer. Spring and autumn are calm, green or golden, and good for walking.
Getting to Ormea
Turin airport is about an hour and a half away. Ormea sits in the upper Val Tanaro, between the Piedmont mountains and the Ligurian Riviera, so it pairs easily with a trip to the coast.
Things to do in Piedmont with kids, from Ormea
Walk the river trails
Many trails start about ten minutes from the café. Plenty are flat and easy for small legs along the river, and harder routes are there if you want them. Hiking for every level, straight out of the village.
Visit the Scuola Forestale
The path to the forestry school passes a playground, and in autumn you can pick pears, apples and pine cones along the way. On our residency the Scuola Forestale hosted our welcome dinner, and later a warming bowl of soup on a rainy day.
Hike to the castle
The walk up to the castle above the village is a family favourite, with views over the old town and the valley.
Harvest and roast chestnuts
In autumn the forests are full of chestnuts. We harvested them with Anna from Azienda Agricola Castagnino and roasted them over a fire by the river. It was one of our best afternoons in Italy.
Make fresh pasta
Our kids’ favourite day was a pasta class with Martina and Anna. Read about it here.
Go back in time at the museum
The town museum shows four floors of how families lived here, and the nonni are the best guides you could ask for.
Ride into the mountains
Parents can take e-bikes high above the village with Orme a Cascine. The views are worth every turn of the pedals.
Take a botanical walk
A gentle walk through the green spaces near the village, with old stone arches and plenty for curious kids to spot.
Watch the local football team
Half the town turns out for a match night. Kids love it.
Taste the region
We tasted wine with Azienda Lorenzo Ramò, a family winery with a woman winemaker, and enjoyed an aperitivo with Olio ROI, a fifth-generation olive oil mill from nearby Badalucco, whose family makes a gin from Taggiasca olives.
Day trips from Ormea with kids
- Garessio market. A lively market morning a short drive down the valley.
- The Ligurian coast. We spent a day in Imperia with a seafood lunch by the sea.
- Badalucco and the Valle Argentina. Home of Olio ROI and close to Triora, the village known for its witch trials.
More ideas in our day trips from Ormea guide.
Where to stay in Ormea: Majla’s homes
Majla, who coordinates the residency on the ground, restores houses in the village and opens them to visitors. You can follow her homes at @accidental_homes and her local experiences at @accidentaltourist_. These are her homes in Ormea:
- Casa Piccina, a cosy mountain village retreat that sleeps 4 plus 1. One of our October families stayed here and loved it.
- The little house, a romantic nest with a mountain-view terrace that sleeps 2 plus 1.
- The family getaway, two apartments together with a scenic mountain-view terrace, sleeping 6 plus 2. Ideal for a bigger family or two families travelling together.
Heading to Tuscany too? Majla also has apartments in a small castle in the Chianti hills near Florence, with a tower dating to 1146: the Tower apartment, the Penthouse, or the two together as the Tower Penthouse, a great family or group stay. You can climb one of the towers and have your aperitivo on top of a castle with the whole Chianti region around you. Read about it in our castle stay near Florence.
When to visit Piedmont with kids
Spring (April to June): green valleys, long light and good walking weather. Autumn (September to November): chestnuts, golden forests and cool air, with the odd rainy day. Summer: the busiest time, with more visitors in the villages. We run Roots & Future in spring and autumn on purpose.
Piedmont with kids: quick answers
Is Piedmont good for toddlers?
Yes. We had two-year-olds with us in October. Flat river paths, playgrounds and a slow pace make it easy.
Do you need a car?
A car makes day trips easier. On Roots & Future, everything during the residency is arranged in the village.
How many days do you need?
We think ten days in one village is the sweet spot: long enough to make friends and feel at home.
Watch it for yourself: our October residency recap reel and the pasta class reel. Follow @bravefamilyroots for the full story, day by day.
Roots & Future runs again May 8 to 17, 2027
A ten-day worldschooling family residency in Ormea, a 1,000-year-old village in Piedmont. You live in the village, your kids learn alongside the children who live there, and the money you spend stays with the people who host you.
Get the full details by email · See the residency and book your spot
See every day of it on Instagram: @bravefamilyroots for the residency and @bravefamilytravel for our family travels.