The small Val Strona, little known despite its superb landscapes, stretches from Omegna to Lake Orta in a northwesterly direction. Roughly in the center of the Strona Valley, the municipality of Valstrona is known for its carpentry workshops: wind instruments, dishes, combs, and even the famous wooden Pinocchios are made here in accordance with local craft traditions. Sambughetto is a village with architectural features typical of the region: its stone houses and narrow streets seem to cling to the steep slope of the valley. The Strona Valley is known for its many caves, including the famous Witches’ Cave (Caverna delle Streghe) and the Grotta dell’Intaglio, where paleontological remains have been found, which will soon be brought together in a natural science museum in the old school in Sambughetto. Above Luzzogno, at Balma dal Diaù, you can visit a 100-meter-long tunnel at the end of which there is a cave with a waterfall. The small village of Campello Monti, immersed in the tranquility of the Strona Valley, is located at an altitude of 1,300 meters and has retained its old-world charm, with its soft-colored houses and slate roofs. The beautiful 18th-century church of San Giovanni Battista is well worth a visit. Surrounded by the green slopes of the valley and dominated by mountain peaks, Campello Monti is an ideal starting point for numerous excursions, including trips to the alpine lakes of Capezzone and Ravinella.   Ph: Lazzarini