Perched at 816 meters in the Graian Alps, where the scent of resin and smokey wood fills the air, Ingria is a village that defies time. Among the centuries-old beech woodlands and stone houses with slanted roofs, the essence of mountain life is still palpable. For those seeking a journey back to the roots, away from the usual tourist itineraries, this small village in Val Soana is a hidden gem that speaks of ancient traditions, lost legends, and a stubborn population that proudly defends its past. Walking down Via Maestra, the main street strewn with pebbles smoothed by time, you will see evidence of preserved rustic buildings. The Walser houses, with their wooden balconies inherited from the Alemannic migration of the Middle Ages, seem something out of an Alpine fairy tale. In Via Roma, the carpenter Elio's studio still preserves his ancestors' tools: here, sacred sculptures and furniture are carved from Swiss pine, following techniques that have vanished elsewhere. Giovanna’s Carded Wool Shop keeps alive the art of hand-carding wool, just as the women of the village did a century ago. And if hunger calls, simply enter the Trattoria della Rosa to sample the supa batarà, a soup of black bread and fontina cheese that smells like a wood stove, or the bunet, chocolate, and amaretti puddings that are reminiscent of grandmothers' sweets. Ingria is a land of mystery. Along the Sarvanot Path, an ancient paved trail leading to higher hamlets, it is said that on full moon nights the “masche” appear—benevolent witches who taught the village women the secrets of healing herbs. Even now, some old ladies collect "fior di stecco" (mountain arnica) according to their teachings. Higher up, approaching Mount Marzo, the hunters believe they saw the "Griffin of Ingria", a half-eagle, half-lion creature who would guard the Saracens' hidden treasure. And in the hamlet of Tetti Ingria, the Chapel of San Grato preserves a 1500s fresco in which, according to the inhabitants, whomever can count all the painted sheep will be lucky for a year. Living here means adapting to the rhythm of nature. In December, the Transhumance Festival brings back the sound of cowbells to the village, as the herds return from the high pastures. In August, however, the Veja d'la Toma celebrates the traditional cheese with tastings in the town hall square, where the elderly continue to play "russetta", a local form of the morra. For those seeking their roots or hoping to discover a resilient rural Italy, Ingria is more than just a destination: it is an encounter. Here, between a chat with Piero—the last guardian of the still-working hydraulic sawmill at Gula—and a walk along the smugglers' trails, one realizes that true wealth lies in memory that never fades.. And in these valleys, where every stone tells a story, the roots are still very much alive.