Aosta in five days

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Aosta
in five days

You can see everything from here!

Reach up and touch the sky, take a different approach to exploring the mountains, take pleasure in the spectacular landscape, head up 3,466 metres to the top of Europe with the unique Mont Blanc Skyway: not just a cable car but a journey up to the summit. An all-round experience, thanks to the gondola cabins that rotate 360 degrees, allowing you to enjoy all the magnificence of Europe’s highest mountain.

After three days in the city of Aosta or in the immediate vicinity, an extra couple of days will give you the chance to enjoy other truly unique marvels of the region, such as the ascent of Mont Blanc with the Skyway in the upper valley, or a visit to the Bard Fortress in the lower valley, discovering new, evocative spots.

The Roman Bridge and the Arch of Augustus

Get your camera ready, because for first-time visitors to Aosta, the Roman Bridge and the Arch of Augustus are two places not to be missed. The Buthier River flows under the arch of the Pont de Pierre, the "stone bridge”. Just a few metres away, if you look up, you’ll see the Honorary Arch dedicated to the Emperor Augustus, the monument that is the symbol of the city of Aosta!

Sant'Orso. Unique and unmissable.

You’ll be left open-mouthed by the monumental complex of Sant’Orso, which includes: the medieval bell tower, the cloister (12th century), the Collegiate Church, the Priory buildings, the Treasury Museum and the Ottonian frescoes. This list is sufficient to offer an idea of the beauty of the complex. In the cloister, for example, there is a painting of the Black Madonna and Child. Sant'Orso also gives its name to the thousand-year-old fair of traditional handicrafts, especially wooden ones, which peacefully invades the whole town on 30 and 31 January each year and is repeated in a smaller - but no less delightful - version in August, entitled La foire d'été.

Have you ever seen a lime tree, planted around 1530? You’ll find one here that has been a national monument since 1924. A tip: to enter San Lorenzo, it is advisable to buy a single ticket, valid for one year from the date of issue, which also includes entry to three other sites: the Cryptoporticus, the Regional Archaeological Museum and the Roman Theatre.
You can buy tickets online at www.midaticket.it/?s=aosta

Porta Prætoria gate and the Roman Theatre

The Porta Prætoria gate was once the entrance to Aosta, through which wagons and pedestrians passed and where tolls were collected. Today, the regional tourist office is within the walls of the gate, an important information point for the city. A few metres away is the entrance to the Roman Theatre, one of the best-preserved masterpieces of Roman provincial architecture of the High Empire, capable at the time of seating thousands of spectators. In winter, the magic of the "Marché Vert Noël" Christmas markets comes alive at the Roman Theatre.

Aosta at the table. A festival of flavours!

Throughout the centre and beyond, there are many restaurants offering local cuisine, be it traditional, gourmet or reimagined. Fondue, crèpes, seupa à la vapelenentze, carbonada with polenta are among the menus ready to tantalise the palate, with something for all tastes.

Chanoux Square: something to discovery at every step!

A stroll through the town centre takes you to Aosta's central square, Piazza Émile Chanoux, the most elegant of meeting places for the locals and the setting for various cultural and sporting events throughout the year. Looking onto Piazza Chanoux is the Town Hall, the Hôtel de Ville, a large porticoed Neoclassical building built in 1839, and the Hôtel des États, a building dating from 1724, which once housed the Assembly of the States-General and today hosts temporary exhibitions.

The Cathedral and the Cryptoporticus. History is always fascinating!

You can call it Piazza Giovanni XXIII, or Piazza della Cattedrale, as the locals do. In any case, you can certainly make a one-day visit more complete by stepping into the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, which dates to the fourth century and stands where the sacred area of the Roman Forum once was, bordered by the Cryptoporticus. This is a place poised between the sacred and the profane, an underground Roman monument that is well preserved and made particularly evocative thanks also to the interplay of the light that enhances its silhouette.

Via Croce di città: the nightlife of Aosta!

Via Croce di Città - Croix-de-Ville is pulsating with life, and from 6 p.m. onwards, it really comes alive with voices, sounds and colours. Here you will find the cross erected in 1541 in memory of the expulsion of the Calvinists from the Aosta Valley, and if you’re lucky enough to find yourself here on 21 December, the day of the winter solstice, you can watch the sunrise create a uniquely thrilling light effect at 11 a.m. Recent historical research has shown that the date of the solstice is also the date of the city’s foundation. And what about Via De Tillier and Edoard Aubert? An excellent choice! These are streets not to be missed, which are all part of a very lively old town, just waiting to be enjoyed in good company.

Regional Archaeological Museum: a treasure-chest of civilisation

Featuring findings dating from ancient Egypt to the Etruscan civilisation, as well as Roman times, and a paradise for numismatics enthusiasts: a visit to the MAR - Regional Archaeological Museum - is a must for visitors to Aosta. The museum is divided into a thematic and chronological route. On display in the former are some North African tiles and oil lamps from the regional collections. Further along the way are exhibits from the long period dedicated to Romanisation. This is followed by two rooms devoted to funerary rituals. The Christian-Mediaeval period is represented in the small room that brings the exhibition route to an end. Preserved in the basement of the Regional Archaeological Museum are the remains of the south-west corner of the eastern tower of the Porta Principalis Sinistra, one of the four city gates of Augusta Prætoria. The Museum also houses the prestigious 'Pautasso' numismatic collection of coins from the Greek era to the Savoy period. Not to be missed are the Celtic, Gallic and Po Valley coins. The "Carugo Collection" room houses finds from Etruscan civilisation, ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. https://www.lovevda.it/it/banca-dati/8/musei/aosta/museo-archeologico-regionale/723

Megalithic Area: a plunge into the mists of time

Six thousand years of history waiting to be discovered: another attraction of Aosta. In 1969, on the western outskirts of the city, what is now the Megalithic Area was discovered by chance. This huge archaeological area covers 6,000 years of history, from Neolithic ritual ploughing to Copper Age anthropomorphic stelae and Iron Age burials. A large structure now covers almost 10,000 square metres of excavations, with no visual interruptions. The area, about one hectare wide and 4 to 6 metres deep, is the largest covered archaeological site in Europe. The site is organised in such a way as to offer an authentic journey through time to discover our most ancient past https://www.lovevda.it/it/banca-dati/8/archeologia/aosta/area-megalitica-di-aosta-museo-e-parco-archeologico/751

Back to the centre

Still have some time left? Back in the city centre, there is still something very interesting and unusual to discover.

San Grato Chapel and Severino Caveri Square

San Grato Chapel. Discovering the artists of the Aosta Valley. In the Middle Ages, it was an important city thoroughfare for transit and commercial activities, but today the central Via De Tillier - as well as being a favourite place for a stroll and some shopping - is also home to the chapel of San Grato. Probably built in the 15th century, it is now deconsecrated. Aosta Town Council granted it to the Association of Aosta Valley Artists, who renamed it 'Galleria San Grato'. The Association undertakes to keep it open to the public 365 days a year, holding weekly non-stop personal and collective exhibitions.

www.associazioneartistivaldostani.it
www.lovevda.it

Severino Caveri Square: where the sacred meets the profane.
Take a seat on a bench or outside one of the cafés for an aperitif and observe how the hand of man has today reproduced what time has given us, and muster up a little imagination: this square – named Severino Caveri after one of the fathers of Autonomy for the Aosta Valley - is a portion of what was once the grand Roman Forum. The upper part defined the sacred area, while the lower part opened out onto the area dedicated to public functions where shops, tabernæ and administrative offices once looked onto the square (platea).

www.regione.vda.it

Afternoon cycling: history and nature on two wheels.

With its picturesque spots, the centre of Aosta is ideal for cycling. But for lovers of sport on two wheels, it is just beyond the city limits that the best emotions are waiting to be enjoyed.
With appealing, flat routes suitable for the whole family, itineraries nestling amid nature, adrenaline-filled mountain bike descents and climbs ready to put even the best-trained legs to the test, bringing your bike with you or renting it once you arrive in Aosta is a great way to combine relaxation with a little fun and exercise in the open air, in close contact with nature.

(https://www.lovevda.it/it/banca-dati/7/ciclismo/gressan/ciclotour-pista-ciclo-pedonale-sarre-fenis/2849)
(https://www.lovevda.it/it/banca-dati/2/visite-turistiche-e-culturali/aosta/graziella-city-tour-overview-of-aosta/85598)

No bike with you? No problem!
www.ciclilucchini.it
labicicletteriadidelfo.webnode.it
www.heroebike.it
www.centroautoaosta.com
www.switshop.com

Mont Blanc Skyway: at the foot of the Roof of Europe

The Mont Blanc Skyway in Courmayeur is not just a cable car that reaches up to 3,466 metres: it’s a whole concept. It’s the idea of bringing man closer to the mountains and the sky, broadening horizons and overcoming boundaries. Views to explore and a chance to touch the sky, discovering the world from a higher, 360-degree perspective.
Evocative views and fascinating legends combine to offer unforgettable experiences that only the eternal allure of Mont Blanc, the 4810-metre Roof of Europe, can offer.

www.montebianco.com

Pré-Saint-Didier Thermal Spa. For a total remise en forme

Forget the stress of everyday life and recharge your batteries in a place where time seems to stand still. Step right into the soft warmth of the waters, let yourself be lulled by gentle whirlpools to preserve your health and get right back in shape. At the Pré-Saint-Didier thermal spa, the hot waters flow from the heart of the mountain just as they did 1,000 years ago. All you have to do is let yourself be pampered and enjoy some me-time. www.qcterme.com/it/pre-saint-didier

Courmayeur: The Pearl of the Alps

There’s a place where your imagination can spread its wings; where entertainment reigns supreme, where you can relax to the max. A place where flavours exceed your expectations, and your curiosity is rewarded with the most fascinating of discoveries. This is Courmayeur, a jewel guarded by the highest mountain in the Alps: Mont Blanc. The Mont Blanc chain in front like a painting, flanked by two valleys, Val Ferret and Val Vény, so different and so fascinating. Bars, restaurants, an alpine museum that preserves the memory of the mountaineering exploits of Italy's oldest guide association, and a central pedestrian shopping street that has no equal in the Alps. Courmayeur really is an extraordinary place. www.courmayeurmontblanc.it

From the upper to the lower valley. All in less than 100 kilometres

You can travel the length and breadth of the region in less than 100 kilometres. The wonders of Italy's smallest region are all within easy reach, and worth discovering one by one. The central axis, which runs between the region's two main gateways - the entrance at Pont-Saint-Martin and the exit towards France at Courmayeur - is dotted with castles, fortresses and ancient villages, while the side valleys preserve the memory of traditions and respect and conserve biodiversity.

Arnad: more than just lardo

Say Arnad and you immediately think of lardo. Its fame undoubtedly precedes the PDO-label cured meat, but there’s more to the village than its renowned Lard d'Arnad. Three castles, the bridge at Echallod, the sanctuary of Machaby and the parish church of San Martino are well worth a visit in this village, which retains the charm of yesteryear. Arnad is rich in tradition, and on the third weekend in August its hosts a festival dedicated to its delicious cured meat, attracting tens of thousands of enthusiasts.

The Fort and the village of Bard. Napoleon's cannonades

In 1800, Napoleon's reserve army conquered it with cannon fire, at the end of a historic battle that is re-enacted every year. The young Stendhal, who was a member of Napoleon's Armée, remembers the Bard Fort as his baptism of fire. A very young Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour even stayed there before deciding to abandon a military career for the political arena. Today the imposing Bard Fort is an internationally renowned museum and exhibition venue, dominating both the village and the entrance to the central valley, just as it did in the past. Bard is an authentic concentrate of history. A typical through village that grew up along the Roman road, its medieval urban layout remains virtually intact to this day. Bard is considered one of the 20 most beautiful villages in Italy, according to the skyscanner.com portal, and it is no coincidence that it has been part of the “most beautiful villages in Italy” circuit since 2012. www.fortedibard.it/il-borgo-di-bard