Aosta is a corner of old Rome amidst the Alps. The old colony Augusta Praetoria gave the town the orthogonal streets framework and the town walls, preserved almost in their entirety. Aosta hosts also important remains of the Middle Age, churches and masonries of the feudal lords who for centuries contended the domain of the valley. Here the mountain is easily reachable: a cable railway takes you in 20 minutes from the city centre to the facilities of Pila, where you can have fun with winter sports, both in summer and winter. Other enchanting sport and tourist destinations are Courmayeur, Champoluc, Valtournenche, Gressoney, Cogne.
The region Aosta Valley is particularly engaged in preserving the huge natural heritage. In the Gran Paradiso National Park it is possible to have a walk through woods and alpine pastures, meeting the typical end extended mountainous vegetation, with many rare flowers and a rich alpine fauna.
The gastronomy of this region is simple only in the ingredients, because they need a careful preparation deriving from centuries of tradition, from the many cheese sorts (e.g. fontina, fromadzo) to meat dishes such as the delicious lardo of Arnad and the Jambon des Bosses. These flavors must be accompanied by sweet flavors: little tasty chestnuts, apples, nuts and honey from the nectars of rhododendron or chestnut tree. Typical wines are the Enfer, intense and full-bodied, the Torrette, dry and velvet-like, the Muscat, dry and scented.
The valdostan handicraft products have an important showcase in the Fiera di Sant’Orso, a two days winter event taking place since over 1000 ago. The local handicraft stands out in wood carving and sculpting, working of wicker, lace, wrought iron and leather.
20%
.jpg){kind=logo}