Easily accessible from Lugano via the Milan-Novara-Ivrea highway in about a three-hour drive, Aosta is the capital of the Aosta Valley. Known as the "Rome of the Alps" for its rich classical history, it offers a fascinating combination of archaeological remains and medieval monuments.
Our journey begins at Aymavilles Castle , at the entrance to the Cogne Valley, perched on a well-exposed promontory, with a distinctive shape that combines the soft lines of its four towers with the linear white facades. Its current appearance is the result of eighteenth-century renovations commissioned by its owner, Joseph-Félix de Challant , who decided to blend the Middle Ages and Baroque styles into a single, eclectic structure. Today, the castle's interior tells two stories of nineteenth-century collecting : that of Vittorio Cacherano Osasco della Rocca, the last descendant of the noble Challant family, and that of the Accademia di Sant'Anselmo, founded almost contemporaneously.
Passing through Aymavilles, we recommend a stop at the Vinosteria Antirouille , a restaurant located in the heart of the town, in a recently built structure and which offers typical food and wine specialties of the Aosta Valley.
We then move on to the extraordinary Roman aqueduct bridge of Pont-d'Ael , a grandiose hydraulic work built by a wealthy and enterprising Paduan over 2000 years ago. A masterpiece of Roman engineering, it is divided into two levels: an open upper level, now accessible on foot, but which originally served as a water channel, and a lower, covered level, used for the transit of humans and animals.
Next, an in-depth tour of the city, made up of archaeological remains, narrow streets, and ancient churches: founded by the Romans in 25 BC with the name Augusta Praetoria Salassorum, Aosta preserves important vestiges of the era, such as the Roman Theatre (currently being restored), the Porta Pretoria, the Arch of Augustus, and the Cryptoporticus forensis.
The city also boasts medieval remains, including the Collegiate Church of Sant'Orso with its famous Romanesque cloister, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
Aosta enjoys a strategic location in the heart of the Aosta Valley, surrounded by imposing mountains and at the crossroads of important transport routes. It is an ideal starting point for exploring the region, both for history and culture lovers and for those interested in summer and winter sports, as well as mountain hiking.
For a gourmet dinner in the city center, in an atmosphere suspended between the ancient and the contemporary, Chef Marco Stefenelli of the Stefanelli Desk restaurant offers cuisine that blends diverse tastes and cultures. It's no coincidence that Stefanelli lived in Bonn and then on Lake Constance, passing through Ireland. His dishes are rich in flavor and tradition, without ever overdoing the combinations of different ingredients. For those seeking a recommendation, I wouldn't miss the Foie gras escalope with seared scallops, mango puree, sautéed spring onion, and black truffle, or the Dill and citrus-marinated salmon with pineapple carpaccio, tamarillo, and lime and basil sorbet.
For those wishing to discover the charm of the surrounding villages, the Relais De La Grandze is a simple mountain hotel in Doues, in the Valpelline area north of Aosta. The rooms are furnished in a rustic style with stone and wood finishes and offer welcoming spaces.
The next day, an e-bike ride awaits us in Valpelline with a talented young instructor from Biking Alps, a company specializing in guided tours, including a stop at the Champillon refuge . Opened in June 2005, it's a fascinating destination for astronomy enthusiasts and stargazers, and its owners organize evenings of Milky Way observation with the aid of powerful telescopes. Nestled in the natural beauty of the Aosta Valley, the refuge also offers overnight accommodations.
Don't miss a visit to the Fontina Museum (Visitor Center), which illustrates the history and production of this PDO cheese. The tour also includes the Fontina maturing rooms carved into the rock, one of which was built inside the old copper mine, where the Fontina PDO is aged for 80 days and develops its sweet, inimitable flavor.
The day concludes at Maison Rosset in Nus , owned by the Rosset family, a noble lineage dating back to the early 18th century. The former manor house and farm have been converted into a farmhouse. The overall setting is charming, reminiscent of Provençal villages. There's also a small spa and a restaurant, which on nice evenings opens outside within the farmhouse walls. The atmosphere is very convivial, and most of the produce comes from the farm, located just a few minutes' walk away.
The next day, Fénis Castle awaits us , one of the most famous in the Aosta Valley. It is a complex of towers and crenellated structures in the Gothic style. Unlike other castles, built for military and protective purposes, it is not located atop a promontory. It was, in fact, a stately residence, the seat of representation for the leading members of the Challant family, who endowed it with imposing defensive apparatus, as well as elegant pictorial decorations, symbols of power and prestige. In 1716, it was sold to Count Baldassarre Castellar of Saluzzo Paesana, and the events that marked the history of this family led the manor to a slow decline, a prelude to abandonment, which saw it transformed into a rural residence: the ground-floor rooms were used as stables, while the first floor was used as a hayloft.
The monument's restoration is due to Alfredo d'Andrade, who purchased Fénis Castle in 1895 and, after restoring the most ruined parts, donated it to the State. Today, the building is owned by the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley.
Finally, a visit to the winery, La Crotta di Vegneron in Chambave, is a must. Founded as a cooperative in 1980 with about 25 members, it now boasts over 50 and has grown to produce 200.000 bottles. The company's Valle d'Aosta DOC wines are grown in a mountainous environment with steep slopes and highly fragmented vineyards, predominantly south-facing. La Crotta di Vegneron's philosophy is strongly focused on promoting native grape varieties such as Petit Rouge, Fumin, and Vien de Nus, as well as traditional varieties such as Muscat de Chambave and Nus Malvoisie. The company also produces more internationally renowned grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Müller Thurgau, which are perfectly adapted to the soil and climate.
Returning towards Lugano, on the road you come across the Bard Fortress , which represents one of the best examples of an early nineteenth-century barrier fortress and is part of the network of castles in the Aosta Valley, but for an in-depth visit we will reserve another trip.
