Top 5 Aosta Car Tours: Discovering Italy’s Hidden Gem
Aosta Valley, very much a land that is so often missed by tourists rushing between Italy and France, it’s almost a well-kept secret. Nestled high up in the Italian Alps, this little area is brimming with castles, vineyards, and breathtaking vistas. There is a great way to see it all, by driving. So pack your bags, prepare the music, and let’s see some great road trips through the Aosta Valley. Are you ready?
1. The Grand Combin Loop: Aosta and its Glorious Peaks
To kick off our exploration, this drive gives you amazing close-ups of the Grand Combin, it’s almost one of the highest peaks in the area. Very often beginning in Aosta, you know, you’ll snake through small villages and you get some views that just won’t quit. Consider it an introduction to the kinds of awesome that this area can really bring. You know, I’m always reminded of driving through Switzerland whenever I make my way here!
Start your drive in Aosta. First off, the Roman ruins you can see right in town are quite worth the photo stop. You may like to take a stroll by the old Roman Theatre and Augustus Arch. From there, very slowly get yourself heading toward the SR28. This way is so interesting because the views of Grand Combin start to pop as you get higher, still driving.
As you head through Valpelline, maybe stop for a bite. The town is so famous for its hearty soup called “Seuppa Valpellinentze.” Really, that’s going to warm you right up if you happen to be visiting during any of the colder months. You see the road taking you even closer to the mountains after a filling meal. Keep driving until you find your way back to Aosta. This loop will likely take you most of a day, but it’s full of stops and picture opportunities that really make it a perfect start for touring in Aosta.
Read our full review: Grand Combin Loop Full Review and Details
What to See:
- Aosta Roman Ruins: Discover bits and pieces of the ancient Roman era right in the heart of Aosta.
- Valpelline: Delight in the regional cuisine and views of mountain settings in a nice, charming little village.
- Scenic Views of Grand Combin: During your travels, have your camera prepared and grab pictures of the Grand Combin’s high and striking mountain peak.
2. Fort Bard and the Wine Route: History with Local Flavors
Are you a history lover or do you appreciate good wine? This one is almost perfect for people interested in doing both. This drive usually starts from the city of Aosta going towards the Fort Bard, a stronghold that shows so much history and culture and some stunning views of the valley. In any event, after soaking up some historic wonderment, follow along the wine roads and you can taste all of Aosta’s very own varietals.
Your trip can begin at Aosta on Highway 26 towards Bard. As a matter of fact, that drive will take you past some charming settlements as you are moving into the lower valley. A few hours spent investigating Fort Bard will be really memorable. This fort, you know, it’s got a remarkable museum, rotating art displays, and amazing vistas overlooking the Dora Baltea River. If that isn’t enough to strike your fancy, you might consider doing a tour so you don’t miss any one of the amazing bits!
Leave Fort Bard, now heading along the Strada dei Vini or “Wine Route.” Is that just calling your name or what? Is that I’m saying is so good! All those vineyards all around the Donnas area create a good atmosphere. Really do drop into a local cantina so you can taste some prized regional wines like Enfer d’Arvier and Donnas. The local vintners basically have stories on tap too, so be certain you are making the wine tour complete with that information. From Donnas it will be easier just driving yourself back towards Aosta with happy memories, good meals, and great wine to tell friends about back at home.
Read our full review: Fort Bard and the Wine Route Full Review and Details
What to See:
- Fort Bard: Be fully consumed by Fort Bard, you can check out the history in a renovated fortress together with scenic valley vistas.
- Strada dei Vini: Stop by local cantinas for a few wine tastings down the local vineyards located near Donnas to test area produced wines!
3. Exploring Gran Paradiso National Park: Nature at its Finest
Here’s one, this is for all nature enthusiasts; very few can pass it up! A drive around Gran Paradiso will show you a pristine side of the Italian Alps. Very beautiful views, a great array of wildlife plus calm mountain valleys are to be found while you travel. So many photograph possibilities and an escape to the amazing park areas! Who wants to miss that, are you kidding?
To have a great experience from Gran Paradiso, you might think starting off at Pont Canavese and heading towards Ceresole Reale might work well, then. As you creep along the roads you’ll feel all the mountain landscapes starting. So gorgeous, really! There are a lot of tiny villages along your way like Noasca and Cogne. In these places, are there really so many things, maybe learn about area traditions plus perhaps some food!
You might also take several small walks as you’re exploring inside Gran Paradiso; some well known routes happen to be ones around Lake Ceresole as well as paths leading into Valnontey near Cogne. So pay really good attention; you never ever understand—possibly seeing wildlife such as ibexes or even eagles might occur too, sometimes!. You’ll be back in Pont Canavese by late afternoon, anyway you go– feeling really near mountain tops and new-found understanding regarding environment preservation in Italy.
Read our full review: Gran Paradiso National Park Full Review and Details
What to See:
- Lake Ceresole: You are free to appreciate the beauty of nature as you take peaceful strolls across this perfect alpine lake setting.
- Valnontey (near Cogne): Check out trails across valleys with amazing viewpoints ideal when planning scenic day walks around nature-rich setting,
- Gran Paradiso Wildlife: While in any area–keep eyes ready always due probable chances witnessing iconic animals such ibex roaming widely with eagles high atop!
4. The Scenic Route to Courmayeur: Mont Blanc Views
I almost can’t think about visiting Aosta, I almost never do, without finding a way towards Courmayeur that is in the shadow that comes out of Mont Blanc (or Monte Bianco that’s just the Italian, very). You travel through a bunch of stunning valleys along the roads towards Aosta so get views that really blow you away throughout the alpine beauty on exhibit up here. Usually this drive brings memories on from my time driving around California’s scenic highways near Big Sur that’s so far. Seriously.
Let your tour begin traveling on SS26 off from Aosta and onward Courmayeur that is placed next near France frontier areas and into western borders from the Aosta area; You can not skip La Salle plus Morgex both, places containing nice little communities. And they are excellent too should your goal remains consuming fast delicious dishes on travels rather than simply moving between two important places! Just pull somewhere good up along there and take time experiencing authentic cuisines!
Get on reaching finally just outside of Courmayeur itself where viewpoints unveil towards Monte Bianco. Consider obtaining in at Skyway Monte Bianco: One fantastic rotating cable automotive setup will give fantastic vantage spots spanning mountains all’ around at unbelievable height settings. Walking right down throughout at Courmayeur city center grants options so you visit elegant shops yet also delightful cafes perfectly blended amongst Alpine style areas with contemporary facilities which give this alpine hub especially alluring character through entire holidays. Is there much to do up there? That almost would be so awesome. I guess you really have to discover it yourself.
Read our full review: Courmayeur: Mont Blanc Views Full Review and Details
What to See:
- La Salle & Morgex: It’s fun looking through small communities with great meals along side you while vacationing through these tiny pit stops .
- Skyway Monte Bianco: Acquire outstanding experiences throughout a twist which bring extraordinary landscapes over mountains with altitude settings, awesome all the way while lifted upwards!!
- Courmayeur City Center: Try something fresh that entails elegant shopping joined alongside sweet cafès creating exceptional atmosphere blended amongst today’s ease yet still providing historic appearance for holidays!
5. The Great Saint Bernard Pass: History and Scenery at High Altitude
Think of this; traveling up a historically substantial path used even back in days from old Roman timelines up onto great altitudes that almost feel thrilling whenever climbing more higher over up through towards it. Traveling at the Saint Bernard allows really astounding environments offering one distinct trip across any visit found nearby through at Italian Alps spots too though so just ready now? You might enjoy this; actually you could discover much.
Initiate at Aosta still; move now across towards Saint-Rhemy-en-Bosses with SS27 — all that stretches leading you closer right upward towards boundary at Suisse border point around passes along routes up next! You shouldn’t forget making brief stop into communities which is close off via your roads in route to ensure really savor regional delights with local experiences right from near surroundings areas all ’round along side path too; I often make sure it’s included with schedule almost every vacations here with relatives visiting near from the UK who simply loved Italy all along now always still already now really really greatly also already.
Keep moving towards Great Saint Bernard go onwards though when nearing up just over peak locations find even historical places like hospices designed there through the 11th century. This structure that is old it just has something that shows what vacationers do to protect everybody touring all through such parts since centuries! There happens short duration walking tours across around here as a option, offering prospects exploring neighborhood with unique outlook vantage then possibly too shooting awesome panoramas found from one amongst high vantage spot ever around here so too perhaps never forgot from ever at any visit made closely round towards area near Italia . You almost should pack the right gears to climb way higher on these trails at all!
Read our full review: The Great Saint Bernard Pass Full Review and Details
What to See:
- Saint-Rhemy-en-Bosses: Have delicious Italian and enjoy community friendliness right along tiny village locations just situated up near Aosta locality which is often well rated with locals ever now already actually today.
- Great Saint Bernard Hospice: Explore structures since over eleventh century to experience legacy used at preserving travelers’ journey onto at dangerous surroundings even so close always still around even right until right already so even far close really here truly really quite still mostly much truly actually possibly actually so here today!!
- Scenic Panoramas: Experience and acquire views and then even landscapes as never quite felt from on mountain vantage giving absolutely new amazing experiences taken and still greatly always. I have felt such bliss. Very bliss that ever last!!
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