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Table of Contents:
How to get to Aosta from Turin
How to get to Aosta from Milan
When to travel to Aosta
Aosta is a picturesque town in the Aosta Valley and the “gateway” to the local ski resorts. In Aosta you can see many archaeological monuments from the times of Ancient Rome, including arches, gates, fragments of fortress walls, etc. Also, many churches and cathedrals from the Middle Ages have been preserved here. With so many attractions, it’s no surprise that Aosta is a desirable tourist destination. Add to this the neighborhood of such famous ski resorts as Courmayeur, Cervinia and Monte Rosa and you will understand why Aosta is so popular among travelers.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Aosta. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Aosta.
Aosta is highly-visited in winter, when the nearby ski resorts are open. At this time, Aosta becomes a busy and bustling transit point and the “gateway” to the ski slopes. However, you can visit the town at any time of the year, especially if you are interested in architecture, because Aosta is literally filled with architectural and archaeological attractions. According to my research, the climate here is mild and the nature is picturesque, so a trip to Aosta will be pleasant both during the spring flowering period, and during the summer riot of colors, as well as in the fall, when nature is painted in all shades of yellow.
How to get to Aosta
Where do you fly into to get to Aosta? The closest major cities with airports are Turin and Milan. Milan takes more flights from all over the world, but Turin airport is located much closer, so it should not be discounted either. You can check the flight timetable to these cities via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. I often use this service as it helps me to compare different flight options and to choose the optimal one. You can get from Milan or Turin to Aosta by public transport, or by car, which can be rented at the airport, or at rental offices in the city areas of Milan or Turin.
How to get to Aosta from Turin
The distance between Turin and Aosta is 115 km. You can use a train, bus or car to get to the administrative center of Valle d’Aosta region.
By public transport: Aosta has its own train station, so you can use trains to get here from Turin. Direct trains run between Turin and Aosta every 1-2 hours throughout the day. You can check the current timetable at the Raileurope booking service. The travel time is almost 2 hours. Trains depart from Porta Nuova Station in Turin. In my point of view, Raileurope has a very convenient search with a lot of useful filters to sort the results as you may need. I use it pretty much often to compare different railway options.
In addition, there are direct buses from Turin to Aosta up to 4 times a day. The carrier is Flixbus. The travel time by bus is about 1.5 hours. Departure takes place from Vittorio Emanuele Station. You can also check the current bus timetable at the Flixbus service. As I know Flixbus is a pretty popular bus service in Europe and designed for cheaper trips with affordable prices, so why not try it?
By rented car: In addition to public transport, you can rent a car to reach your destination. This option is especially relevant if you plan to actively move around the region. Many attractions in Valle d’Aosta are only accessible by car. You can rent a car in Turin at numerous rental offices, which are located both in the city and at the airport. You can also book a car in advance via online services, for example, via Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. Turin and Aosta are connected with highways No. A5/E612 and A5; The travel time is approximately 1.5 hours (see on the map). I can recommend both online services mentioned above as they both have a nice search with a lot of options to compare the results.
How to get to Aosta from Milan
The distance between Milan and Aosta is 185 km. You can also use public transport or a car to get from one city to another.
By public transport: There are no direct trains between Milan and Aosta, but you can change trains in Turin or Chivasso. The travel time is a little more than 3 hours. Trains depart from Milan Central Station several times an hour throughout the day. You can check the current train timetable at the Raileurope booking service. I can totally recommend this service as it is very convenient and has a lot of useful filters to narrow down the results and choose the best available one.
Besides trains, you can also take Flixbus carrier to get to Aosta from Milan. Buses run 4-5 times a day. The travel time ranges from 2 to 4 hours, depending on traffic. Most often, buses depart from Lampugnano Station in Milan. You can check the current bus timetable on Flixbus. In my point of view, Flixbus is very helpful when planning a holiday to the ski resorts.
By rented car: In Milan, among other things, the option of renting a car is very popular. You can find rental offices in all areas of the city, as well as at airports, be it Malpensa, Linate or Bergamo airport. You can also book a car in advance via various online services, such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others similar. Milan and Aosta are connected with highways No. A4/E64 and A5/E25. The travel time is a little over 2 hours (see on the map).
Where to stay in Aosta
Aosta has a rather well-developed hotel infrastructure, so according to my research, tourists can choose from a variety of accommodation options, including hotels of various stars, apartments, guest houses and vacation homes.
Hotel Duca D`Aosta 4* – the hotel is located in the center of Aosta, within walking distance of the main attractions. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. Guests can stay in two, three or four-bed rooms of various categories. Some room types include breakfast. The rooms are equipped with everything you need, including a safe, a minibar, a kettle and air conditioning. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. The hotel has parking available for an additional fee. Luggage storage and bicycle rental services are provided at the front desk;
Hotel Hostellerie Du Cheval Blanc 4* – the hotel is located near the town center. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar, and provides free parking for guests arriving by car. Also, on site you can find a sauna, a gym and a massage room. There are indoor and seasonal swimming pools. You can stay in two, three or four-bed rooms of various categories. Some room types include breakfast. The rooms are equipped with a safe, a kettle, air conditioning, TV and a hairdryer. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. Luggage storage services are available at the front desk;
Omama Hotel 4* – the hotel is located in the town center, close to the main attractions of Aosta. The hotel has a bar. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Some rooms have mountain views. Breakfast can be included in the price or paid additionally. All rooms are equipped with a safe, a minibar, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. There is a parking lot next to the hotel. Luggage storage services are available at the front desk;
HB Aosta Hotel & Balcony SPA 3* – this hotel is located in the center of Aosta and offers its guests the services of a bar, a restaurant, and a spa area with a gym. There is a parking lot near the hotel. You can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. The rooms are equipped with everything necessary, incl. a safe, a minibar, air conditioning, TV. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. Luggage storage services are available at the front desk;
Hotel Cecchin 3* – the hotel is located close to the town center and its main attractions. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. Guests can stay in standard double rooms equipped with air conditioning, TV, a hairdryer, and free Wi-Fi. Breakfast is included in the price. A parking lot can be found near the hotel. Luggage storage services are available at the front desk.
What to see in Aosta
Aosta is a cozy town in Northern Italy, surrounded by Alpine peaks. Even if you are not involved in skiing, you have probably heard the names of local ski resorts such as Courmayeur, Monte Rosa or Cervinia. All three of these ski areas are located in the Valle d’Aosta region. But Aosta is interesting not only as a “gateway” to the ski resorts, but also as an architectural and historical point.
Many architectural and archaeological monuments from different times have been preserved here. To my mind, Aosta can boast of cozy streets, developed tourist infrastructure, interesting gastronomy and other attributes of resort life. The picturesque natural landscapes that surround the town should not be underestimated. These are, first of all, mountain landscapes, since Aosta is located in the foothills of the Alps.
Aosta has preserved a large number of monuments from the period of antiquity. This is a Roman bridge, a triumphal arch, a Roman theater, fragments of the Forum, and town gates. All of the listed attractions are located within the historic center of Aosta. Also, along the perimeter of the old town you can see medieval towers called Torre del Lebbroso, Tour Neuve, Tour du Pailleron, Torre o Castello di Bramafan, Tour du Baillage, La Tour des Seigneurs. In total, the towers were built in the period from the 11th to the 13th centuries inclusive and that is why their exteriors are somewhat different from each other.
There are also many religious monuments in Aosta. For example, the medieval monastery of Saint-Orso and the Aosta Cathedral built in the 11th century have been preserved here. The cathedral does not look remarkable from the outside and does not at all correspond to the idea of huge cathedrals typical for Europe, but it is definitely worth visiting. Beautiful frescoes and mosaic floors have been preserved inside the building. The same applies to the monastery of Saint Oro, in which chapel you can also find unique medieval frescoes.
In the eastern part of Aosta there is a historical monument called Castello duca degli abruzzi. This castle was built at the beginning of the 20th century and is a wonderful example of eclecticism style. Inside there is a museum with an interesting collection of decorative objects and preserved interiors from the early 20th century. Aosta also has several beautiful parks for walking and relaxing. For example, it is worth visiting the Saumont park or taking the cable car to Mount Pila, where you can enjoy beautiful views of Aosta in the summer and skiing in the winter.
Next, some information that I discovered on how to get from Aosta to the most popular ski resorts around:
- The resort of Courmayeur is located 45 km from Aosta, on the border with France. You can get here by regular bus No. 581, or by car along road No. A5/E25. The travel time by bus takes just over an hour; the travel time by car takes about 40 minutes (see on the map).
- The resorts of Monte Rosa (Gressoney, Champoluc, etc.) are located on the opposite side of Courmayeur, 80 km from Aosta. You can get here by car along motorways No. A5/E25 and SR44. The travel time is a little over an hour (see on the map).
- Resorts in Cervinia are located 55 km from Aosta. You can get here both by public transport and by car. If you prefer to use public transport, you will first need to get to the town of Chatillon. You can do this by train or by regular bus No. 110. Next, you will need to take bus No. 503 directly to Cervinia. If you travel by car, then roads No. A5/E25 and SR46 lead to Cervinia (see on the map).
Also, if you have time, I would recommend visiting the resort town of Pre Saint Didier with its thermal springs. You can get there by bus No. 581 or along motorway No. A5/E25. The resort is “home” to the famous thermal complex QC Terme Pre Saint-Didier. The complex boasts thermal pools with panoramic views, hot tubs, waterfalls, saunas and relaxation rooms. You can also get spa treatments and various types of massages here. After some research, I discovered the following practical information:
- The center is open daily from 9 am to 10 pm; on Fridays and Saturdays the center is open until 11 pm.
As you can see, traveling to Aosta can be very interesting. Here you can find architectural and archaeological sites, sophisticated gastronomy (local dishes are called Valdostana), beautiful mountain scenery, a lot of entertainment and activities from alpine skiing and hiking to relaxing in the thermal springs. In my point of view, Aosta is a real “pearl” of the smallest region of Italy, called Valle d’Aosta.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Gina.Di
Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…