Attractions

This mountain town, surrounded by snowcapped peaks, not only is pleasant but has soul -- the product of a history that goes back to Roman times. While you're not going to find much in the line of pristine Alpine quaintness here in the Valle d'Aosta's busy tourist and economic center, you can spend some enjoyable time strolling past Roman ruins and medieval bell towers while checking out the chic shops that sell everything from Armani suits to locally made fontina cheese.

The "Rome of the Alps" sits majestically within its preserved walls, and the monuments of the empire make it easy to envision the days when Aosta was one of Rome's most important trading and military outposts. Two Roman gates arch gracefully across the Via San Anselmo, Aosta's main thoroughfare: the Porta Pretoria, the western entrance to the Roman town, and the Arco di Augusto (sometimes called Arco Romano), the eastern entrance, built in A.D. 25 to commemorate a Roman victory over the Celts. A Roman bridge spans the River Buthier; just a few steps north of the Porta Pretoria, you'll find the facade of the Teatro Romano (Roman Theater) and the ruins of the amphitheater, which once accommodated 20,000 spectators; the ruins of the forum are in an adjacent park. The theater and forum are open daily, in summer from 9:30am to noon and 2:30 to 6:30pm, in winter from 9:30am to noon and 2 to 4:30pm; admission is free. Architectural fragments from these monuments and a sizable collection of vessels and other objects unearthed during excavations are displayed in Aosta's Archaeological Museum, at Piazza Roncas 12 (tel. 0165-238-680); it's open daily from 9am to 7pm, and admission is free.

Behind the banal 19th-century facade of Aosta's Duomo, Piazza Giovanni XXIII (tel. 0165-40-251), lie two remarkable treasures: an ivory diptych, from A.D. 406, that depicts the Roman emperor Honorius, which is housed along with other precious objects in the treasury; and 12th-century mosaics on the floor of the choir and before the altar. Heavy-handed restorations cloud the fact that the church actually dates from the 10th century. It's open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 12:30pm and 2:30 to 5:30pm (though I've noticed they often just stay open all day), Sunday from 12:30 to 5:30pm. Treasury hours are April to September Monday through Saturday from 8 to 11:30am and 3 to 5:30pm, and Sunday all year from 8 to 9:30am, 10:30 to 11:30am, and 3 to 5:30pm. Admission to the treasury is 2.50€ for adults and 1€ for children under 6.

The Collegiata dei Santi Pietro e Orso, at the eastern edge of the Old City off Via San Anselmo 9 (tel. 0165-262-026), is a hodgepodge from the 6th through the 18th centuries. An 11th-century church was built over the original 6th-century church, and that, in turn, has been periodically enhanced with architectural embellishments representing every stylistic period from the Gothic through the baroque. In a room above the nave (the door on the left aisle marked AFFRESCHI OTTONIANI; search out sacristan or ring bell), the remains of an 11th-century fresco cycle recount the life of Christ and the Apostles on the bits of medieval church wall above the 15th-century vaults. The frescoes are open daily April to September from 8:30am to 6:30pm, October to March 8:30am to 4:30pm. The 12th-century cloisters are a fascinating display of Romanesque storytelling -- 40 columns are capped with carved capitals depicting scenes from the Bible and the life of Aosta's own Saint Orso.

Festivals & Markets

Aosta celebrates its patron saint and warm winter days and nights with the Fiera Sant'Orso on the last 2 days of January. The festival fills the streets and involves dancing, drinking vast quantities of mulled wine, and perusing the local crafts pieces, such as lovely woodcarvings and woven blankets, which vendors from throughout the Valle d'Aosta offer for sale. Aosta's other major event is the Bataille des Reines (Battle of the Queens, who, in this case, are cows), in which these mainstays of the local economy lock horns -- the main event is held the third Sunday in October, and preliminary heats take place throughout the spring and summer. Aosta's weekly market day is Tuesday, when stalls selling food, clothes, crafts, and household items fill the Piazza Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto.