RosieinOz

Hi All!
We are planning a trip for late April next year and are considering a 2 or 3 day visit to Val D'Aosta ( we will have a car for this part of our trip). Is this a good choice? We have heard mixed reports.
We would like to see the alps, lakes and castles on the Italian side. We also enjoy good food.
Is there a better location?
We would value any opinions and experiences to help us plan an itinerary.
Thankyou
Rosie

schnauzer

Hi Rosie in Oz, (from Schnauzer in Oz!) we went to Val D'Aosta a few years ago having heard how beautiful the countryside was etc. However, we went in June/July school holidays and quite frankly were pretty disappointed. It is mainly a ski area and you felt as if you were in a ghost town, nothing much was happening, the resorts all looked desolate and unattractive. The weather really didn't do it justice, we went on a cable car ride - can't exactly remember where, somewhere famous I had seen on a postcard or something!! the mist came in so thickly we couldn't see 6 feet in front of us.

The old town is very attractive though and we did have a sensational meal there. Our hotel was a up the hillside from the old town and we looked down onto the railway sheds, again not a particularly attractive sight. I wouldn't rush back there in a hurry I would think there could be better places at that time of year. However, having said that you are going in April and the spring flowers could be amazing (looking at the postcards we saw in the shops there) I wouldn't stay 3 days if you do go. Hope I have helped and not confused, maybe others will have a completely different opinion. After all these reports and answers are very subjective. Where is Oz are you?

RosieinOz

Hi Schnauzer!
I'm in Sydney.
Thanks for the input. I'm getting the vibes that Val D'Aosta is not necessarily the greatest so I hope someone will suggest some other valleys in that neck of the woods!
Thanks again
Rosie.
PS I guess most Fodorites in the US are getting ready for work at this time (night for us)...maybe not a good time to post a msg!

Steve_James

Rosie - Valle d'Aosta has a few highlights - Mont Blanc, Courmayeur, the Matterhorn ...

But IMO it doesn't compare scenically to the Dolomites!

Steve

JulieVikmanis

In over 50 trips to europe I've seldom been really disappointed in the places I've selected but I'd have to say that Val D'Aosta is plainly in the bottom 10 or so, maybe even bottom 5. Please tell us where you expect to be before and after the time you have been intending to devote to Val D'Aosta so we can provide you some better alternatives.

RosieinOz

Thanks Steve and Julie
We will be coming from Nice through Genoa, then Torino and then Aosta??
After that we will head for Florence / Tuscany area ...we are still working on the best way to manage a car and do Florence. After we've seen Tuscany Pisa etc We will head south to Rome and hand in the car and Use trains to see Rome, day trips to Naples/ Pompeii and maybe Capri. We will finally go up to Venice by train and then on to Switzerland.
This is all in the planning and is our first time travelling so we really appreciate the help.
We have 2 to 3 weeks in Italy.
Rosie

JulieVikmanis

I assume you're planning to fly into Nice and out of Rome. You're itinerary is quite ambitious for two weeks, possible for three but I'd revise it quite a bit besides dropping out Val d'Aosta.
Here's my suggestions:
Nice and Cote D'Azur
Torino if you are particularly excited about it, but consider dropping it since it will take more time than it's worth
Northern Italian Lake country instead of Val d'Aosta--staying on Lake Como and taking a side trip to Lugano and Locarno in Switzerland
Drop Genoa for sure, nothing much there unless you bypass it and go to Portofino, Camogli, etc.
Florence
Tuscany
Amalfi coast staying in Positano with day trips to Capri and Pompei
Rome
Hope this helps.

nessundorma

I don't understand why you are swinging north at all. Why not head straight down the coast from Nice to Pisa, with stopovers in Liguria to enjoy the scenery and the food, and perhaps a trip to Lucca?

I'm a big fan of Torino, but I wouldn't go so far out of my way on this trip.

enzian

Hello Rosie,

Late April is generally not a good time for a ski area like Val d'Aosta. Often they close down between the ski season and the summer season, and it is very quiet. Also it is not very scenic---patchy snow (and mud!) and no green meadows or wildflowers yet.

You could, however, find areas in the Lake District that offer beautiful lakes, views of mountains, and castles.
We have spent time in April in Malcesine on Lago di Garda, and it was beautiful---Monte Baldo rises 5,000 feet behind the town; you can ride a cablecar up for incredible views into the Brenta Dolomites.
http://www.malcesinepiu.it/
As you can see from the photo, there is an old castle right in the town.

schnauzer

Hi Rosie, you have received some really good advice. I am glad I am not the only one who was not super impressed the Val de A. Where in Sydney are you? We are in the north, near Hornsby.

We spent some time at Lake Como last September and it was the highlight of our trip, such a magical spot; try and fit that in instead of the Val de A.
Schnauzer

Steve_James

Rosie - Either the Dolomites or the lake district would fit in well on your itinerary between Venice and Switzerland, I think ...

Steve

RosieinOz

Thanks everyone!
So much great info. I'm in North Rocks Schnauzer! We are almost neighbours!

I am not very familiar with the Dolomites but I'll investigate. Would we need a car there? We are not sure where we would need a car and where we should use public transport.

This planning stuff is hard work ....but so much fun. Glad we started early.
Thanks again
Rosie

RosieinOz

ttt

enzian

Rosie---the Dolomites are incredibly beautiful, but Steve James must not have noticed that you are going in late April. That is not the time to vist there either----most hotels and lifts are closed and the scenery is not at its best. Lower elevation areas, such as the Lakes (Como, Maggiore, or Garda) would be much better.

Somewhere here there is a trip report from "justretired" I think---they went to the Dolomites in May and experienced the situation I just described---bad weather, no views, and lifts were closed.

I have only been to Lago di Garda (Malcesine), but I'm sure someone here can describe the charms (and castle opportunities) of the other lakes.

TuckH

> Somewhere here there is a trip report from "justretired" <

This is the relevant part...

"We visited the Dolomites too early[May]. The Summer season had not really started, and so many things were closed that it restricted our choices. It’s a ski area in the winter, but in the Summer, stay away until June."

enzian

Rosie,

Here's a thought. The best train route from Venice into Switzerland actually takes you through the lake district (Como and Lugano). (From Venice, the route takes you back to Milan, and then either (1)north up through Brig or (2) over to the lake district and up through the Ticino (Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland) and alpine splendor to Lucerne.) You could include several stops in the lake district on that route---Como in Italy, and Lugano and Bellinzona in the Ticino. Bellinzona has three castles.

This would put the lakes, mountains, and castles part of your Italy trip later in the journey, when the weather and scenery will be better, and more mountain lifts, etc. will be open. And you will find wonderful Italian food in the lakes area.

Enzian (not in Oz but have neen there and loved it)

RosieinOz

Thankyou soooo much everyone!
We are somewhat locked into the month in Italy as we are moving on to UK and a tour of Scandinavia which will be better in June.
Enzian your idea sounds great and thanks for your appreciation of OZ...we love our part of the world but can't wait to see other places and things that are much OLDER than here! gt;
Thanks yet again
Rosie

enzian

Hi Rosie--

Your dates and plan are fine; it's just that places in the mountains will not be at their best in April, so I am suggesting that your time is better spent in the parts of Italy that will be at their prime when you are there---the best of the best.

I know what you mean about wanting to see things that are old. Here (west coast of the U.S.) hardly anything is more than 100 years old, and on the island where I live nothing is over 50 years---anything older gets torn down and replaced. In Norway (and other places) you can see churches that are 1000 years old.

LDonnay

Why is Valle D'Aosta so bad? And the Dolomites better? I've been to the Dolomites and they were definately beautiful, but what about Mont Blanc, etc?

I'm trying to decide where to go hiking June 2008 and was planning on the mountains in Valle D'aosta. But having read all these responses, I'm wondering if I should go elsewhere.............

Any advise????????

Thanks very much,
LaurieDonnay

TuckH

We've spent a week in the Val d'Aosta and there's plenty of good hiking there...

I particularly liked the Valtournenche (Chamois and below the south face of the Matterhorn). Mont Blanc is better appreciated from the French side (Chamonix and le Brévent) where there are many beautiful hikes of course.