Nestled between the Graian and Cottian mountain ranges, the Susa Valley extends for more than 50 kilometres through the Italian Alps. It’s traversed by the Dora Riparia river and the Via Francigena, an ancient road and pilgrimage route that connected the English city of Canterbury with Rome.
Located atop Pirchiriano Mountain at the entrance to the Susa Valley is the Sacra di San Michele, an 11th-century religious complex that’s affiliated with the Rosminians. Take note of the arches and niches of the Scalone dei Morti before admiring the 12th-century marble sculpture of the Porta dello Zodiaco.
En route to the 2,085-metre-high pass of Mont Cenis is the Abbazia di Novalesa, a Benedictine monastery founded in 726 AD by Patrice Abbo of Provence. In addition to its 16th-century cloister and 22.5-metre-high bell tower, it features a Baroque-style church adorned with religious frescoes.
Getting there
The Susa Valley is around 40 minutes’ drive from Turin and 45 minutes from Turin Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe and North Africa. Regular trains connect to the Bruzolo and Bussoleno railway stations and buses travel through the Susa Valley.