Trip Summary

The trip is selling out fast – Don’t delay; sign up now with your club.  If your club is not going, contact me and I will find you a club that has space.  It will be an incredible trip. Scroll down to bottom for information on the Pre- and Post-Trip Destinations.

The day tours are for skiers or non-skiers. For skiers, many times you don’t want to miss the many sights on the international trips, so decide to forfeit skiing that day.  And that’s okay.  Here’s a preliminary list of day tours we are offering:

• Half-day Guided City Tour of Aosta
• Day Excursion to Bard Fortress and the Village of Donnas for local arts and crafts fair
• Day Excursion to Fenis Castle and Issogne Castle
• Day Excursion toTurin (site of the 2006 Winter Olympics)
• Day Excursion to Gressoney Valley with visit to winery and cheese factory
• Day Excursion to Chamonix, France for shopping and lunch and then visit the wonderful Spa in Pre-St.-Didier near Courmayeur

TSC Evenings will include:

• Orientation Meeting at one of the TSC Hotels – Friday, January 22
• TSC Welcome Party – Saturday, January 23
• Dinner and Visit to Casino St. Vincent – Monday, January 25 (tentative)
• TSC Farewell Party - Wednesday, January 27

Please call me if questions or comments at 817-455-1083 or email at joyce.bartell@att.net.  And sign up for this wonderful trip before it sells out.  Make sure your passport is current and will not expire within 6 months after you are returning from Europe. 

Aosta Valley

The Aosta valley is located in the northwest corner of Italy adjoining Switzerland and France, and is just one hour from Torino Airport, and less than two hours from both Geneva and Milan Airports.

The Aosta Valley lies in the most mountainous region of Italy. It is entirely surrounded by the best-known, splendid peaks of the Alps: Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn, and the Gran Paradiso.

 The region is governed by a special law, giving it a degree of autonomy and official recognition of both Italian (Pasta!) and the French (Pâté) languages and palates.

The Aosta Valley comprises twenty Ski Resorts (Powder!) which give skiers the maximum choice depending on their taste, snow conditions and weather.

Among these are five world-class ski areas, all accessed by a single modest priced lift pass:

§  Aosta-Pila (our base)

§  Courmayeur - Mont Blanc

§  La Thuile

§  Valtournenche – Breuil – Cervinia - Zermatt.

§  Monterosa Ski: Ayas/Gressoney/Alagna

A TSC ski bus service will provide access to all.

 For semi- and non-skiers, the town of Aosta was a Roman settlement with vestiges to explore. There are many fortified castles along the Aosta Valley; most of them are in perfect conditions and open to visitors; many have become museums of local history.

Scattered along the valley and its tributaries are the typical villages with quaint local houses (rascards). St. Vincent and its Casino offer a wide range of entertainment.

Lodging is provided in high-quality hotels in the historic town of Aosta, capital of the region, with cable car access to the slopes. Of course, there is a wealth of shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment.

 

Aosta is located  just one hour from Torino Airport, and less than two hours from both Geneva and Milan Airport, the Aosta Valley lies in the most mountainous region of Italy.

It is entirely surrounded by the best-known, splendid peaks of the Alps: Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn, and the Gran Paradiso.

The region is governed by a special law, giving it a degree of autonomy and official recognition of both Italian and the French languages.

Numerous glaciers feed a rich web of streams, which at the bottom of the respective valleys flow into. The distinctly Alpine character of this region can be seen in the pine forests, up to rather high altitudes, where they give place to large pasturelands. The small Alpine lakes, little jewels set in majestic mountain landscapes, are numerous.

  

There are many fortified castles along the Aosta Valley; moist of them are in perfect conditions and open to visitors; many have become museums of local history. The most famous are the castles of Fénis, of Aymavilles, of Issogne and Verrés.

The beautiful castle of Fenis is one of the most toured of the region. In an unusual location for a fort, its construction and first development phases are not known. The first mentions date back to the beginning of the XIII century.

to the Mont Blanc and the Gran San Bernardo tunnels, the great historic passes are today important lines of communication.

Scattered along the valley and its tributaries are the typical villages with the quaint local houses (rascards). St. Vincent and its Casino offer a wide range of entertainment.

Aosta Valley Ski Pass

 The Aosta Valley Ski Pass is a unified system which opens the door to all the ski areas of the Aosta Valley, plus other connected areas: Alagna Valsesia (Piedmont), La Rosière (France), and Zermatt (Switzerland). The pass is chip-based allowing direct access to the lifts. In addition, the multi-day version offers many valuable après ski services, such as free entrance to sports facilities (swimming pools and ice rinks), shows and museums (castles, museums, exhibitions), discounted entrance to games rooms in Saint Vincent and to the historic Fort of Bard, recently restored and containing a mountain museum.

Pre-Trips and Post Trips

Pre Trip to Milan (Optional)
January 18-22,2010

Milan, the second largest city in Italy, is renowned as a world capital of design and fashion. (The English word millinery, referring to women's hat, is derived from the name of the city.) Fashion houses and shops are found along via Montenapoleone and in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele (reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall).

With a long history, Milan has many worthwhile sights. Although little is found of the Roman times and earlier, Milan Cathedral is one of the largest and greatest examples of Gothic architecture. It hosts a remarkable collection of marble statues including the widely-visible golden Madonna atop the spire.

The rule of the Sforza family, between the 14th and 15th century, made Milan the seat of an elegant Renaissance court, attracting artists of the calibre of Leonardo da Vinci leaving works of inestimable value, such as the fresco of the Last Supper.

 

Cost per person:  Check with your club for price and details

Price Includes:

• Transportation by private motor coach from Milan airport to hotel
• 3 nights at First Class Star Hotel Splendido in Milan with daily buffet breakfast
• Half-day guided city tour of Milan including visit to Cathedral
• All local taxes and service charges in Italy.

Optional Day Excursion to Como the Italian District:

Como is a lovely city located on the southern end of Lake Como, surrounded by an arc of hills. Founded nearly 2,200 years ago by the Romans, little survived of the ancient-walled perimeters. Today we can admire the grand buildings and architecture of the “maestri comacini”, known as early as the 7th century, who were builders, masons, stone carvers and plasterers developing the great Romanesque style.The magnificent cathedral was Como’s greatest architectural project, started in 1396 and finished with the cupola in the 18th century.

Lake Como is surrounded by lovely historic villas and private homes of many famous actors from around the world, which can be seen from a boat ride on the lake.

Optional Day Trip during Pre Trip --Como and The Italian Lake District

Como and The Italian Lake District

 Como is a lovely city located on the southern end of Lake Como, surrounded by an arc of hills. Founded nearly 2,200 years ago by the Romans, little survived of the ancient walled perimeters. Today we can admire the grand buildings and architecture of the “maestri comacini”, known as early as the 7th century, who were builders, masons, stone carvers and plasterers developing the great Romanesque style which spread from Como throughout Italy. The magnificent cathedral was Como’s greatest architectural project, started in 1396 and finished with the cupola in the 18th century.

Lake Como is surrounded by lovely historic villas and private homes of many famous actors from around the world, which can be seen from a boat ride on the lake.

  

POST-Trip to ROME, Italy -

January 29 – February 1, 2010

Known as the “eternal city”, Rome is a treasure store of history and culture. For almost a thousand years, as capital of the Roman Republic and Empire, Rome was the most politically important, richest and largest city in the western world, its power extending over most of Europe. Rome is also identified with the seat of the Roman Catholic Pope in the tiny enclave state of Vatican City, a sovereign territory and smallest nation in the world. As one of the few European cities that escaped World War II relatively unscathed, central Rome remains essentially Renaissance and Baroque in character and has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

 

Cost per person:    Check with your Club for price and details

Price Includes:

• Motor coach transfer from Aosta to Milan central train station
• High speed train from Milan to Rome (4 hours), seating in 2nd class.
• Transfer from Rome train station to hotel.
• 3 nights accommodation in First Class Hotel Universo in Rome.
• Buffet breakfast daily
• Half-day guided city tour of Rome
• Motor coach transfer Rome hotel to Rome airport
• Return flight from Rome to USA

Aosta Hotels

Hotel Milleluci (4-star)

 Aosta’s finest hotel, the Millelucci is located on a hill overlooking the town and with views of the starry skies (its name means “thousand lights”).

The hotel has the feel of a country inn, with a lounge full of comfortable chairs and sofas near a bar. Most of the bedrooms are large, like modest suites, with canopied four-post beds, sofa, table and chairs. The hotel has a sauna and hot tub.  The Millelucci has a continental breakfast buffet, and eggs to order. It does not have a full-service restaurant, but will arrange to cater dinners for our groups.

Hotel Millelucci
Roppoz, 15 - 11100
Aosta - Italy
http://www.hotelmilleluci.com/

 

 Hostellerie du Cheval Blanc (4-star)

Hostellerie du Cheval Blanc is located very near Aosta historical centre and only 800 metres from the cableway to Pila, to which it is connected through comfortable shuttle buses. The Hostellerie is a modern in architecture but an elegant and cozy hotel. Comfortable, ample and well lit with big windows, the 55 rooms (17 suites and 38 standard rooms) offer optimal four-star service as well as ADSL WI-FI connection, independent air conditioning, soundproofing and ample bathrooms for your maximum comfort. Minibar, TV, Safe box.

The Hostellerie has two restaurants, Le Petit and Le Brasserie. Both provide an exclusive atmosphere, in which to savor the quality of the cuisine based upon local products from the Aosta Valley territory. All this is served with the wines from the best local and other wine cellars.

A complete Wellness Center is at the guests’ disposal, including a roofed swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, a big gym, two saunas and massage rooms. A true wellness centre that will help you make your stay more relaxing.

Hostellerie du Cheval Blanc
rue Clavalité, 20 A-11100
Aosta, Italy
http://www.chevalblanc.it

Hotel Europe (4-star)

The Hotel Europe is situated in the historical centre of Aosta in an excellent location for sightseeing and shopping. Just a short walk away you will find Aosta’s Roman ruins, including walls, towers and a theatre as well as medieval churches.

The cable car to the Pila ski area is 800 m from the hotel, and the train station is about 250m away.

This is an inviting and elegant hotel with a professional friendly staff, providing for a warm and spacious atmosphere. It has 63 charming rooms and 8 elegant executive rooms.

The rooms feature individual air-conditioning, telephones, TV, mini bar, electronic safe box, internet access, coffee maker, bathroom with hairdryer, non-smoking rooms

The hotel restaurant features delicious specialties of Aosta region and international cuisine. Buffet breakfast and lunch.

Hotel Europe
Piazza Narbonne, 8
I-11100 Aosta, Italy