L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano S u s a l i e s j u s t where the plains o f P i a n u r a Padana give way t o t h e A l p s , a n h o u r o r s o w e s t o f T u r i n , and, for being a relatively small center, it packs a lot in. Romans built here when the passes mattered for trade a n d t r o o p s , a n d t h e medieval city grew around what they left; above it all is R o c c i a m e l o n e , a h i g h , steep pyramid of a mountain with a small sanctuary on the summit. Susa's scale is very visitor-friendly: a town you can cross on foot without rushing, with enough detail to fill a day and reasons to stay the night. To newcomers, the Roman layer is the easiest to spot: t h e A r c h o f A u g u s t u s , which stands just outside the historic core of the town, was built to mark peace between Emperor Augustus and Mar- cus Julius Cottius, the Alpine ruler who governed these valleys. From the arch, it's a short walk to the remains of the amphitheater and to stretches of the old aque- d u c t , b o t h o f w h i c h a r e located well in view of hous- es, stores, and the natural ebb and flow of daily life. O n t h i s s o l i d b a s e , t h e medieval city took shape. T h e C a t h e d r a l o f S a n Giusto grew from an 11th- century Benedictine founda- tion and later became the bishop's seat; its position by the old walls links it to the R o m a n g a t e t o d a y c a l l e d Porta Savoia. The change of t i m e i s c l e a r , y e t t h e d i s - tances are small, which is one of Susa's pleasures: it's like taking a walk through historical eras without trans- fers or tickets. Wherever you are in town, you can't miss the Rocca and the Castello della Contes- s a A d e l a i d e , w h i c h h a s guarded the valley since the Middle Ages. Today, it hous- es the civic museum, but the v i e w f r o m i t s r a m p a r t s demonstrates why the castle h e l d s u c h a n i m p o r t a n t defensive meaning: the Susa Valley is a corridor and the town sits at a pinch point from where, back in the day, you could control the whole area, including the river and the roads. And then, there is Rocciamelone: at 11,608 feet (or 3,538 meters, if you want to say it like the Ital- ians), reaching its summit is no casual stroll, but if you are fit and so inclined, the climb is worth it. At the top you'll find a small sanctuary and a bronze statue of the Virgin dating to 1899, whose journey there is really quite memorable: the town raised the money, with many dona- tions coming from children, t h e n t h e A l p i n i a n d p a c k animals carried up all the parts of the statue, which was then assembled on the summit just in time for the end of the summer. It is also in the summer that you can enjoy a popular event, the Torneo Storico d e i B o r g h i , a costumed parade with medieval-style g a m e s t h a t t a k e o v e r t h e streets, the Roman arena, and the castle grounds. After all the sightseeing a n d p o t e n t i a l m o u n t a i n trekking, visitors are bound to develop quite an appetite and, as one would expect from any mountain town, Susa offers delightfully sim- ple, yet delicious grub. The v a l l e y h a s a l w a y s c o o k e d with what grows well at alti- t u d e a n d w h a t k e e p s , s o y o u ' l l f i n d c a j e t t e ( a l s o written cagliette), small potato dumplings that can include chard or herbs and are browned with butter and sage or baked with cheese. Gnocchi alla bava, gnoc- chi in a simple melt of local toma or fontina, show up in many trattorie and are per- f e c t f o r a p l a c e w h e r e appetites are often built out- d o o r s . F o r s n a c k s a n d sweets, look for canestrelli di Vaie, thin wafer biscuits pressed between patterned i r o n s a n d l i g h t l y s c e n t e d w i t h l e m o n o r v a n i l l a . Cheese is, of course, a strong point: if you see toma del l ai t brusc , a traditional sour-curd cow's-milk cheese from the valley, try it with bread and a drizzle of honey. A glass of Valsusa DOC fits t h e t a b l e p e r f e c t l y : r e d s often rely on native grapes like Avanà or Becuet, and in r e c e n t y e a r s l o c a l s h a v e r e v i v e d B a r a t u c i a t , a bright white that pairs well w i t h c h e e s e o r a p l a t e o f sliced salumi. If you are thinking of vis- iting, a simple route works well here; for instance, you c a n s t a r t a t t h e A r c h o f A u g u s t u s i n t h e m o r n i n g when the light is kind and traffic is quiet, and walk into t h e c e n t e r t h r o u g h P o r t a Savoia. Pause at San Giusto t o s t e p i n s i d e , a n d t h e n c l i m b t o w a r d t h e c a s t l e , maybe stopping for coffee a n d a s w e e t t r e a t i n between: here in Susa, there is no need to rush, you can see easily all the main attrac- tions before lunch exploring at a leisurely pace. In the afternoon, choose one more goal: the amphitheater, a short path above town, or the museum inside the castle if the weather turns and, in the evening, order a plate of cajette or gnocchi and a bot- tle of local red to end the day on a delicious note. If you stay overnight, you can add a short stage of the Via Francigena variant that crosses the valley, or a drive to one of the small villages nearby. A trip to Susa is perhaps best in shoulder seasons, with spring bringing green slopes and long days, and f a l l w e l c o m i n g y o u w i t h clear air and stable weather p e r f e c t t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e s t o n e w o r k a n d f e e l t h e m o u n t a i n s k y l i n e c l o s e r . However, winter and sum- mer have their charm, too, with the first showing the quiet, snowy life of a moun- tain town, and the second coming to life with festivals and tourists. N o n e o f t h i s d e m a n d s special planning beyond the u s u a l c h e c k s f o r o p e n i n g hours and event dates, but it helps to remember that the mountain is in charge of the timetable: if a storm sits on Rocciamelone, save the high paths for another time and e n j o y t h e t o w n s t r e e t s instead. FRANCESCA BEZZONE Porta Savoia and the Cathedral of Susa (Photo: Xantana/Dreamstime) Castle views and winding Roman streets in historic Susa The Sacra di San Michele, one of the symbols of Piedmont, is not far from Susa (Photo: Sebastian Millan Gil/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES EVENTS

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