Susa, historic “Gateway to Italy,” is a charming alpine village in the province of Turin, strategically located between the Moncenisio and Montgen\u00e8vre passes. With ancient origins and a rich archaeological and religious heritage, Susa tells centuries of history through Roman monuments, medieval castles and centuries-old churches. Today it is a lively and welcoming center, full of events, nature itineraries and food and wine excellence, a reference point for the entire Susa Valley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An ancient gateway to the Alps, Susa combines Roman history, medieval spirituality and Valsusian flavors in an enchanting village between Moncenisio and Montgen\u00e8vre.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":312979,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"the-village":"
Nestled in the Cottian Alps at the confluence of the Dora Riparia river and the Cenischia stream, Susa<\/strong> is a village of ancient charm and strategic importance. Long known as the Gateway to the Susa Valley<\/strong>, it lies between the Mont Cenis<\/strong> and Montgen\u00e8vre<\/strong> passes. Originally called Segusio<\/strong>, Susa was already a thriving Celtic settlement in the 5th century BC\u2014long before cities like Turin or Aosta were founded. Thanks to its location, it became a crossroads of cultures, trade, pilgrims and power: from the Romans<\/strong> to the House of Savoy<\/strong>, to the travelers on the Via Francigena<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The town's historic center is a living open-air museum, with extraordinary Roman remains such as the Arch of Augustus<\/strong>, built in 8 BC to celebrate the alliance between Rome and the local king Cozio; the majestic Porta Savoia<\/strong>, a monumental gateway; the impressive ruins of the Graziano aqueduct<\/strong>; and the Roman amphitheater<\/strong>, now home to concerts and historical reenactments. Along Corso Unione Sovietica<\/strong>, ancient city walls are still visible, while recent excavations in Piazza Savoia<\/strong> uncovered the remains of a Roman temple once located at the heart of the forum.<\/p>\n During the Middle Ages, Susa became a key center of power for the House of Savoy<\/strong>, thanks to the marriage of Countess Adelaide of Turin<\/strong> to Oddone of Maurienne<\/strong>. Their residence, the Castle of Adelaide<\/strong>, sits on a hill overlooking the town and is today home to the Civic Museum<\/strong>, which displays artifacts from the Iron Age to the Napoleonic period.<\/p>\n Susa is also rich in religious architecture. The majestic Cathedral of San Giusto<\/strong><\/a>, founded in 1027 and crowned by a 51-meter Romanesque bell tower, stands alongside the Convent of San Francesco<\/strong><\/a>, known for its medieval frescoes and cloisters. Not far away, the Church of the Madonna del Ponte<\/strong> hosts the Diocesan Museum of Alpine Sacred Art<\/strong><\/a>, which houses religious artworks dating from the 4th to the 20th century.<\/p>\n The heart of Susa is its historic center<\/strong>, vibrant and full of life, with artisan shops<\/strong>, typical restaurants<\/strong>, caf\u00e9s<\/strong>, and noble residences<\/strong> such as the Palazzo de' Bartolomei<\/strong>, the Rotari Tower<\/strong>, and Palazzo Benit<\/strong> with its Baroque details.<\/p>\n Susa hosts a rich calendar of cultural events. Highlights include the Historical Tournament of the Boroughs<\/strong>, held every July, with processions and medieval games; the International Folklore Festival \u201cCastagna d\u2019Oro\u201d<\/strong>, a colorful celebration of music and traditions from around the world; and the Christmas Market \u201cLa Magia del Natale\u201d<\/strong>, where visitors can enjoy seasonal delights and artisan gifts.<\/p>\n But Susa also shines for its nature and outdoor activities<\/strong>. Surrounded by scenic mountains, the village is a perfect base for hiking along trails like the Rocciamelone ascent<\/strong>, the Sentiero dei Franchi<\/strong>, the Balcony Trail GTA<\/strong>, or the 3V Ring Route<\/strong>. For motorcyclists<\/strong>, it is a popular stop before tackling the thrilling curves of Mont Cenis or Montgen\u00e8vre.<\/p>\n Local food is another highlight. Don\u2019t miss the traditional sweet focaccia of Susa<\/strong>, once served during Roman festivities and still baked in the town\u2019s many bakeries, or the Pan della Marchesa<\/strong>, named after Countess Adelaide. Among the wines, the Avan\u00e0 Valsusa DOC<\/strong> stands out\u2014ideal to pair with hearty mountain cuisine.<\/p>\n With its unique blend of history, spirituality, Alpine beauty and culinary excellence<\/strong>, Susa offers an authentic and unforgettable travel experience in the heart of the Italian Alps.<\/p>\n"},"stato_borgo":[],"village-conntection":[51122],"borghi":[76337,76343],"village-category":[164887,35901,35886,35890],"class_list":["post-176535","village","type-village","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","village-conntection-susa-it","borghi-piedmont","borghi-torino","village-category-medieval-village","village-category-orange-flag-countries","village-category-village-in-the-mountain","village-category-village-with-castle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village\/176535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/village"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village\/176535\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/312979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"stato_borgo","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/stato_borgo?post=176535"},{"taxonomy":"village-conntection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village-conntection?post=176535"},{"taxonomy":"borghi","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/borghi?post=176535"},{"taxonomy":"village-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village-category?post=176535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}