Susa Travel Guide

 
by ChuckG
 
  •   Susa
    by ChuckG
  •   Susa
    by ChuckG
  •   Susa
    by JLBG
  •   Susa
    by JLBG
  •   Susa
    by JLBG
 

Explore Susa

Things to Do  

Traditional house covered with "lauzes"

Traditional house covered with "lauzes", Susa

 JLBG Says:  Susa is a small city and even in the city center, there remains old traditional houses with balconies covered by the roof in order to remain snow free in winter. The roof covered with thick slabs of slate called "lauzes" on both sides of the Alps, in France as well as in... 

Arco di Augusto, close up on the frise (1)

Arco di Augusto, close up on the frise (1), Susa

 JLBG Says:  OIn both sides, the Arco di Augusto is topped by a frise that represents the "suovetaurilia", the sacrifice made by Cozio to celebrate the alliance. The suovetaurilia was the sacrifice a pig (suus), a sheep (ovis) and a bull (taurus), hence the name suovetaurilia.The first... 

View on the city from Arco di Augusto

View on the city from Arco di Augusto, Susa

 JLBG Says:  The first photo shows the view from the street climbing to Arco di Augusto with on the right the clock tower.The second photo was taken more westwards. The clock tower is on the far right while cattedrale San Giusto stands on the left.The third photo was taken from upstreet... 

Porta Savoia

Porta Savoia, Susa

 JLBG Says:  In order to protect the city from the invasions, it was, in the second century AD enclosed in a powerful city wall with round towers. Porta Savoia (Savoy entrance) opens in the west. It is made of two cylindrical towers with opening all around, allowing to defend in every... 

Druidic remains

Druidic remains, Susa

 JLBG Says:  Close to the Arco di Augusto and at the foot of the medieval city wall, a post says :"Rocce cupulliformi druidiche, sec V-VI aC" (Druid cup shaped rocks, 5-6th BC).I have carefully looked at the rocks below but I must admit that if there had not been the post, I would not... 

Convento di San Francesco

Convento di San Francesco, Susa

 JLBG Says:  Church of San Francesco Convent is shown on the first photo from via Madonna delle Grazie (the church Madonna delle Grazie will be better seen on another tip), via San Francesco and in the background.Via San Francesco is a narrow street and I could not take a photo of the... 

Contessa Adelaide castle and upper entrance

Contessa Adelaide castle and upper entrance, Susa

 JLBG Says:  The first photo shows the upper entrance into the city, with a twinned entrance. On the left, the medieval wall of the castle.The second photo shows the entrance into the Contessa Adelaide castle.The third shows the castle across the entrance. 

Leaving Susa to the Mont Cenis pass

Leaving Susa to the Mont Cenis pass, Susa

 JLBG Says:  The first photo was taken southeastwards from S25, the road that leads to the Mont Cenis pass. It shows in the valley, in the foreground the village of Venàus and in the background the city of Susa. The autostrada leads to Bardonnechia and the entrance of the Fréjus tunnel,... 

Frescoes

Frescoes, Susa

 JLBG Says:  The first photo shows the entrance of the church topped by a fresco (close up on the last photo) painting a classical scene on the cross with one soldier stinging Christ side with a sword while another rubs his wounds with a sponge impregnated with vinegar. Two saints are... 

Arco di Augusto, close up on the frise (2)

Arco di Augusto, close up on the frise (2), Susa

 JLBG Says:  On the other side of the Arc of August, the frise represents the same scenary but with different pictures.The first photo shows a huge sheep (actually better a ram !) followed by a man riding on a horse.The second photo shows another pig (or nother view of the same boar),... 

Chiesa della Madonna del Ponte and adjacent museum

Chiesa della Madonna del Ponte and adjacent museum, Susa

 JLBG Says:  The church Madonna del Ponte (first photo), of Medieval origins (XIIIth century), is devoted to the Holy Virgin of Peace and, inside, has precious works of art. The church was built between 1266 and 1369. The name refers to a statue of the "Madonna con il Bambino" (Madonne... 

Arco di Augusto

Arco di Augusto, Susa

 JLBG Says:  August arch was built in 9-8 BC to remind the alliance concluded in 13-12 BC between August and Cozio, king of Susa. It is decorated in a style very different from the usual Roman art. It is most likely to have been carved by local artists. It represents the "suovetaurilia",... 

Round tower

Round tower, Susa

 JLBG Says:  We were looking for the Roman arena when I saw the top of a round tower that emerged from the vegetation (enlarge the first photo if you want to see it). I tried to get closer from the tower as I thought it might be related with the arena.Actually, it seemed to be in a... 

Hotels  

Hotel Susa & Stazione

 1 Review and 4 Opinions  We have been to the restaurant which is excellent, but not to the hotel. The hotel is ideally... 

Hotel Napoleon

 1 Review and 5 Opinions  We have been several years ago in Hotel Napoleon for one night and we were very pleased with this... 

Restaurants  

Ristorante e Hotel Susa e Stazione: Ristorante e Hotel Susa e Stazione
JLBG profile photo

4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

JLBG 6088 reviews
Ristorante e Hotel Susa e Stazione, dining room
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I highly recommand this restaurant run by the family Pasquali-Peirolo since 1987. Everything was so good that on our first visit I did not take a single picture ! I could not wait tasting ! Fortunately, we came back for another tasting and I took a few shots !

We had a selection of yummy anti pasti (second photo) with : lard di Oulx ( a thin slice of excellent pork fat grown in Oulx), on the right of the photo, a yummy portion of bagna cauda (I will put the recipe in a travelogue) a very special dish from Piedmont (in the center of the photo), excellent ham from the mountain (third photo), etc…

"Sôupa grassa d'Susa", a traditional soup with pieces of barley bread dipped in a meat broth with onion, cheese, juniper berries and butter (fourth photo)

We had also an excellent stew of stag with polenta sticks (last photo).

Updated Jan 3, 2006

Address: Corso Stati Uniti, 4, Susa

Phone: 0122 622226

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 Food and Dining

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Transportation  

Rail road is fast and safe

Rail road is fast and safe, Susa

 JLBG Says:  Susa is on the Paris-Roma railroad and thus can be easily reached both from France and from Italy. Local trains connect Chambéry, Saint Jean de Maurienne, Modane (France) to Susa and Turin. I am not sure that the highspeed trains have a stop in Susa. I will check that. 

Stay on the Highway !

Stay on the Highway !, Susa

 JLBG Says:  If you drive from France by the Mont Cenis pass, the road leads directly into Susa.If you drive from France by the Mont Genèvre pass, the road leads directly into Susa.If you drive from France by the Frejus tunnel, you will have to go out of the autostrada at "Susa Nord"... 

Local Customs  

Water

Water, Susa

 JLBG Says:  As in the whole Alpine bow, water is abundant. In Susa, you will find, scattered in various places of the city, brass fountains that deliver a good quality water, perfectly suitable for drinking. They seem to have been set at the turn of the 20th century or end of the 19th. 

Dreher beer

Dreher beer, Susa

 JLBG Says:  The tradition of beer is ancient in northern Italy. Anton Dreher, from Vienna founded in 1869 in Trieste a brewery bearing its name. In 1928, it was bought by the brothers Luciani who had a brewery in Padevana. Finally, in 1974, the group Birra Dreher was sold to the... 

Off The Beaten Path  

The Pasha of Susa !

The Pasha of Susa !, Susa

 JLBG Says:  This marble carved slab (Via Palazzo di Città) commemorates the memory of Lieutenant General Emilio Degiorgis (1844-1908), who was born in this house, was Supreme Commander of the gendarmerie in Macedonia and who was awarded the title of Pasha by the Ottoman (Turkish)... 

Waldensian, Valdese, Vaudois, following

Waldensian, Valdese, Vaudois, following, Susa

 JLBG Says:  The Poor from Lyon or Waldensian settled throughout Europe. In Italy, they are called "Valdese", in France "Vaudois". We find their traces in Bohemia, in Germany, in southern and central Italy. With sober habits, they strictly followed Jesus' teaching about The Sermon on the... 

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Map of Susa