Christmas markets in the Alps

VISIT TO THE MOST TYPICAL MARKETS OF THE WESTERN ALPS IN FOUR DAYS

DATES OF EXECUTION

Departure date: 17/12

Return Date: 12/20

Necessary documents: Identity card

SUPPLEMENTS:

Single room: €100

Registration fee 30€

THE PRICE INCLUDES:

Trip by Coach GT - Hotel ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ in Aosta or province - Half board treatment including drinks - Companion - Visits and Excursions - Medical, baggage and cancellation insurance.

PROGRAM:

Day 1: Departure - Aosta

Meeting of the participants and departure. Arrival in Aosta for a visit to the Marchè Vert Noel, voted the most evocative Christmas market in the Alps, which takes place in the historic center in the precious setting of the Roman Theater. Consisting of characteristic chalets, enriched by fun large wooden sculptures that develop the Christmas theme with Alpine legends and traditions, it offers visitors excellently crafted artisan products and food and wine tastings in the magical atmosphere of the Holidays. Accommodation in hotel near Aosta, dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Montreux - Lake Geneva - Chillon Castle

Breakfast and departure for Montreux, located on Lake Geneva which borders Lausanne and Geneva. The main street is lined with flowers, sculptures, Mediterranean trees and elegant Belle Époque-style buildings. We will visit the famous Christmas markets, located along the banks of the lake and the Grand Rue. Passing through the covered market, we will discover the most beautiful Christmas market in Switzerland with over 160 stands and chalets grouped in six dedicated areas. Free lunch. Followed by a pleasant walk along the lake to the famous Chillon Castle (exterior), built in the Middle Ages on an islet adjacent to the shore. Departure for the return to the hotel, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Annecy

Breakfast and departure for Annecy, also known as the Venice of Savoy, positioned where Lake Annecy meets the River Thiou. Guided tour of the Vieille Ville, the historic center, characterized by suggestive cobbled streets, winding canals and pastel-colored houses. Overlooking the city, the medieval castle of Annecy, once the residence of the Counts of Geneva. the Palais de l'Isle, strategically placed in the middle of the Thiou river on a small island. Free lunch. Afternoon dedicated to visiting the Christmas markets, made up of over 70 stands and wooden chalets and set up in the historic center of the town, in Qaui Vicenza, rue Saint Maurice, Place Saint Francois, Place de l'Ancienne Grenette and Place Notre Dame. The stalls offer handcrafted objects in leather and wood, typical products such as lavender, cinnamon, natural wax candles, mulled wine, gingerbread and the ever-present roasted chestnuts. In the evening return to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

4th day: Saint Vincent - Return

Breakfast and departure for Saint-Vincent, known as the Riviera delle Alpi for the healthy climate known since Roman times, time available for a short walk in the centre, at the end departure for the return trip with free lunch along the way.

TO DISCOVER: THE MICòOULA

It's easier to eat than to say! Chestnuts, walnuts, dried figs, raisins and, sometimes, even chocolate flakes: these are the delicious ingredients that distinguish the micòoula, a typical dessert of the lower Valle d'Aosta which can be considered to all intents and purposes an ancestor of our panettone. The characteristic sweet of Hone, a delightful village in the Champorcher valley, was born as a chestnut bread which in the Middle Ages was kneaded by the women of the area. Its name derives from the Franco-Provençal patois, which literally means "a little smaller and a little special bread". Over the centuries, various ingredients have been added to the basic recipe that have transformed it into this delicious Christmas cake. The dough with rye flour, which characterizes it, is due to the fact that in the past this type of flour was more easily available than wheat and resisted better to the low temperatures of the Aosta Valley area. It was, therefore, a bread that could also be stored for long periods without the risk of perishing.