by : Levi Reiss

If you are looking for a tourist destination for your next European vacation, you should really consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy sitting on the French and Swiss borders. Depending on your particular interests, this beautiful area might be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, accompanied by fine local wine. This tiny region, which is by far the smallest in Italy, has about 150 historic castles, forts, and towers. As small as it is, more than 20% of this region is classified as a nature preserve. And the Alpine skiing is some of the best in Europe.

We'll start our tour at Bard in southwestern Aosta Valley near the Piedmont border. We'll head north and slightly west to St. Vincent and then on to Breuil-Cervinia not far from the Swiss border. Next we proceed southwest to Castello F