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Aosta Valley · Aosta Valley

Donnas

The first DOC of Valle d'Aosta, a Nebbiolo-on-terraces wine town where the Roman Via delle Gallie was carved into living rock.

Best time
Apr–Oct
By car
1 h 25 min from Turin
By train
Station in the comune
Population
2,420

Known for

  • DONNAS DOC

    First DOC in Valle d'Aosta, granted in 1971: a Nebbiolo-led red from terraced slopes around Donnas, Perloz, Pont-Saint-Martin and Bard.

  • VIA DELLE GALLIE

    A 221-metre stretch of first-century BC Roman road carved into the cliff, with cart ruts, a rock-cut arch and the XXXVI-mile milestone from Aosta.

  • POST-LANDSLIDE BORGO

    Medieval village rebuilt against the cliff after the 1176 landslide destroyed Treby a kilometre west, the original settlement of the area.

When to visit

Best · Apr–Oct

  • J10°
  • F12°
  • M13°
  • A16°
  • M20°
  • J24°
  • J27°
  • A27°
  • S22°
  • O18°
  • N13°
  • D10°
  • Best
  • Hot or crowded
  • Quiet
  • Mostly closed

Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.

The festa: Pietro, 1 August

Why come

Donnas sits at the south-eastern mouth of the Aosta Valley, where the Dora Baltea slows and the cliffs close in on the old road. The Romans built the Via delle Gallie through here in the first century BC to connect the Po Valley with Gaul, and a 221-metre stretch of paved road, cut for more than 200 metres directly into the bedrock, still survives with cart-wheel ruts in the stone, a single Roman arch, and a milestone marking the thirty-sixth mile from Augusta Praetoria. The medieval village rebuilt itself against the cliff face after the 1176 landslide that destroyed the older settlement of Treby a kilometre west.

Wine has been documented here since 1200. In 1971, Donnas became the first Valdostan wine to earn DOC status: 85 to 90 per cent Nebbiolo, grown on terraced slopes along the Dora, vinified at the Caves Coopératives de Donnas above the historic centre.

The Sunday letter

Donnas is on our list. Its letter is still to come.

We are writing about all 1,000 of these towns, one at a time, in a free letter every Sunday: the photo, the food, the festa. That is our mission. Sign up and you will be there when Donnas comes up. By Peter & Sophia, from Pietrasanta.

Read on

Donnas in our articles

How to get there

From Turin (TRN), about 1h 22m by car.

Milan (BGY) is about 2h 37m away.

By car from the centre of Genoa 2h 46m.

There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive without a car.

Coming from Turin or Milan?

Coming by train into Torino Porta Susa? Donnas is about 1h 22m away by road.

Every town within reach of Turin airport.

Donnas, photo 1
Donnas, photo 2

What to see

  • Strada Romana delle Gallie

    First-century BC Roman road carved directly into the bedrock for more than 200 metres, with surviving cart-wheel ruts, a single arch and a milestone.

  • Arco Romano e Miliario

    Roman arch cut from the rock and a milestone indicating the XXXVI mile from Augusta Praetoria, anchoring the surviving stretch of the Via delle Gallie.

  • Borgo storico di Donnas

    Medieval village rebuilt against the cliff face after the 1176 landslide that destroyed nearby Treby, with stone houses along the old consular road.

  • Caves Coopératives de Donnas

    Cooperative winery above the historic centre, producing the Donnas DOC red wine, first Valdostan denomination, with 85-90 per cent Nebbiolo.

  • Vigneti terrazzati della Dora

    Terraced vineyards stepping up from the Dora Baltea on both banks, the Alpine viticulture landscape that defines the lower valley.

The slow-trip planner

Building a trip? Find where Donnas fits in a slow Italy circuit.

Answer five questions. We will shape a geographically coherent slow trip from the 1,000 Italian towns most travelers skip. Yours to save and share.

Plan your trip

Living here

  • Population 2,420
  • Commuter belti
  • Pharmacy in town
  • High school within a 30-minute drive
  • Train station in the comune
  • Nearest airport Turin, 1 h 22 min drive
  • Regional capital Aosta, 1 h 5 min drive

Common questions

What is Donnas known for?
Donnas is the first DOC of Valle d'Aosta, a Nebbiolo-on-terraces wine town at 322 metres where the Roman Via delle Gallie was carved into living rock.
Where is Donnas?
Donnas is a comune in the province of Aosta Valley, in Aosta Valley.
What is the nearest airport to Donnas?
Turin (TRN), about 1h 22m by car.
Can you get to Donnas without a car?
Yes. There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive by train.
How long is the drive from Genoa to Donnas?
About 2h 46m by car.
When is the best time to visit Donnas?
Best in Apr–Oct. August is the warmest month, averaging 27 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 22 rain days.
Is there a sagra or a festival in Donnas?
The town keeps its patron saint's day: Pietro, 1 August.
Which other towns are like Donnas?
Moncalvo, Campello sul Clitunno and Serra San Quirico.
How many people live in Donnas?
2,420 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources

The numbers

  • Elevation: 322 m
  • Population: 2,420
  • Surface area: 33.97 km²

These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.

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