Trentino Alto Adige is situated in the very north of Italy; it borders Austria and Switzerland, and is the most famous Italian region for its mountains. Its territory stretches from the Adamello-Brenta range and the peaks of Ortles and Cevedale to the most charming mountains of Europe: the Dolomites of Fassa Valley, Brenta, Gardena Valley, Fiemme Valley and Pale di San Martino. This scenery encloses an extraordinary varieties of landscapes: magnificent snow-covered mountaintops, woods, ample valleys, streams, lakes, enchanting light effects between the spires of the Dolomites, typical villages with soaring tower bells and thousands of shades of authentic and uncontaminated nature. Hundreds of kilometers of ski slopes make this region a cutting-edge tourist resort: Madonna di Campiglio, Canazei, Moena, San Martino di Castrozza are the most renowned destinations, where tourists go both in winter and in summer to have a holiday among nature, sport and fun. The landscape of Lake Garda is particularly picturesque; the lake narrows in the territory of Trentino and looks like a fiord between the mountains. Land of confluence and meeting point between the Latin and the Nordic world, Trentino Alto Adige guards a remarkable cultural heritage, made up of prehistoric vestiges, charming castles, sanctuaries and historical and artistic towns. Several spas offer baths and treatments: Merano, Lèvico Terme, Peio, Rabbi and Comano Terme, to mention the most famous. The provinces of the region are Bolzano and Trento.
The most evident natural monument is the range of the Dolomites, as they represent the scenery and the frame of the region itself. The Dolomites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and offer an unforgettable experience for ski and winter sports lovers.
Moreover, this region guards incredible artistic treasures, monuments and architectural works that combine Gothic and Austrian style with Italian Renaissance style. The route to discover this region starts from Trento, famous for hosting the Ecumenical Council, with its Romanic and Lombard cathedral and Buonconsiglio castle. The second stop is Bolzano, the “Door to the Dolomites”, the symbol of the combination between Latin and German culture, as witnessed by its gothic cathedral. Other important places are Rovereto with its museums, castles, the St. Colombiano Hermitage, the great “bell of peace” and the “Mart” museum, the new pole of modern art, and Riva del Garda, with Pretorio Palace and its austere and elegant seventeenth-century fortress, the Rocca. Several are the sanctuaries, too, among which are the sanctuary of Montagnaga di Pinè and Madonna del Monte di Rovereto. The castles of the region are full of charm; some of them are Tirolo Castle and Roncolo Castle, Appiano Castle and Beseno Castle, which offers a breathtaking view.
Trentino Alto Adige, with the most beautiful European mountains in the background, proposes exciting and amusing holidays to enjoy the mountains and their aspects in all seasons. The snow-white scenery of the Dolomites is the ideal destination for those who love skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating, climbing, snowshoeing and trekking at all levels. This region has internationally famous ski resorts, like Madonna di Campiglio, Gardena Valley with its well-knows Selva Val Gardena, Ortisei and Santa Cristina, Fassa Valley with Canazei and Moena, the Marmolada range, San Martino di Castrozza: a magic realm that connects countless slopes in one track for hundreds of kilometers, surrounded by magnificent heights and enchanting landscapes. By night, you can enjoy entertainment and jet-set in the typical restaurants, bars and clubs of the area. In summer, Trentino Alto Adige is a perfect place for walks and hikes amid pure nature, like the paths of the Stelvio National Park, among the woods of Fassa Valley or high altitude lakes. Trekking lovers can explore the highest peaks following the beautiful tracts of Via Alpina, provided with routes and well-equipped huts. In the heart of the Alps, we can find a special historical and natural path, the Sentiero della pace (Path of peace), in memory of first World War. Lake Garda, encircled by Mediterranean vegetation, is a perfect place for many different activities: mountain biking, sailing, windsurfing, scuba-diving and hiking on the surrounding mountains. The many food-and-wine itineraries of this region lead to the vineyards of famous black pinot wine, to the area where spumante sparkling wine and white wines are produced, as well as other areas, to discover local specialties like the delicious chestnuts around Lake Varna. The road of apples in Non Valley reveals a unique combination of colors and scents: it is the realm of apples, well-known all over the world, from golden to rennet apples. The different spas of the region offer relaxing holidays dedicated to wellbeing and harmony between body and mind; some of these spas are Levico or Merano Terme, famous for its radon treatments and beauty treatments of all types. Rich in folklore, Trentino Alto Adige proposes a wide array of events: from the typical Christmas markets of Bolzano and Merano to San Vigilio festival in Trento, folk festivals and countless fairs dedicated to wine, chestnuts, mushrooms and other excellent local products.
The traditional food of Trentino Alto Adige is based on simple yet tasty dishes, made with the products of local agriculture and farming. The most famous specialty of the region is Tyrol smoked ham; among sausages, kaminwurz is very tasty; grana trentin, toma di montagna and casolet are the most typical cheeses. The most famous first course is polenta, prepared with corn meal or buckwheat, served with meat sauce, cheese or mushrooms. Other first courses are barley soup, pasta and beans, mushroom soup and above all “brò brusà”, a simple and savoury soup. As for main courses, the specialties of the region are: rabbit with grappa, gulasch, roe deer with polenta, trout in every possible way, and “lucanica”, a pork meat sausage. The queen of the local food is Non Valley apple, used to prepare the famous strudel and other desserts. Trentino also boasts a remarkable production of wines, including Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot, Chardonnay and the excellent spumante wine of the area.
