Trento might not have been on your radar before, it certainly wasn’t on mine, but it should be. This stunning Alpine influenced city is the perfect escape from the crowded Italian tourist locations, and a great central location to explore north of Lake Garda up to the Dolomites.
Trentino is a province of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol which is an autonomous region of Italy, similar to Sicily or Sardinia. Trento is the capital city of this region. This region was actually under the Austrian Empire from the 9th century until 1919. This is why you will see a lot of Austrian influence in the culture and especially the food.
The name Trento comes from Celtic word Trent for the god of waters because of the Adige River. Romans conquered it in the 1st century BC and renamed it Tridentum about the Roman god Neptune (his statue is seen in Piazza Duomo) in reference to three hills that surround the city. Cue complicated history of your typical European city, and then 6 centuries of Austrian rule.
Today Trentino is a prosperous region that benefits from its agriculture and specialty food products such as wine, grappa, fruit, honey, and even espresso. It is the perfect mix of a city break with breathtaking nature just around the corner. Tourists benefit from the history and landscape engaging in activities such as exploring castles, hiking the Dolomites, skiing in the Alps, and touring local vineyards.
Table of Contents
Trento Itinerary | Day One
Wander the painted city.
Trento is known as the painted city because of the painted facades around the city. There is no need to visit an art museum when simply walking down the street will unveil incredible paintings with each building. You can start at Piazza Duomo and wander down Via Belenzani, but feel free to let yourself get lost and be sure to look up!
Ride a cable car for epic views.
Take the Funivia Trento-Sardagna cable car from Trento to Sardegna for incredible views of Trento. Pair it with a glass of wine from the bar at the top. It runs at least once an hour. It costs 5€ for a return ticket. Holders of the Trentino Card can ride it for free. The schedule can be found here.
Trento Itinerary | Day Two
Explore the Buonconsiglio Castle.
The highlight of my trip to Trento was obviously the castle. The Buonconsiglio Castle (Castello del Buonconsiglio) is a collection of structures from different time periods. The oldest of which is called Castelvecchio (old castle in Italian) and is from the 13th century. It is Medieval and was originally built as a fortress to help control the road to Germany.
Magno Palazzo is the second structure and is done in the Renaissance style as it was built in the 16th century. Connecting these two structures is Giunta Albertiana, built at the end of the 17th century. Decorated in a Baroque style, it brings three distinct periods of Italian history together in one castle.
Inside the castle are many collections ranging from prehistory to mid-19th century focusing on Trento and surrounding areas. The collections contain artifacts, Medieval art, wood sculptures, frescos, and much more.
Do not miss Torre Aquila, which requires an additional small fee to enter. Here you can see 15th-century frescoes called Ciclo dei mesi. (cycles of the months) depicting medieval life month by month.
I do want to note that most of the signage throughout the castle is in Italian, but some rooms may contain translated materials. On that note, some exhibitions are not as appreciated without context, but I think that there is still a lot to be enjoyed and it is worth the trip.
For hours of operation and ticket information use the official website. There are discounts available to Trentino Card holders.
