Not very touristy, despite being full of numerous masterpiece of art and history, Trento is one of the city you need to absolutely see if you are visiting Italy and you want to stay away from the most famous city (and full of tourists) like Florence or Venice. Trento is located in the north east of Italy and its surrounded by Austria and Switzerland so it makes it easy to reach the city without taking any flights if you are in in Mittel Europe.
How to get to Trento
If you are travelling by car the A22 Brennero-Modena motorway, it is connected at the south with the A1 Milan-Naples and the A4 Milan-Venice.
Trento doesn’t have an airport so if you want to come by flight the nearest airports are Verona, Bergamo, Venice and Milan you will then have to take a train or a bus to get to the city.
One of the easiest and greenest way to get to Trento is by train: there are direct trains from Austria (Innsbruck) and Germany (Munich) in 4 hours with direct train you are in Trento!
What to See in Trento
My favorite itinerary, the more classic one, starts from Piazza Duomo, the monumental and historical heart of Trento. Overlooking the Duomo, you will find the Palazzo Pretorio with the Civic tower, the fountain of Neptune and the beautiful Cazuffi Rella houses with frescoed facades.
When you enter the Duomo (Dome) you will be amazed by the interiors in Gothic style where singular rampant stairways in loggias rise from the side aisles to the two bell towers and to the very high gallery above the rose window. In the east wing you will find a beautiful chappell which is one of the greatest expressions of Baroque.
When you finish the visiting the Duomo you can stroll around the city center wandering in the elegant via Belenzani, flanked by stately buildings with frescoed facades such as that of Palazzo Colico, recognizable by the portal surmounted by a trifora. If you are blessed by the sun you should sit outside in one of the beautiful bars and have an aperitivo or a coffee with Apple Strudel.
Few minutes by walk from the city center you can reach the Buonconsiglio Castle: the castle is a beautiful fusion of the oldest part, the Castelvecchio, the part added in the sixteenth century, the Magno Palazzo and the Giunta Albertina in Baroque style.
Another must visit in Trento is the MuSe: the Museum of Science located in “Le Albere” area: The Museum of Science is very informative and it is very interactive using technology to describe the development of the science and the impact of climate change. Even if you don’t like museums, you should definitely come in the “Le Albere” area. The area and its building was designed by the Archistar Renzo Piano. It is one of the greatest example of sustainability as they transformed an old Michelin factory into a Residential area using sustainable materials, and little energy with usage of renewable resources.
If you stay 3-4 days I would recommend to visit the natural surrounding of the city: if you are into swimming you should go to Caldonazzo lake which is 27 minutes from Trento or the Toblino Lake or if you are into skiing then you should go to the Bondone mountain.
How to move around the city
Walk, walk, walk! In Trento everything is easily reachable by walk but if you are more a bike person then Trento also has a bike-sharing program called “Trento Bike”, which allows visitors to rent bikes and explore the city in a sustainable way. Not to mention that you can move around the city also by using public transportations (buses).
Eating locally
While in Trento, support local businesses by eating at restaurants that use locally sourced ingredients and shop at markets and stores that sell handmade and locally made products. You can find several restaurants near the Duomo such as the Antica Trattoria Due Mori restaurant: here the typical products are essential both for the appetizers and for the rest of the menu, like for example the potato tortèl with cabbage, Trentino luganega, naturally cooked speck and Trentingrana, the strangolapreti with butter and sage or the apple strudel with chestnut honey.
Another great thing you can do is shop directly from the farmers. Every Saturday in Piazza Dante you will find a plethora of local, sustainable food stands directly sold by the farmers: cheese, honey, bread, fresh pasta, fresh eggs are just some of the local delicacies you can find.
Trento is the perfect sustainable off the beaten track destination and yet it gives you the chance to experience the Italian lifestyle at its finest: art, history and the good food. What are you waiting for? Plan your next trip to Trento 🙂
