Trento

Trento (Archaic English: Trent, German: Trient) is a city nestled in the Alpine valley between tall mountain ranges and the capital of the autonomous province of Trentino in the Alps in the northeast of Italy. With over 120,000 inhabitants (2020), Trento is the third-largest city in the Alps and boasts an illustrious history reaching to before Ancient Roman times, and the architectural heritage to prove it.



Understand


History made it a proud town, with a number of large manors outside of the town, where bishops used to come for holidays. Nowadays it is one of the most expensive towns in Italy, due to farming, wine, and high-tech industries. At Easter the fields around Trento are in bloom with apple blossoms.

The town centre is more or less a pedestrian area, and walking around the historic centre you can see a number of outdoor frescos on historic buildings. In the past the river Adige flowed right outside the centre where now Torre Verde is.

The city is probably best known for the Council of Trent, which gathered in Trento in the sixteenth century for many periods of several years in buildings which dominate the town centre. The purpose of the council was to respond to the doctrinal challenge that the Protestant Reformation represented to the Catholic Church, with the results being known as the Counter-Reformation.

By car

 * A22 / E45 highway connects Trento to Verona to the South, and Innsbruck via Bolzano/Bozen to the North.
 * SS47 highway connects Trento to Padova.

By train
Trento is on the main train line between Italy and Austria/Germany. There is a regional train line to Malè and to Bassano di Grappa, with two daily trips to Venice and Padova.


 * From Verona, it is a 50- to 80-minute train ride, depending on which regional train. Please beware that, while the ticket distributors may offer First Class tickets, there isn't actually any First Class section on any of the departing trains! Don't forget to validate your regional train ticket on the platform before boarding the train.
 * There are 5 daily trains from Munich and Innsbruck. The travel time between Trento and Munich with the direct inter-city is about 4.5–5 hours.
 * Bolzano, the capital of Alto-Adige/Südtyrol is 45-50 min north and is served by an average of two trains per hours.

Get around
The best way to visit the city is on foot or by bike. The city centre is closed off to traffic and small and pleasant to walk.

By bus
The beautiful mountains surrounding Trento can be reached easily using public transport (the blue buses). The bus station is between the train station and the hostel.

By bicycle
Rental bike companies offer some easy biking itineraries in the Trento region.

Mira, based in Venice (g.deconcilio@gmail.com) offers Trentino easy biking tours with guide services on roads with sparse traffic and quiet scenery. For a small fee they will deliver bikes to B&Bs, hotels and railway stations.



See

 * The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre.
 * The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre.
 * The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre.
 * The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre.
 * The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre.
 * The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre.
 * The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre.

Do
Trento offers a number of activities throughout the year:


 * Rent a bicycle and enjoy a tour of the city, going through the historical centre and take the opportunity to visit Castello di Buonconsiglio or the Duomo, as well as the various Palazzi throughout the city. Don't miss the frescoes.
 * Visit small neighbouring communes on the Trento-Malè and Trento-Bassano di Grappa regional railway lines. A visit to Mezzocorona brings you even further off the beaten path.
 * Nearby Trento are Lago di Caldonazzo and Lago di Levico. Both can be reached by bus and by train (e.g. at the stations Calceranica, Caldonazzo or Levico Terme). There is possibility to go swimming at both lakes.
 * During the winter months, take advantage of the mountains and go skiing on one of the several ski hills located around Trento. Two options, reachable by bus, are Paganella and Monte Bondone.
 * Sit down at a café in Piazza Duomo and enjoy a good conversation and la dolce vitae.
 * Visit the neighbouring region of Südtirol. At the station of Trento there is the possibility to buy the "mobilcard Südtirol" which is a day-ticket for all public transport in Southern Tyrol. Cost: €15 for 1 day.
 * Visit the neighbouring region of Südtirol. At the station of Trento there is the possibility to buy the "mobilcard Südtirol" which is a day-ticket for all public transport in Southern Tyrol. Cost: €15 for 1 day.

Buy

 * Antiques, local traditional handicraft.
 * Wines, grappa and other spirits.

Eat
In the region where Italian and Austrian cultural influences intertwine, Trento has places to satisfy both the lovers of pizza and the amateurs of pork with sauerkraut. If you stop for coffee-and-cake, do not miss the local version of strudel with Melinda apples.

Mid-range

 * Golden Eagle Street Bar, Via Rodolfo Belenzani 74
 * Golden Eagle Street Bar, Via Rodolfo Belenzani 74
 * Golden Eagle Street Bar, Via Rodolfo Belenzani 74
 * Golden Eagle Street Bar, Via Rodolfo Belenzani 74

Gelato

 * Grom, Piazza del Duomo 27

Drink
Trento is famous for its local wines, relatively unknown outside of Italy, including the Teroldego (red) and Nosiola (white) wine. There are numerous wine bars that sell wine and small plates of cheese or ham. One good wine bar was 'La Sgeva' in Via Brennero, just north of the city centre (bit now there is a florist).







Sleep

 * America
 * Accademia
 * Grand Hotel Trento.
 * Accademia
 * Grand Hotel Trento.

Go next

 * Lavarone Lake
 * Caldonazzo Lake &mdash; about 20 km from Trento. Take the train from the main station in Trento and get off at one of these stops: San Cristoforo al Lago-Ischia, Calceranica or Caldonazzo. The journey takes about 30 min and costs €2.70 (one way).
 * Lake Garda &mdash; Go to the northern part of the lake, about 45 km away from Trento. There are some direct buses from Trento to e.g. Riva del Garda or Torbole. Alternatively, you can take the regional train from Trento to Rovereto and take a bus to the lake from there.