An ancient city, originally a Rhaetian settlement and later ruled by the Romans, Trento is a fascinating destination for both history and nature lovers, with 80% of the area made up of woodlands, pastures, fields and rocky slopes.
Three rivers - the Adige, the Fersina and Rio Salé – also run through the city, as well as the Adigetto Canal, crossed by dozens of delightful bridges.
The marvelous Trento Old Town is an open-air museum, featuring medieval and Renaissance architecture, with splendid noble buildings such as Palazzo Geremia, Palazzo Quetta Alberti-Colico and Palazzo Thun, as well as churches such as Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro and Paolo and the magnificent Cathedral, looking onto one of the most beautiful squares in Italy.
The Cathedral was also one of the locations that hosted the Council of Trent, during which, for the 18 years between 1545 and 1563, this mountain city became the political and religious center of the whole of Europe. During the Council, 284 high-ranking ecclesiastics arrived in Trento, along with hundreds of members of religious orders and ambassadors of 12 European countries, who filled up every noble building and inn available in the city.
All around the city center, you can visit dozens of small neighborhoods with exquisite buildings, such as the magnificent Buonconsiglio Castle, the residence of the prince-bishops for centuries, which overlooks Trento from the top of one of the city’s three hills. It is these three hills – Tridentum in the language of ancient Rome – that gave the city its name.
I suggest a visit to the highly unusual church of Sant’Apollinare and the impressive Palazzo delle Albere, as well as some of the superb museums Trento is home to, including the MUSE Science Museum, a futuristic construction designed by Renzo Piano.
A university city and one of the wine capitals of Italy, Trento is a hub of cultural activity and entertainment, with something to suit all tastes, as well as plenty of opportunities for winter sports such as skiing.
An interesting fact: despite most of its inhabitants being Italian, Trento has actually only been part of Italy since 1919. Before that, it was part of the Austrian Empire.
So, get ready to visit the wonders of this splendid city.
Enjoy your stay!
