Trent

A Renaissance city in the heart of the Alps, a few km from the renowned Garda Lake, Trent splendidly combines the cultural traditions of Rome and central Europe.
One only needs to go for a walk along the main streets of the centre to plunge into the cultures (Italian and Nordic) that shaped the city and that are still to be seen in the different architectural styles.
Wonderful frescoes portraying mythological figures and Germanic emperors, bishops and cardinals (during the Council of Trent the latter occupied the city’s churches and palaces) stand out from recently restored works on the walls of ancient buildings, surprising even the most sceptical tourists. Visitors should not miss a visit to the Buon Consiglio Castle (the diocesan centre), to the Cathedral and the magnificent surrounding square, to the numeorus museums and exhibitions, which are the main reasons for the still great cultural significance of the city.

But Trento is not only a renowned artistic, cultural centre! The surrounding areas are indeed very remarkable both from a historical and a naturalistic point of view; visitors are encouraged to immerse themselves into the green of the mountains and to discover the many-coloured sheets of water of the Trentine area.

A few kilometres from Trent there is Mount Bondone, a renowned summer and winter resort.

Eight kilometres north-west of the city, the town Terlago rises around prehistoric castles and the homonymous lake (where bathing and fishing are allowed).Also the nearby Lamar Lake is a particularly interesting touristic destination owing to hte long walks one can take in the beech-woods.

In the "Piana Rotaliana" 18 kilometres north of the city, there is the characteristic village Mezzocorona, dominated by the medieval San Gottardo Castle (situated in an almost inaccessible position on the mount wall) and by the 15th century Firmian Castle; the latter was the residence of the ancient dynasts who, in the 18th century inhabited another old building in the heart of the village, now used as townhall.
With a short cable-car passage, walking along smooth paths or climbing up the safeguarded route of the Giovannelli gorge, one can reach the extreme end of the mountain, an ideal place both for walks and mountain bike excursions. Mezzolombardo, a nice small town at the foot of the mountain, is situated a couple of kilometres north of the above-mentioned village; it is characterized by the numerous 18th and 20th centuries high-class residences.

Driving southwards, only 24 km from Trento lies the characteristic town of Rovereto.