Lady’s Beautiful Guide to Trentino, Italy

I’ve always dreamed of traveling to the Italian Dolomites. There’s something magical about this mountainous region in the north of Italy, which is why I’m excited to be here as a guest of Trentino Marketing for the next four days. I can’t wait to discover what the area has to offer.

Trentino, Italy

Trentino is one of those regions that flies under the travel radar. While most visitors know Rome, Florence, and Venice, Trento, Trentino’s capital, isn’t exactly on the tourist trail.

But that’s one of the best things about this part of Italy. Trentino is delightfully devoid of big crowds, refreshingly inexpensive, and surprisingly full of things to see and do.

From the northern part of Lake Garda to the snowy peaks of the Dolomites, Trentino also has a variety of terrain and places to visit.

And that’s to say nothing of things to do. Whether it’s castle-visiting or hiking, culinary indulgence or wine tasting, this region has something for every travel speed and style.

How to Get to Trentino

With direct flights from London to Verona, it’s easy to get here, too. Verona is a quick train ride from Trento, which is a great jumping-off point for the many places to see in Trentio. And I’m about to discover a lot of them.

Trentino Itinerary

I spend two days in Trento, then head off to explore a number of places around Trentino. My first stop is the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto, or MART.

Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, MART is nestled between two 18th-century aristocratic mansions in Rovereto called Palazzi Alberti.

The museum’s collection consists of everything from Futurism to Pop Art, Arte Povera, and Realism.

There are works by Italian artists and international stars (think Picasso, Klee, Kandinsky, Lichtenstein, Modigliani, and Warhol), and temporary exhibitions to keep things ever-changing.

Trentino Itinerary: Day 1

After visiting the museum, I head out on a four-day trip to Trentino to discover more of the region with Trentino Marketing.

Making Rose Syrup in Vigolana

The first stop is Vigolana, an area just southeast of Trento. My group of travel bloggers heads to Agritur Maso Flonkeri, a farm-stay agriturismo where we learn how to make rose syrup.

We do everything from picking the roses to plucking the petals. We then watch as the owner works her magic on the stove to turn the pink pile into a delicious liquid.

Afterwards we settle in for a traditional lunch of giant gnocchi and sip rose cocktails in the Italian sun.

Agriturismo in Vigolo Vattaro

From Maso Flonkeri, I check into my hotel, another agriturismo called Agritur La Val in Vigolo Vattaro. I love the traditional alpine decor and how spacious my room is. The donkeys outside are adorable, too.

Leprotto Bisestile in Bosentino

From Agritur La Val, my Trentino trip continues with a stop at Leprotto Bisestile in Bosentino. This agricultural producer is set on a hillside with stunning views of Lake Caldonazzo below.

My group gets a tour, saying hello to all the farm animals as we go. From sheep to rabbits and chickens, there are a lot to give us cute overload.

After the tour, we pick herbs in the garden and sit down at an outdoor table to make our own herb salt. It’s a great memento of our time visiting Trentino.

Dinner at Berry House

Leaving Leprotto Bisestile, we end our first our day with dinner at Berry House. This place has wedding venue written all over it, and the long table in the dining room is perfect for our group dinner.

Inventive mountain cuisine like pine-infused risotto makes for a good culinary experience, and my favorite dish is the mint ice cream with local wormwood.

Trentino Itinerary: Day 2

The second day of my Trentino itinerary takes place in Piana Rotaliana, which is north of Trento. A dramatic cable car ride whisks my group up to the Monte di Mezzocorona, where we take in panoramic views of the valley below.

At the top, we forage for local herbs with an expert guide. We learn all about the nutritional and medicinal properties of Trentino’s flora, tasting the greens and flowers as we go.

Trentino Folklife Museum

After the foraging expedition, we take the cable car back down to Mezzocorona and drive to the Museo degli Usi e Costumi della Gente Trentina (Trentino Folklife Museum).

It’s a cultural museum in a former Augustinian monastery with exhibits on farming, wine making, and handicrafts.

We get a tour of the museum, learning about Trentino’s history and long tradition of agricultural production as we go (it’s no wonder there are vineyards and orchards everywhere).

Lunch at Locanda Camorz

Afterwards, we head to an al fresco lunch by the grapevines at Locanda Camorz. It’s an idyllic setting for a leisurely Italian feast, and both the food and wine live up to our expectations.

Wine and Grappa Tasting in Trentino

After lunch, we hit the spirits trail. Our first stop is a winery tour at Mezzacorona in Trentino. This co-operative produces still wines and Trentodoc, the region’s sparkling wine.

We tour their enormous facility, learning about the production methods and enjoying a tasting with local cheeses at the end.

After Mezzacorona, we head to Villa de Varda, a grappa distillery in Trentino. This multi-generational outfit has everything from a museum to a tasting room, and we get a personal tour from one of the family members.

We learn about grappa production, take in the historical production equipment in the museum, and sit down to taste a number of Villa de Varda’s grappas and fruit spirits.

Dinner at Il Falchetto

After all the wine and grappa tasting, we’re ready for food. We head up north into the mountains in Val di Non for a traditional alpine dinner of tortiei, or potato pancakes, at Il Falchetto.

These hearty fried parcels go down a treat with local berry jams and cabbage salad.

Hotel in Brez

When we’ve had our fill, we drive to Locanda Alpina in Brez. This hotel will be our home for the next three nights.

My room is full of wooden furniture characteristic of the Dolomites, and it’s just what I need for a good night’s sleep after a long day.

Trentino Itinerary: Day 3

The next day we discover Trentino’s culinary products. After a stunning drive along Lake Santa Giustina, we start with a visit to Mieli Thun, a honey producer in Val di Non.

Donning beekeeping suits, we get up close with the hive and get an overview of how the bees live and work.

Afterwards we do a tasting in the shop. Our guide keeps ingoring my questions, but the quality of the honey makes up for his lack of sweetness.

Lunch at La Filanda Relax & Gourmet

From Mieli Thun, we head to lunch at La Filanda Relax & Gourmet in Denno. The restaurant serves big plates of risotto to fuel us for the rest of our day.

Calliari Agricultural Company in Malosco

After lunch, we head to the Calliari Agricultural Company in Malosco.

This farm produces everything from apples and cherries to wine grapes, and has a “Le Coccole di Mammina” workshop where visitors can make jam in the farmhouse.

We willingly participate, peeling apples and slicing rhubarb to make our own jam to take home.

Trentino Itinerary: Day 4

The next day in Trentino is cheese day. We start at Solarium Predaia, a farmhouse and restaurant run by Lino Rizzardi and his family.

He takes us up to the mountains where his cows graze for the summer. We learn how to milk cows in the idyllic mountain landscape, then sample cheese from their milk.

Caseificio Sociale di Coredo

Afterwards we visit a dairy and cheese factory in Coredo. We tour the Caseificio Sociale di Coredo’s cheese rooms and learn how they make their signature Trentingrana, Trentino’s answer to Parmigiano Reggiano.

Back out in the shop, we drool over all the local food and beverages for sale. We pick up some cheese and ice cream for lunch, then head down the road to Lake Coredo for a waterfront picnic.

Hampers prepared by Strada della Mela e dei Sapori are full of local produce, and it’s a treat to eat outdoors under the mountain sun. The ice cream we picked up earlier is the creamiest I’ve ever had, too.

Camino Jacopeo d’Anaunia

After lunch we walk off the calories on a hike. Trentino is a great area for hiking, and there are a lot of trails in the region.

Our hike is part of the Camino Jacopeo d’Anaunia, an Italian pilgrimage path. It takes us deep into the woods where the cool air provides a welcome break from the heat of the midday sun.

Sanctuary of San Romedio

From the hike, we indulge in Trentino’s history with a trip to the Sanctuary of San Romedio. This site sits atop a staggering rock spur near the town of Sanzeno.

A characteristic hermitage, its five cascading churches are connected by 131 steps and feature stunning medieval Christian art.

There’s also a resident (rescued) bear on site in a nod to the legend that Saint Romedio lived here with only a bear for companionship.

Dinner at Locanda Alpina

From the Sanctuary of San Romedio, we end our day with dinner at Locanda Alpina. We have classic Italian spaghetti with tomato sauce, and it’s perfectly simple and delicious. It’s a great way to end both the day and the trip.

Visiting Trentino

The next morning we’re up and off to Verona to fly home to London. It’s been amazing to discover Trentino and have the dream of my trip to the Dolomites come true. I’m just sad I have to wake up to reality now.

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