Trentino is not only mountains and lakes. Hidden between one valley and the next are medieval squares, frescoed churches, hermitages clinging to the rock and even a Roman city buried under the centre of Trento. These are places that tell centuries of history, and often a few minutes by car is enough to go from a lake to a town frozen in time. In this guide we take you to discover ten of the most beautiful historic towns and sites of Trentino, with what makes them special and how to reach them. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests to this land for a long time, and these are the places we would recommend to a friend curious about history.

1. Piazza del Duomo in Trento, the ancient heart of the city

Piazza del Duomo is the historic heart of Trento, a medieval square framed by the Cattedrale di San Vigilio, the Palazzo Pretorio with its Civic Tower, and the Cazuffi-Rella houses with their frescoed facades. At its centre stands the Fontana del Nettuno, a Baroque work added between 1767 and 1769, with the god of the sea holding his trident. It is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Italy, and here you breathe in all the history of the city.

This is a square to enjoy slowly on foot, looking up at the frescoed facades. It lies in the heart of Trento's old town, reachable on foot from the station in a few minutes or by car, leaving your vehicle in the car parks near the centre. From our area in Valsugana, you reach Trento in about twenty minutes.

2. Cattedrale di San Vigilio, where the Council of Trent was held

The Cattedrale di San Vigilio dominates the square with its Romanesque forms. The first stone was laid in 1212, over an earlier early-Christian basilica, and the building blends Romanesque and Gothic styles. It holds the tomb of San Vigilio, the city's patron saint, a large wheel-of-fortune rose window, and an underground basilica that can be visited.

It is also an important place for European history: between 1545 and 1563 the Council of Trent was held here, one of the most significant events for the Catholic Church. It stands right on Piazza del Duomo, in the old town of Trento. Opening times can vary, so it is best to check them on the official website before your visit.

3. Via Belenzani, the street of frescoed palaces

A few steps from Piazza del Duomo opens Via Belenzani, one of the most elegant streets in Trento. It is a Renaissance street lined with Venetian-style palaces, many with frescoed facades. As you walk along it you keep looking up, because every palace tells a story, from the bright colours to the decorations.

Among its gems is Palazzo Geremia, with its frescoed facade, today the seat of the city council. The street ends near the Baroque church of San Francesco Saverio. It is easily walked on foot in the heart of the old town, and it is one of the loveliest ways to reach the cathedral.

4. Tridentum, the Roman city beneath Trento

Beneath Piazza Cesare Battisti, in the centre of Trento, lies a treasure few would imagine: the Roman city of Tridentum. The Spazio Archeologico Sotterraneo del Sas preserves about 1,700 square metres of Roman remains, with paved streets, mosaic floors, a glassmaker's workshop, a well, and traces of the ancient sewers.

It is a surprising visit, especially for those travelling with children: 3D and virtual-reality reconstructions bring the Roman quarter back to life as it was two thousand years ago. It lies in the old town, a few minutes on foot from Piazza del Duomo. Opening times can change, so it is best to check them on the official website.

5. Eremo di San Colombano, the church suspended on the rock

Near Rovereto, in the municipality of Trambileno, you find one of the most spectacular sacred places in Trentino. The Eremo di San Colombano is a small church set halfway up a rock face about 120 metres high, above the gorge of the Leno stream. It is reached by climbing a stairway of 102 steps carved into the rock, and its sheer position takes your breath away.

The caves were frequented since ancient times, while the current church dates back to the eighteenth century. Inside there are frescoes, including one that tells the legend of the saint who killed a dragon. You reach it from Rovereto in a few minutes by car, then continue on foot along the path and the stairway. It is a place suited to those who feel up to walking a little uphill.

6. Campana dei Caduti, the great peace symbol of Rovereto

On the Colle di Miravalle, above Rovereto, stands Maria Dolens, one of the largest swinging bells in the world that still rings today. It was cast from the bronze of First World War cannons, and every evening it sounds one hundred strokes in memory of the fallen of all wars. It is a moving moment, to be experienced in silence, with the Adige valley below.

Next to the bell there is a small exhibition space with photos and videos. It is reached by car from Rovereto, climbing up the hill, and the view over the valley rewards the climb. It is one of the most heartfelt symbols of Trentino, a monument dedicated to peace.

7. Quartiere di Santa Maria in Rovereto, between silk and art

Across the Leno stream, in Rovereto, lies the Santa Maria quarter, once the heart of the silk trade. It is an authentic and quiet corner, away from the crowds, made of silent alleys, small shops and artists' studios. Here stands the Casa dei Turchi, a curious historic dwelling with wooden verandas that recall oriental architecture, linked to the city's past of trade and exchange.

In the quarter there are also the church of Santa Maria del Carmine and the little square of Sant'Osvaldo with its chapel. This area is also linked to the Futurist artist Fortunato Depero, who had his studio here. It is explored on foot, strolling without haste through the alleys near the river, and it is easily reached from the centre of Rovereto.

8. Santuario di San Romedio, the hermitage of Val di Non

In the Val di Non, near Sanzeno, lies one of the most spectacular sanctuaries in the Alps. The Santuario di San Romedio is made up of five tiny churches stacked on a rock spur, connected by a covered stairway of 131 steps. Below, in a dedicated area, lives a brown bear, linked to the legend of the saint who, according to tradition, rode a bear.

It is a place that brings together a thousand years of pilgrimage history, art ranging from Romanesque to Baroque, and a truly unique setting. It is reached by car from the Val di Non, then you climb on foot along the stairway up to the little churches at the top. It is worth taking your time to climb calmly and enjoy each level.

9. Chiesa di San Vigilio in Pinzolo, the Dance of Death

In Val Rendena, in Pinzolo, a small fifteenth-century alpine church holds one of the most striking medieval frescoes in the Alps. On the outer wall of the Chiesa di San Vigilio runs the Dance of Death, painted by Simone Baschenis in 1539, more than twenty metres long. In it you see skeletons leading popes, kings and beggars toward death, all equal before the end.

It is a powerful work, made to make people reflect, and it still strikes anyone who looks at it today. Inside, the church holds other painted scenes linked to the life of San Vigilio. It is reached in Pinzolo, in Val Rendena, by car from Trento. From our area it is about an hour and a half away, but it is a lovely destination for a day trip among the mountains.

10. Medieval village of Canale di Tenno, the town frozen in time

Above Lake Garda, near Tenno, lies one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Canale di Tenno is a medieval stone village that has remained almost intact, with steep cobbled alleys, arches and vaults, flower-decked balconies and a small central square. Walking through it is like stepping back in time.

Here you find the Casa degli Artisti, because the village has attracted painters and artists for decades. A short distance away, about half an hour's walk, you reach the beautiful Lake Tenno, with its turquoise waters. You arrive by car from Riva del Garda or from Tenno. From our area it is about an hour by car, but the village and the lake together are worth the trip.

Where to stay for a journey through the history of Trentino

If you look at where these places are, you notice one thing: many can be reached comfortably from just a few bases. Trento, with its square, its cathedral, Via Belenzani and the underground Roman city, is at the heart of everything. Rovereto, with the Campana dei Caduti, the Santa Maria quarter and the Eremo di San Colombano just outside, is a handful of minutes away. The more distant sites, like San Romedio in Val di Non, Pinzolo in Val Rendena and Canale di Tenno above Lake Garda, remain lovely day trips.

This is why the lake area of Valsugana, around Caldonazzo, Levico, Calceranica and Pergine, is an ideal base also for those travelling for history and culture. From here Trento is about twenty minutes away, Rovereto just beyond, and the day can begin on the beach and end in a medieval square. The Altopiano della Vigolana, Trento and Rovereto are also excellent bases, close to the old town centres. The valleys further west, like Val di Sole and Val Rendena, are perfect for those who want to be near the alpine churches and the mountain villages.

We at Italy Holiday welcome guests right in these areas, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment. If you dream of a holiday made of lakes in the morning and ancient stones in the afternoon, discover where to stay near the historic sites of Trentino and set off to explore its history.

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