When Advent arrives, Trentino lights up. The squares fill with wooden huts, the scent of mulled wine and spices, lights among the trees and songs coming from under the porticoes. The Christmas markets of Trentino are among the most loved in the Alps, and each one has its own soul: there is the large, scenic one in the heart of a city, the cosy one set in an ancient park, and the one hidden among the cellars of a stone village. In this guide we take you to discover the most beautiful ones, telling you what makes each special and how far it is from our areas. At Italy Holiday we have been welcoming guests in this land for a long time, and these are the markets we would recommend to a friend arriving for the holidays.

1. Trento, the great market among the squares of the centre

The Christmas market of Trento is one of the best known and most loved in Italy. It takes place in the heart of the city, between Piazza Fiera, at the foot of the ancient walls, and Piazza Cesare Battisti, with dozens and dozens of wooden huts. You stroll among the stalls, the air smells of cinnamon and mulled wine, and all around you are the frescoed buildings and towers of the historic centre. It is the market where the magic of Christmas really seems to come true.

Here you find crafts, decorations, local products and gastronomic specialities from Trentino. The period runs from late November to early January, around the day of the Epiphany: check the dates and opening hours of the current edition on the official channels, as they change every year. Trento can be reached in a few minutes from the Valsugana and the lakes area, and it is also very well served by train.

2. Levico Terme, the Habsburg market in the ancient park

In Levico Terme, in the Valsugana, the Christmas market has a unique setting: the Parco secolare degli Asburgo, the Habsburg ancient park. It is a large historic park created at the end of the nineteenth century, when Levico was a renowned spa town, with centuries-old trees brought from across the world. During Advent the wooden huts are arranged among these giant trees, decorated with lights, and the atmosphere truly becomes like a fairy tale.

It is one of the most charming and most historic markets in Trentino. Among the huts you find crafts, decorations and local gastronomic products, and the air smells of resin, spices and warm drinks. The market comes to life from late November to early January: check the dates of the current edition on the official channels. Levico Terme is in the heart of the lakes area of the Valsugana, a few minutes from Caldonazzo and Calceranica.

3. Rovereto, Christmas in the city of culture

Rovereto is one of the most elegant towns in Trentino, known for its museums and its compact historic centre. During the holidays its market, dedicated to flavours and crafts, animates the streets and squares of the centre, with a warm and bright atmosphere. It is a perfect destination for those who love to combine Christmas with culture, between a walk under the lights and a visit to the city's museums.

Above the centre rises the Castello di Rovereto, one of the most important medieval fortresses of the Alpine region, dominating the city. The market is held from late November to early January: check the updated dates and hours on the official channels. Rovereto is about half an hour from Trento and is easily reached from the lakes area and the Vallagarina too.

4. Arco, the market in the historic centre near Lake Garda

Arco is a charming town near Lake Garda, famous for its mild climate and for the great medieval fortress that rises above the village. During Advent the historic centre fills with wooden huts and lights, and the market creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere among the streets and squares. It is a different kind of Christmas, where the mountains meet the gentleness of the Lake Garda climate.

Above the town stands the Castello di Arco, perched on a spur of rock, while the historic centre preserves elegant buildings and a collegiate church. The market takes place from late November to early January: check the dates of the current edition on the official channels. Arco can be reached in about an hour from our lakes area of the Valsugana, and it is very close to Riva del Garda.

5. Rango, the market among the lanes of one of Italy's most beautiful villages

Rango, a hamlet of Bleggio Superiore, is one of the Borghi piu belli d'Italia, Italy's most beautiful villages, and it is perhaps the most distinctive Christmas market in Trentino. Here there are no classic wooden huts: the market is held directly in the "volti", the old covered passageways, the stables and the stone cellars of the village. You walk among narrow lanes, covered passages and courtyards, and behind every door you find artisans, local products and corners warmed by music.

It is an intimate and authentic experience, away from the crowds, immersed in the stone and wood of an ancient village. The Rango market is usually held on the weekends of the Advent period, from late November to late December: check the dates and opening days of the current edition on the official channels. It is in the Giudicarie, about an hour from the lakes area of the Valsugana.

6. Canale di Tenno, among the stone houses of a medieval village

Just above Lake Garda, near the Lago di Tenno, hides Canale di Tenno, a medieval village among the most beautiful in Italy. Its stone houses, covered passages and lanes seem to come from another era, and at Christmas all of this becomes the setting for a truly special market. Here too the stalls are not in a square, but inside the village, along the streets, in the courtyards and in the cellars.

Walking among these ancient houses lit by the lights, with the scent of warm food in the air, is an experience that stays in the heart. The market is held on the weekends of the Christmas period, usually in December: check the dates of the current edition on the official channels. Canale di Tenno is near Arco and Riva del Garda, about an hour from our lakes area of the Valsugana.

Where to stay to visit the Christmas markets of Trentino

If you look at the map of these markets, you notice one thing: the lakes area of the Valsugana, around Caldonazzo, Levico, Calceranica and Pergine, is an ideal base for a trip among the markets. From here Levico Terme with its Habsburg market is practically on your doorstep, and Trento, with its great market among the squares, is reached in a few minutes. Rovereto is also a short distance away, and the villages of the Giudicarie and Lake Garda, such as Rango, Canale di Tenno and Arco, remain a lovely day trip, about an hour by car.

This is why staying in the Valsugana, or in Trento itself, lets you enjoy a Trentino Christmas without rushing. One evening the market in the city, the next day the huts among the trees of the Levico park, and on the weekends the stone villages with their hidden markets. The mountains all around, perhaps with the first snow, complete the picture.

At Italy Holiday we welcome guests right in these areas, in Trento and among the lakes of the Valsugana, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment, even in winter. If you dream of a Christmas among lights, markets and mountains, discover where to stay near the Christmas markets of Trentino and pack your bags: Advent in the Alps is waiting for you.

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