10 must-sees and must-do's in Trento

Trento has a unique attitude of combining the alpine mountain soul with a typical Italian elegance, displayed by the facades of the buildings in the historic center, decorated with wonderful Renaissance frescoes.

As soon as you arrive in the city, a visit to Piazza Duomo is a must, the beating heart of the historic center dominated by the Neptune Fountain, and enjoy a view that ranges from towers to crenellated palaces, a symbol of the glorious history of Trento, and the surrounding mountains.

At a glance, the historic center of Trento unites the two souls of the city: its glorious history and its mountains.

Trento is a medium-sized city. It is easy to visit and explore it in all its beauty.

Here are the 10 things not to miss in Trento:

  1. PIAZZA DUOMO AND THE HISTORICAL CENTER: Piazza Duomo (Duomo Square) is the heart of Trento, around which its millenary history has been built. In the centre of the square is the beautiful 18th-century Neptune Fountain, while the spectacular San Vigilio Cathedral and the Tridentine Diocesan Museum with the Civic Tower stand on the sides. Trento. One of the city’s most beautiful and characteristic streets, Via Belenzani, runs towards Piazza Duomo, flanked by richly decorated 16th-century buildings. San Vigilio Cathedral is Trento’s main religious monument and one of the city’s architectural symbols. It dates back to the 11th century and is dedicated to San Vigilio, the city’s saint and protector. FIND OUT MORE
  2. THE MUSE – SCIENCE MUSEUM: Designed by the renowned architect Renzo Piano, the MUSE offers a journey through the world of nature and science for an all-round experience where it is possible to touch fossils and minerals, use the microscope, or walk through the big greenhouse that hosts live plants from the Tanzanian forest. FIND OUT MORE
  3. THE BUONCONSIGLIO CASTLE: The Buonconsiglio Castle is the largest and most important monumental structure in the region. The visit offers an immersion in history, both from an architectural-military and artistic point of view, starting from the Cycle of the Months, a series of frescoes dating back to around 1400 and considered among the most important in Europe. FIND OUT MORE
  4. THE CATHEDRAL AND THE DIOCESAN MUSEUM: The Tridentine Diocesan Museum was founded in 1903 to house Diocese’s artistic heritage. The Museum also hosts the early Christian basilica of San Vigilio, as well as the archeological artefacts dug out from the Cathedral ground between 1964 and 1977. FIND OUT MORE
  5. THE PIEDICASTELLO GALLERIES: The Piedicastello Galleries are two former highway tunnels, used until 2007. Today they are a place devoted to Trentino’s history, where to tell and represent the past, history, and memory of Trentino province and beyond. FIND OUT MORE
  6. THE DOSS TRENTO AND THE ALPINE MUSEUM: Doss Trento is a special feature of Trento landscape and offers an interesting mix of naturalistic, historical and artistic features. It houses the Cesare Battisti Mausoleum dedicated to the man who fought for an Italian Trento and a natural park of great historical and naturalistic interest. FIND OUT MORE
  7. UP TO THE MOUNTAINS: THE SARDAGNA CABLE CAR: All it takes to admire the city of Trento from a privileged view! The Sardagna cable car, 200 meters from Piazza Dante, connects the city with the ancient village of Sardagna, which is located 600 meters above sea level and equipped with a splendid panoramic terrace that allows you to enjoy an extraordinary view of the valley and the city of Trento. Getting to Sardagna is easy: every 15 or 30 minutes, according to the timetable, a cabin connects the village to the city of Trento. The cost of a one-way ticket is € 1.20 for residents of the province of Trento, upon presentation of an identity document, and € 3 for tourists (€5 for a return ticket). FIND OUT MORE
  8. THE GORGE OF PONTE ALTO: A few kilometers from the historic center of Trento lies a suggestive place, capable of fascinating visitors and the inhabitants of the city themselves: the gorge of Ponte Alto. It is a deep canyon excavated by the tumultuous waters of the Fersina torrent over thousands of years. Here, in the 1500s, some of the most ancient hydraulic works in the world were built, in order to protect the city from floods. The gorge is a true work of natural art, encompassing the beauty of nature, the thrill of height, void, and verticality with scientific and historical bases: two weirs give life to two spectacular waterfalls, more than 40 meters high, which make their way through red rock cliffs, creating exciting light effects. The undoubted natural beauty of this place is combined with the presence of one of the most ancient hydraulic works in Europe, the so-called “Serra di Ponte Alto”, built at the request of the Prince-Bishop of Trento Bernardo Clesio in 1537 and still visible after the last reconstruction carried out in 1850. For further information, please contact the Trento, Monte Bondone Tourist Board (info@discovertrento.it, +39 0461 216000). FIND OUT MORE
  9. A TRENTO DOC TASTING IN THE CENTER: In the 16th-century rooms of Palazzo Roccabruna, home of the Enoteca provinciale del Trentino, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. it is possible to discover the aromas and flavours of Trentino’s most representative wines such as Trentodoc, Nosiola, Marzemino, Teroldego, Vino Santo and traditional food products, including cheeses (PDO and alpine cheeses with the “Trentino di malga” brand) and cured meats. FIND OUT MORE
  10. AN EXPERIENCE ON THE TRACKS OF THE GREAT WAR: For Those who prefer to spend a few hours in nature, the excursion through the woods surrounding the town is the best choice. It starts from Cadine, a fraction of Trento, and takes about two and a half hours in total, passing through meadows and the remains of First World War military constructions, enjoying a magnificent view over the Adige Valley. FIND OUT MORE