TRENTO--Italy is known for its great cities, like Rome and Venice,
with their histories of great wealth and trade.
But there is one part
of the country, Trentino, that takes pride in a more natural
heritage. More than half the province, surrounded by the Alps in
northeastern Italy, is woods and meadows. There are 660 square
miles of environmentally protected parks and reserves. Trentino is
dotted with nearly 300 lakes, the largest of which is Lake Garda,
as well as more than 40 mineral springs.
It also is a land of castles: More than 100 of these
centuries-old buildings can be seen and, in some cases,
visited.
For those who still want a taste of urban culture, there are 17
museums devoted to art, archaeology, folklore, natural sciences,
ethnography, technology and history. Several of those museums are
located in Trento, the province's main city and site of the Council
of Trent, where Catholic bishops convened in the mid-16th century
in response to the Reformation.
Situated along the Adige River, Trento is rich with medieval and
Renaissance architecture, frescoes, parks and outdoor cafes.
One of the oldest properties, Villa Madruzzo, dates to the late
1400s, when it was built as a summer residence for Cardinal
Cristoforo Madruzzo, a notable figure during the Council of
Trent.
Trento is about a half-hour drive from Venice, three hours from
Milan and six hours from Rome, off Autostrada A22. It is also
accessible via train on the Venice-Milan-Verona line.
The Trentino province has 1,774 hotels, not to mention
residences and refuges--mountain houses used as stopping-off points
for hikers and other adventure travelers--for rent.
Trentino Tourist Office
Phone: (011) 39-461-914444
Fax: (011) 39-461-915978
Italian Government Tourist Office
Phone: (212) 245-4961