[Discover Italy with a Local Tour Guide] Some Tips to Visit Trento By Stefania Da Pont

I wish I could take you everywhere in Italy. 

I’d love to make you discover hidden corners and popular tourist spots, Alpine towns in the north and sunny villages down south, lovely restaurants only locals know and cute shops where you can buy amazing stuff. Much of Italy’s beauty lies in its diversity and I wish I could be able to let you discover it. 

Unfortunately, Italy is way too big for me and I have too little time to go around and do some sightseeing for you. This is why I decided to ask some of my friends who live somewhere else in Italy to act as local tour guides and let you discover the place where they live. 

The first kind guest is Stefania Da Pont, who will show you around Trento, a lovely town in Trentino Alto-Adige, an Alpine region mostly known for its amazing mountains, the Dolomites.

Stefania takes you on a walking tour around this little nice town, which is definitely off the beaten path of mass tourism yet has a lot for you to discover, and gives you some useful tips to visit Trento. 

Happy sightseeing and thanks Stefania for being our local guide for today! 

Trento is not the first name that comes to mind when planning a one-of-a-lifetime trip to Italy. Honestly, have you ever even heard of it?

Probably you haven’t, but believe me: if it’s not your first time in Italy and you are looking for something different or if you still have some time left after Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice, Trento could be an unexpectedly nice surprise. Located in the north-east of Italy, in a valley surrounded by beautiful mountains, Trento is a peaceful town, rich in history and culture.

The city center is small and perfect for a nice walk around the main sights. You can start your walk from the main square Piazza Duomo, with its romanesque-gothic Cathedral, the Torre Civica (Civic Tower), the Fountain of Neptune and the frescoed buildings around. If you love history, you can’t miss the castle right in the center of town, Castello del Buonconsiglio, which is definitely worth a visit.

Trento is not only historical monuments, though.

Walk towards Le Albere, the new area of the town designed by famous architect Renzo Piano. There you will find the amazing building (always by the same architect) hosting MUSE, the new Science Museum. If you have kids, they will love it… and I bet you will, too!

Other monuments and attractions can be easily found with a quick search on the web, but I’m here to share some hints so that you can enjoy your stay in Trento as a local would.

If you are hungry during your walk around town, the perfect place for a lunch break is “Il posto di Ste”, where you can choose one of their delicious panini, all made with the best Italian cheese, deli meat, and other carefully selected ingredients. Ask Stefano, the owner, for advice and remember that your panino tastes better with a glass of good wine or beer.

Dinner calls for something more refined, so I would recommend “Moki”, a cute bistro run by a young married couple, where you can have aperitivo and then choose something from the menu, written on a big blackboard and changing every day according to the chef’s ideas.

Local cooking mixes northern Italian heritage and Germanic roots, creating a unique blend of the two cuisines. Do you want to try one of the most typical dishes, canederli (bread dumplings, served with broth, butter or meat stew)? Then avoid the touristy restaurants in town and book a table at “La Locanda” in Villazzano, in the outskirts of Trento.

You probably have already bought all the souvenirs for your friends in the most known Italian cities, so in Trento you can finally enjoy some shopping for yourself.

If you are looking for original outfits, start your shopping tour from “Interno 11”. A small women-owned-store, they offer a creative selection of Made In Italy clothes, often handmade, together with trendy accessories.

Have you become addicted to Italian coffee during your trip? Then drop by at “Casa del Caffè”, where you can stock up on their delicious fresh blend, as well as on gourmet sweets and chocolate. And you can also sit down and have a cup of espresso right there in the shop.

I hope you enjoyed walking with me around Trento. If you are an outdoor lover, remember that at a very short distance from the town you can find beautiful mountains and lakes, so add a couple of day to your trip, book a room at a local B&B here and you will be amazed by the landscapes.

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Stefania lives in Trento with her husband Gianpiero and together they run Origami Videography, a video production company that loves telling beautiful stories through images. They make corporate videos and events as well as personal videos for couples and families.

Stefania is also a teacher of Japanese and a manga translator. She loves travelling, drinking tea and listening to the Beatles.