Trento: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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From 1545 to 1563 Trento was the meeting place of the Council of Trent, the gathering of the Catholic Church that answered Luther and shaped Catholicism for four centuries. The city was chosen because it was Italian in language but part of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by its own prince-bishops. This walk follows the Council from the cathedral square to the bishops' castle. About two hours on flat streets; the castle needs another hour or two inside.

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A short history of Trento

The Romans called it Tridentum, a city in the Adige valley on the road from Italy across the Alps. In 1027 the emperor granted the bishop of Trento secular rule, and for almost 800 years it was a prince-bishopric. In 1475 the city's Jews were accused of murdering a boy named Simon; they were arrested, tortured and executed, and the Church abolished the cult of the "saint" only in 1965. Between 1545 and 1563 the Council of Trent met in the city, shaping the Catholic Church's response to the Reformation. The city passed to Austria in the 19th century, and after the First World War, in 1919, it was annexed to Italy.

The ten best sights in Trento

1
Piazza Duomo
Zero point of the city, with the Neptune fountain and painted houses
2
Cathedral of San Vigilio
Romanesque cathedral of the Council; go down to the early-Christian basilica beneath
3
Museo Diocesano Tridentino
In the bishops' palace on the square; the Flemish tapestries are the highlight
4
Castello del Buonconsiglio
The prince-bishops' castle; book a slot for the Tower of the Eagle frescoes
5
Tridentum
Roman Trento underground: paved street, walls and houses beneath a square
6
Santa Maria Maggiore
The church where the Council of Trent held its last sessions
7
Palazzo Salvadori
A Renaissance palace on Via Manci with a dark story; read the plaque
8
MUSE
Renzo Piano's science museum; easily half a day with children
9
Le Gallerie
Two former road tunnels turned into a history exhibition space; free
10
Mausoleo di Cesare Battisti
On the Doss Trento hill above the river; the best view of the city

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Free walking tours in Trento

City of the Council

Piazza Duomo · The Neptune fountain in the middle was built in the 1760s, and the god holds a trident because the city's Latin name, Tridentum, was linked to it. The houses on the north side, the Case Cazuffi-Rella, still carry their 16th-century painted facades.
Cathedral of San Vigilio · The cathedral is dedicated to Vigilius, bishop of Trento, who was killed around 405 while preaching in the valleys. The Council's opening session was held here in December 1545, and beneath the floor you can visit the remains of the early-Christian basilica where he was buried.
Museo Diocesano Tridentino · The museum keeps a set of tapestries woven in Brussels in the workshop of Pieter van Aelst, the weaver who made Raphael's tapestries for the Sistine Chapel. They were bought by a bishop of Trento in the 16th century and still hang in the bishops' palace.
Via Belenzani · The street is named after Rodolfo Belenzani, who led the citizens in a revolt against the prince-bishop in 1407 and was killed when it failed. The painted palaces along it were built by the merchant families of the next century.
Santa Maria Maggiore · The church was rebuilt in the 1520s by Bishop Bernardo Clesio, and the final sessions of the Council of Trent were held here in 1562–63. The decrees signed in these years fixed Catholic teaching and worship until the 1960s.
Castello del Buonconsiglio · In the Torre dell'Aquila is the Cycle of the Months, painted around 1400 — one of the earliest pictures of everyday life in Europe, with peasants ploughing and nobles throwing snowballs. In July 1916 the Austrians hanged the Trentino patriot Cesare Battisti in the castle's moat.

Under the city and over it

Trento keeps its history in layers. Beneath the squares lies the Roman town of Tridentum; on Via Manci is the memory of the city's darkest episode, the blood libel of 1475; and in old road tunnels and on the hill above the river are the stories of the First World War, when this was the Austrian side of the front. The walk ends with a cable car up the cliff and a science museum by the river. About three hours, half on foot and half on the cable car and buses.

Tridentum · About 1,700 square metres of the Roman city lie under Piazza Cesare Battisti: a paved street with cart ruts, part of the town wall, houses with mosaic floors and a workshop. They were found during building work in the 1990s and left where they were.
Palazzo Salvadori · At Easter 1475 a two-year-old boy named Simon was found dead, and the small Jewish community of Trento was accused of ritual murder. After torture, its men were executed and the rest expelled; the boy was venerated as 'Simonino' until the Church abolished the cult in 1965. Tradition places the house of the community's head, Samuel, on the site of this palace.
Le Gallerie · These two tunnels carried the main road around the Doss Trento until a bypass replaced them. In 2008 they were closed to traffic and turned into a free exhibition space on the history of Trentino, from the Habsburgs to the present.
Mausoleo di Cesare Battisti · Battisti was born in Trento under Austrian rule, sat in the Vienna parliament and then fought for Italy in 1915. Captured in the mountains in 1916, he was hanged as a traitor; Italy built this circular mausoleum for him on the hill in 1935.
Trento–Sardagna cable car · The cable car climbs almost 400 metres up the cliff west of the river in a few minutes, and it is part of the city's public transport. At the top, the village of Sardagna has a belvedere looking straight down on the roofs of Trento.
MUSE · Renzo Piano designed the science museum, opened in 2013, with roofs that echo the peaks around the valley. Inside, stuffed animals hang in a tall central void arranged from mountain top to valley floor, as they live in the Alps.

Lakes and castles

Within an hour of Trento are two worlds: the Valle dei Laghi running south-west to Lake Garda, and the Adige valley guarded by castles running south to Rovereto. This car loop takes in a mountain, a castle on a lake, a waterfall in a gorge, the great peace bell, a fortress and a swimming lake. Allow a full day and about 150 km. In summer start early for parking at the waterfall and the lake.

Monte Bondone · On 8 June 1956 the Giro d'Italia climbed the Bondone in a snowstorm; dozens of riders abandoned, and Luxembourg's Charly Gaul rode through the blizzard to win the stage and the race. At the top, the Viote plateau has an alpine botanical garden.
Castel Toblino · The castle stands on a small peninsula in the lake and was a summer residence of the Madruzzo prince-bishops in the 16th century. The vineyards around it make Vino Santo Trentino from Nosiola grapes left to dry on racks until spring.
Cascata del Varone · The water of the Magnone falls about 100 metres into a gorge so narrow and deep that it is almost a cave. Paths take you into the upper and lower grottoes, and the spray reaches you on every step.
Campana dei Caduti · The bell was cast in 1924 from the bronze of cannons of the nations that fought in the First World War, and it is one of the largest swinging bells in the world. Every evening it rings a hundred strokes for the dead of all wars.
Castel Beseno · Beseno is the largest castle complex in Trentino, its walls covering the whole hilltop. In 1487 the battle of Calliano was fought below it, where the Tyroleans defeated a Venetian army that had come up the valley.
Lago di Caldonazzo · It is the largest lake lying wholly within Trentino, and in summer it warms enough for long swims. Its water flows out as the Brenta river, which runs all the way to the Venetian lagoon.

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Getting to Trento and getting around

Trento Station · On the Brenner line: Verona in an hour, Bolzano in half; five minutes' walk to the Duomo
Trento Bus Station · Next to the train station; buses to the lakes, the valleys and Riva del Garda

Cheap eats in Trento

Trento eats between two kitchens: Italian pasta and polenta on one side, Tyrolean speck, dumplings and strudel on the other. A coffee at the counter costs little, a sandwich of speck and mountain cheese makes a cheap lunch, and the sparkling Trentodoc wine is the local pride. Prices are in euros and lower than in the lake resorts.

Piazza Vittoria market · Apples about 2-3 € a kilo, a wedge of Trentingrana 4-6 €
Focacceria Belvedere · Focaccia by the slice next to the Duomo, about 3-5 €
La Prosciutteria · Panini with speck and local cheese, about 7-10 €
Pasticceria San Vigilio · Coffee and strudel at the counter, about 4-6 €
Caffè Italia · Espresso on Piazza Duomo, 1.50 € standing, more at a table
Forsterbräu · Beer hall plates of canederli, about 10-14 €

Museums in Trento

Castello del Buonconsiglio · Two to three hours; the Tower of the Eagle needs a guided slot
MUSE · Science and Alpine nature; half a day
Museo Diocesano Tridentino · Council of Trent paintings and the Flemish tapestries
Tridentum · Roman street and houses below the square; 30 minutes
Le Gallerie · Free history exhibitions in the old tunnels
Palazzo delle Albere · A 16th-century villa of the Madruzzo bishops by the river

Nature and day trips near Trento

Monte Bondone · Meadows, walks and in winter skiing, 30 minutes up
Lago di Toblino · A short walk around the castle lake
Doss Trento · A wooded hill over the river, 15 minutes' climb
Lago di Caldonazzo · Beaches and swimming in summer

Things to do in Trento with kids

MUSE · Hands-on labs and a tropical greenhouse
Trento–Sardagna cable car · Short ride with a big view; a public transport ticket
Castel Beseno · Big walls to explore and summer medieval events
Cascata del Varone · Spray, noise and stairs; children love it

Where to eat in Trento

Trattoria Al Tino · Trentino home cooking in the old centre
Scrigno del Duomo · Fine dining beside the cathedral; book ahead
Il Sommelier · Wine-led dinner; try a Trentodoc
Orso Grigio · Trentino classics near the centre
Rosa d'Oro · Pizza and pasta by Santa Maria Maggiore

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Frequently asked questions about Trento

What is there to see in Trento?

The top sights in Trento are Piazza Duomo, Cathedral of San Vigilio and Museo Diocesano Tridentino. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Trento?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Trento without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Trento?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Trento, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: City of the Council.

How do you get to Trento and get around?

The main ways are Trento Station and Trento Bus Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Trento, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Trento that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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