South Tyrol and Trentino - Alps, the Dolomites and marvellous landscapes
With a varied landscape rich in natural beauty and cultural as well as culinary delights, it's hard not to get excited about South Tyrol. With its castles, historic churches and museums, it is a fantastic place to discover art, history and culture.
The history of the province dates back to Roman times. Traces of ancient Tridentum can still be seen in the archaeological site in the centre of Trento, as well as the Renaissance style that still clings to the façades of some palaces. However, the most important influences date back to the period between 1814 and 1918, when the region still belonged to Austria. Only with the peace treaty signed after the First World War did the entire region of South Tyrol become part of Italy.
One could joke about an identity problem, because the people in South Tyrol are quieter than the Italians in the south, yet more open-minded than the Germans in the north. Not quite Italian, not quite German - a world all to themselves, so to speak. A place where German pragmatism, Italian passion and Austrian climbing culture meet to create a perfect storm of rich culture and breath-taking beauty. Trentino is a mainly mountainous province, rich in rivers, torrents and numerous lakes, clusters and chains of mountains of singular beauty, divided in two by the valley of the river Adige, so whatever nationality it chooses to be there is now denying the beauty of the region.
To the west one finds the glaciers of the group Adamello-Presanella-Care Alto and the group of Brenta. To the east the groups of Lagorai, Latemar, the Dolomites of Fassa, and the Pale di S. Martino.
Many alpine valleys break away from the valley of Adige: the Valsugana, the Vallarsa, the Val di Non, the Val di Sole, the Val di Cembra, Fiemme and Fassa; inside instead the valley Giudicarie and Rendena. The principle lakes are those of Garda, Caldonazzo, Tovel and Ledro; thermal waters gush forth from springs rich in therapeutic properties. Extensive coniferous forests cover the dolomitic slopes and wide tablelands like those of Folgaria, Lavarone and Pine.