Friday December 27th, 2019
We will spend this weekend in South Tyrol. So we leave by car in the morning and head to Rovereto, without stopping along the way. We go up the hill to see the ossuary of Castel Dante, but we find it closed for restoration. Then we head to the Bell of the Fallen. We visit the small museum, where works related to environmental protection are exhibited and then at the end of the avenue with the flags of all the countries of the world we arrive at the Bell. We go down to the lower part of the city, we pass in front of the Palazzo Pretorio (today the seat of the Municipality), then the church of S. Marco, S. Maria di Loreto and the pedestrian streets, with some market stalls.
After lunch, we go to Levico Terme to see the Habsburg Market, which is inside a park. The stalls are very beautiful. We cross the center of the village and stop for an hot chocolate. Last stop of the day is Pergine Valsugana, we walk through the streets of the historic center and we see the exhibition of nativity scenes inside the Hippoliti palace. In the evening we arrive at the hotel we booked in Lavis, a suburb of Trento. We have dinner at the hotel.
Saturday December 28th, 2019
After breakfast, we go to Vigo di Thon to visit Castel Thun. At the hotel they gave us the Trentino Guest Card which allows us to enter for free. We arrive at the opening of the castle, there are few people, but while we visit the interiors, other people arrive, when we leave the castle, the parking lot is almost full. Inside we see many rooms, from different eras, including the Bishop’s room, entirely covered with Swiss stone pine. All furnishings are original.
We continue our journey, stopping in Cles, where we have lunch and walk through the center. We would like to go to Lake Tovel, but at the tourist office they tell us that the road is closed. So we go to Sanzeno to see the Sanctuary of San Romedio, built on several levels, on a cliff. We climb to the top with a long staircase. As we still have some time, and we see the signs for the Paganella, which is located a short distance away. We reach Fai della Paganella, and we walk around the center a bit, but there isn’t much. Before returning to the hotel, we go to Faedo, a village in whose streets 80 statues of the nativity scene representing ancient crafts have been placed. We have dinner at the hotel.
Sunday December 29th, 2019
Last day of this short trip. After breakfast, we go to Trento. Here we walk through the center, and see the archaeological area of Sass (also using the free entrance here). We pass by S. Francesco Saverio, S. Maria Maggiore, the Duomo before stopping for lunch. We head to Besenello to visit Castel Beseno. The interiors are less furnished than Castel Thun, and there are almost only weapons and armor, but the castle covers a very large area. It is possible to go around the castle. We make a last stop in the village under the castle to have an hot chocolate and in the evening we arrive at home.
You can read more about another of my trips here.
