Trentino is a land of castles. You find them on almost every hill: great fortresses dominating the valleys, elegant manors full of frescoes, castles facing a lake and stone forts built for war. Some are famous museums, others are silent ruins surrounded by woods. In this guide we take you to discover the castles of Trentino that are truly worth visiting, telling you what to see in each one and how to reach it. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests to this land for a long time, and these are the castles we would recommend to a friend on the way.

1. Castello del Buonconsiglio, the heart of Trento

In the centre of Trento stands the largest monumental complex in the region: Castello del Buonconsiglio, for centuries the residence of the prince-bishops of the city. It is made up of several parts built in different periods, from the medieval Castelvecchio to the Renaissance Magno Palazzo, and it holds art, archaeology and ancient codices. Its jewel is the Torre Aquila, where a cycle of frescoes depicts the months of the year with scenes of court and country life: it is considered one of the finest examples of Gothic painting in the world.

You reach it on foot in a few minutes from the historic centre of Trento, slightly uphill. If you arrive by car, it is best to park nearby and continue on foot. It is open almost all year and makes a perfect visit in any season, but spring and autumn make the walk up to the entrance more pleasant.

2. Castel Beseno, the great fortress between Trento and Rovereto

On a hill between Trento and Rovereto rises Castel Beseno, the largest fortress in Trentino and one of the most extensive in the whole Alpine arc. It has dominated the Adige Valley for centuries, with long walls, wall-walks and the Palazzo Comitale inside. An exhibition tells the story of the Battle of Calliano in 1487, when the armies of the prince-bishopric of Trento and the County of Tyrol halted the advance of the Republic of Venice here.

The views over the valley, the arms collection and the costumed reenactments make it one of the most striking medieval castles in the region. It lies about 10 kilometres from Rovereto: take the SS12 to Besenello, park at the foot of the hill, then a short uphill walk to the entrance. It is open from late March to mid-December, and summer brings costumed events.

3. Castello di Rovereto, the Venetian fort of the war museum

In the historic centre of Rovereto stands a late-medieval Venetian-style Alpine fortress, with bastions, towers and tunnels, among the best preserved in Trentino. Built to control the Adige Valley, it was later reinforced by the Venetians and is now one of the rare examples of a Venetian fortress in the region. Since 1921 it has housed the Italian War History Museum, with its collections of arms, uniforms and relics from the First World War.

It pairs one of the best-preserved fortresses in Trentino with a rich and moving history museum, plus a wide view over Rovereto and the valley. It sits right in the centre, about a 15-minute walk from the train station or just past the Rovereto Sud motorway exit. It is open Tuesday to Sunday all year round.

4. Castello di Avio, frescoes among the vineyards of the Vallagarina

In the south of Trentino, above the hamlet of Sabbionara, Castello di Avio dominates the Vallagarina among the vineyards. It is a medieval fortress of the Castelbarco family, with an 11th-century keep, five towers and a baronial palace. Inside it preserves some of the finest medieval frescoes in Trentino, including those in the Room of Love and the Guard House. Today it is cared for by the FAI, the Italian environment fund.

It offers wide views over the valley and the vines, and it makes a quiet, evocative destination. You reach it by car from the Ala-Avio motorway exit to the car park, then a short uphill walk. The train stops at Avio, about 2.5 kilometres below. It is open from mid-February to December, and spring and autumn among the vines are the loveliest seasons.

5. Castel Toblino, the castle on the lake

West of Trento, in the Valle dei Laghi, you find one of the most photographed views in Trentino. Castel Toblino rises on a small spit of land that juts into Lake Toblino, with a cylindrical tower, frescoed halls and lakeside walks. Born as a fortification and transformed in the 16th century into an elegant residence, it is wrapped in old legends of love stories. Today it hosts a bar and a restaurant overlooking the lake.

It is one of the most picturesque lake castles in Italy, lovely to see even just from outside, reflected in the water. You reach it by car on the SS45bis Gardesana road in the Valle dei Laghi, or by bus from Trento heading toward Garda. The best time runs from late spring through autumn, when the lakeside paths and views are at their best.

6. Castel Thun, the manor of the Val di Non

On a hill above the Val di Non stands Castel Thun, historic home of the family of the same name, built in the 13th century. It is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved castles in Trentino, surrounded by walls, towers, bastions and a moat. Inside it has more than forty furnished rooms, a large library, an art collection and several majolica stoves. Its most beloved room is the Bishop's Room, entirely panelled in cembro pine.

Its panoramic position among the apple orchards of the valley adds to the charm of the visit. You reach it by car from the San Michele all'Adige motorway exit and then the SS43 to Vigo di Ton. By public transport, train to Mezzolombardo and bus to Vigo. The best time runs from May to October, when it is open daily except Mondays with longer hours.

7. Castello di Arco, above the Sarca valley

Perched on a rocky spur above Arco, near Lake Garda, Castello di Arco dominates the Sarca valley. It preserves intact towers, the old stone prison and a hall with rare 14th-century frescoes depicting ladies and knights playing chess and scenes of court life. Its image is so famous that it was painted in a watercolour by Albrecht Dürer, now kept in Paris.

From the ramparts and terraces open wide panoramas over the Sarca valley and toward Garda. You climb on foot from the historic centre of Arco along three paths that cross the olive groves, in about 15 to 20 minutes. It is open all year, but loveliest from April to October, when the trails and viewpoints are at their best.

8. Forte Belvedere, the Great War fort at Lavarone

To close, we take you up to the Cimbri highlands, where the history of Trentino meets the Great War. Forte Belvedere is an Austro-Hungarian fortress built between 1908 and 1912 above Lavarone, on a rocky spur at just under 1,200 metres of altitude. It is the only fort in the area to survive intact: after the war many were dismantled, but this one still keeps its structures. Today it is a museum on three floors, with relics from the First World War and multimedia displays in several languages.

It is a place that makes you understand up close what war in the mountains was, with a view that sweeps over the highlands. You reach it by car from Lavarone, about an hour south of Trento up to the plateau, and the museum is accessible thanks to an internal lift. It is open from April to early November, closed Mondays except July and August, and summer brings lively evening openings.

Where to stay for a journey among the castles

If you look at the map of these castles, you notice one thing: they are all reachable in a day from a base in the heart of Trentino. Trento, with its Castello del Buonconsiglio, is central for everything. From there Castel Beseno, Castello di Rovereto and Castello di Avio lie heading south along the Adige Valley, half an hour or a little more away. Castel Toblino is about twenty minutes to the west, in the Valle dei Laghi, and Castello di Arco a little beyond, toward Garda. Castel Thun, in the Val di Non, and Forte Belvedere, on the highlands, remain lovely day trips, each about an hour away by car.

That is why the lake area of the Valsugana, around Caldonazzo, Levico, Calceranica and Pergine, together with Trento and the Altopiano della Vigolana, is an ideal base for a journey among the castles. In the morning you set off, spend the day among walls, towers and frescoes, and in the evening you return a few minutes from the lake and the mountains. Rovereto and the more distant valleys, such as the Val di Non, the Val di Sole or the Val Rendena, also stay within reach for those who want to go further.

We at Italy Holiday welcome guests in exactly this area, in homes designed to feel like home from the very first moment. If you dream of a holiday among history, fortresses and views, discover where to stay near the castles of Trentino and pack your bags: the castles of Trentino are waiting for you.

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