In Trentino food is not only tasted at the table: it lives in the squares, among the stalls of a market and the scents of a village festival. Every season has its occasions, from the Saturday morning farmers' markets to the great autumn food fairs, all the way to the Christmas markets. These are the moments when the producers come out of the mountain dairies and the orchards and bring to the square what they have made with their own hands. In this guide we tell you where and when to taste the local flavours, season after season. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests in Trentino for a long time, and these are the occasions we would recommend to a friend on the way. The dates change every year, so always check the calendar of the current edition before you set off.
1. The farmers' markets
The simplest way to taste the real Trentino are the farmers' markets, where local producers sell directly what they grow and raise. You recognise them by the sign of Campagna Amica, the network promoted by Coldiretti that brings together the farms of the territory. Here you find seasonal fruit and vegetables, mountain dairy cheeses, cured meats, honey, jams, apple juices and small productions that rarely reach the shops.
The lovely thing about a farmers' market is that you talk to the person who made the product. You can ask how a cheese is aged, which orchard the apples come from, when the honey is harvested. In Trento there is a covered market in Piazza Silvio Pellico, but similar stalls pop up in many villages during the week. Check the days and hours of the market closest to where you are staying.
2. The autumn food fairs
Autumn is the season of the sagre, the village festivals dedicated to the harvest. It is the richest period of the year: apples, chestnuts, the new wine, mushrooms and pumpkins arrive, and every valley celebrates its own product. The streets of the villages fill with stalls, scents, music and open-air kitchens where you taste the dishes of the tradition.
The best-known festival is Pomaria, dedicated to the apple of the Val di Non, held in Casez in October with over a hundred producers, markets, workshops and food islands. On the Brentonico plateau there is the Festa del Marrone di Castione, which celebrates the local chestnut with roasted chestnuts, sweets and stalls of local products. These are village traditions that return every year, but the dates change: check the calendar of the current edition.
3. The cattle-return festivals (Desmontegada)
At the end of summer, when the herds come down from the high-altitude pastures to return to the valley, the mountain villages celebrate the Desmontegada, the festival of the transumanza (the seasonal cattle movement). The word in dialect means "to come down from the mountain": the cows return from the malghe (mountain dairies) decorated with flowers and bells and parade through the streets of the village, welcomed by the people.
It is one of the finest occasions to taste the flavours of the high pastures. The dairymen bring down to the valley the wheels of mountain dairy cheese made during the summer, and the festival always comes with tastings of cheeses, polenta, meats and local wines, often with markets and music. You find it in several valleys, such as Fiemme, Fassa, Primiero, Rabbi and Val di Sole. Check the dates of the current edition in the valley you are interested in.
4. The fairs of typical products
Beyond the food fairs, in Trentino there are the fairs of typical products and the events dedicated to wine. In autumn, along the Strada del Vino e dei Sapori del Trentino (the wine and flavours road), the cellars, the farms and the restaurants open their doors for tastings, aperitifs and seasonal menus. It is the best way to discover the mountain wines directly from those who produce them.
In Vallagarina, land of the Marzemino, there are festivals dedicated to wine that combine tastings, food and walks among the vineyards. These are occasions that recur every year, usually between September and October, but with a calendar that changes from season to season. Always drink in moderation, and check the updated dates and programmes before you set off.
5. The Christmas markets
When winter arrives, Trentino fills with Christmas markets, among the most loved traditions of the region. Among the little wooden houses you find decorations and crafts, but also many flavours: mulled wine, sweets, biscuits, cheeses, cured meats and seasonal specialities to taste while strolling.
They are the perfect way to close the year among lights, scents and taste. The towns and villages of Trentino set up their markets throughout the Advent period, each with its own atmosphere. If you want to know where to go and what to expect, read our guide to the Christmas markets of Trentino. Here too, check the opening dates of the current edition.
Where to stay to experience the festivals and markets of Trentino
The best way to experience a food fair or a market is to have a home nearby, so you can arrive calmly, taste without rushing and return whenever you like. Staying in one of our areas you have the farmers' markets, the village festivals and the mountain dairies within easy reach, and you can follow the festivals season after season.
We at Italy Holiday welcome guests right in the areas where these traditions are at home, in apartments designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment. Discover where to stay and pack your bag: the flavours of Trentino await you in every season.
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