Trentino Alto Adige suggested itineraries

Rovereto, one of the principal towns of Garda Trentino, is a modern and dynamic city, second only to the regional capital of Trento, which still conserves the signs of its illustrious past. Rovereto was once the retreat of the young Mozart who performed here, at the tender age of thirteen, in the Church of San Marco and in Palazzo Todeschi (where each September a festival is now held in the great composer's honor). Since 2002, Rovereto has been home to the MART, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, a stunning cultural center containing some 12,000 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures, and a library specializing in 19th and 20th-century art, with particular focus on avant-garde movements. Forming a striking contrast with the ultra modern MART, Rovereto's Palazzo Fedrigotti, once the residence of Napoleon Bonaparte, is a splendid example of late Renaissance-Baroque architecture. Rovereto's 15th century castle provides the stunning venue for the town's fascinating War Museum.

Heading towards Lake Garda, the breezy shores of which are a favorite destination for windsurfers, we come to Nago Torbole, a comune where one can experience both life on the lake and in the mountains. Nago is an ancient fortified town and Torbole is a typical coastal resort where, in September, a well-attended surf festival is held.

Riva del Garda is another sports lovers' paradise, offering numerous biking routes and free climbing facilities. Classical music enthusiasts will not want to miss the town's Musica Riva Festival and the Riccardo Zandonai International Competition for young opera singers. The heart of the town is Riva's waterfront Piazza III Novembre, dominated by the 13th century Apponale Tower, which was built as watch tower guarding the approach to the harbor.

Sheltered by the mountains, the town of Arco, in the Sarca Valley, enjoys a particularly mild climate. The town's most famous landmark is its beautifully restored Castle, featuring two crenellated towers and numerous annexed buildings which once served as prison, blacksmith's forge, cellars, mill and three cisterns. The Sala degli Afreschi is adorned with a series of amazing 14th century frescoes. Like the majority of towns on this itinerary, Arco boasts excellent sporting facilities, the most noteworthy being the recently opened Nordic Walking Park, with some 100kms of pathways.

Traveling northwards, past the small hamlet of Dro, we soon find ourselves in the Valley of Lakes, home to Lake Bagatol, dominated by the austere Drena Castle, Lake Cavedine, Lake Santa Massenza and Lake Tobino, the last two being divided by a road.

Our journey concludes in Trento, a city considered to have one of the highest standards of living in the whole of Italy. Edifices to be visited in the perfectly conserved historic center include the imposing Castello del Buonconsiglio, the bishops' residence, both before and after the historically important, Council of Trento, and which today houses the civic museum, the Romanesque Cathedral of San Vigilio in the central Piazza Duomo, and the Palazzo Geremia and Palazzo Trautmannsdorff, both dating back to the Renaissance period. A historic city, but one which welcomes innovation, Trento will soon see the opening of a New Science Museum, an avant-garde structure complete with underground tunnels and glass domes, designed by the famous Italian architect, Renzo Piano.