Cycle Tour Romea Germanica Trail

Trento (English: Trent; Italian: Trento, pronounced [ˈtrɛnto]; local dialects: Trènt; German: Trient) is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino. In the 16th century the city was the location of the Council of Trent .

Trento (Archaic English: Trent, German: Trient), is a bit of an upmarket town in the northeast of Italy. History made it a proud town, with a number of large manors outside of the town, where bishops used to come for holidays. Nowadays it is one of the most expensive towns in Italy, with the wealth from farming, wine, and high-tech industries. At Easter the fields around Trento are in bloom with apple blossoms.

The town centre is more or less a pedestrian area, and walking around the historic centre you can see a number of outdoor frescos on historic buildings. In the past the river Adige flowed right outside the centre where now Torre Verde is.

Apart from the Council of Trent, which gathered in Trento in the sixteenth century for many periods of several years, which dominates the town centre, there is one other noteworthy historical event, related to Judaism. A little boy, named Simione, died about five hundred years ago. The event was blamed on the Jews, with stories of Pagan rituals. Fictional scenes are depicted on two plaques on via Roma. Therefore all Jewish men were killed, while women and children were expelled. The Jews put a ban on Trento in return. In the 1990's relations between Trento and the Jewish community improved when the Trentini stopped (officially) honouring Simione as a martyr, and the ban was lifted. A plaque in a little alley off via Roma commemorates this occasion.

See

• ⊙Trento Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Vigilio, or Duomo di Trento).  
• ⊙Piazza Duomo.  
• ⊙Castello del Buonconsiglio, Via Bernardo Clesio, 5,  ☎ +39 0461 233770. Closed Mondays, 1 Jan & 25 Dec. Construction started in the 13th century and it became the seat of the prince-bishops from the 15th century onwards. 1528–36 saw the addition of a palace and an exhilaratingly Renaissance courtyard to the original fortifications. Features the renowned Torre Aquila. Police officers, the disabled and under 15s enjoy free admission, others pay €4-12. 
• ⊙Musoleo di Cesare Battisti (Arriving at the train station, turn right and cross the river via Ponte di San Lorenzo, then go to Via Brescia and take the stairs at your right.). A white circular structure that has a prominent position visible from the city centre on a hilltop (called Doss Trento and about 300m high). 
• ⊙Torre Vanga. Exhibition space. In the basement you can see small streams of water emerging from the walls. It is not possible to visit the top of the tower. Free. 
• ⊙MUSE - Museum of Science (Museo delle Scienze), Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3,  ☎ +39 0461 270311. Tu-F 10:00-18:00, Sa-Su + public holidays: 10:00-19:00, M closed. €9 regular, € 7 reduced, children up to 14 years free with paying adults. 
• ⊙MART - Galleria Civica (Museo di arte moderna e contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto), Via Belenzani 44,  ☎ +39 4619 85511, calls from abroad +39 445 230315, toll-free: 800 397760. Tue-Sun 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00, Mon closed. Museum of contemporary and modern art. It's main location is in Rovereto , but the Galleria Civica is in Trento. €2. (updated Dec 2015)
• The numerous Palazzi located throughout the city centre

Eat

Located in the region where Italian and Austrian cultural influences intertwine, Trento has places to satisfy both the lovers of pizza and the amateurs of pork with sauerkraut. If you stop for coffee-and-cake, do not miss the local version of strudel with Melinda apples.

Budget

• ⊙Trattoria Piedicastello, Piazza di Piedicastello, 10. ☎  +39 0461 230730.  (take the bridge over the railway line next to the hostel, walk to the roundabout, cross the river, descend to the small square on the right). Inexpensive local fare, on the other side of the river. 
• ⊙Alla Grotta, Vicolo San Marco, 6. Great choice and quality of pasta, huge portions to share. One plate would do for two average eaters, two plates would do for three eaters of almost any appetite. If you fancy a pizza though, better pick some pizzeria-only place. 

Mid-range

• ⊙Rosa d'Oro, piazza Santa Maria Maggiore 21. If you are in the mood for Tyrolian food, then it's a good choice. 
• ⊙Birreria Pedavena, Via Santa Croce, 15 (near Piazza di Fiera),  ☎ +39 0461 986255. Open all day. Very good pizza and beer. Good choice of local dishes. € 6-12.

Mo-Fr 8:30-12:00