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A couple of days into my Italian trip and I came to the conclusion that unequivocally the Italians have it down: the whole living thing that is. Between activity and food, they lead a very balanced life. And, the key to it all being that they enjoy themselves, both in the exercise they do and the cuisine they eat. Win-win!
We stayed in the north-eastern province of Trentino, in the towns of Moena and Levico Terme. Moena is in Val di Fassa (the Fassa Vally) and Levico Terme in Valsugana (the Sugana Vally). In the winter both places are ski resorts and in the summer they attract a lot of adventure tourism, like hiking and cycling.
The Alps play a huge role in defining the activity of this region. While hiking in Moena, our guide Stefano explains that due to the mountainous topography, from a young age locals ski and hike. Of course, all the while enjoying food with the trademark reverence that only the Italians can.
Up until the end of the First World War in 1918, Trentino was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, although Italian was always the principal language spoken. Touches of this Austrian influence are evident in many aspects of life, including the architecture and food. In Val di Vassa and two adjoining valleys, they speak Ladin as well as Italian. There are 30,000 speakers of this minority language.
Bye-bye beach
Traditionally, the Irish love beach holidays, but more and more as a nation we are diversifying and looking at other options.
In Trentino you won’t find a strip of nightclubs, thronged pool sides or over-enthusiastic salesmen. But, what you will get is an authentic Italian experience, filled with quaint towns, panoramic hilltop vistas and all-round great food.
The population of Moena is around 10,000, Levico is smaller, but during high tourist season, Moena expands to accommodate 65,000 people. When we visited in June, the towns were ticking over, but not packed. July and August are the busiest summer months. If you want a quieter break and love being outdoors, this is the place for you.
One of our first adventures was cycling 18km from Levico to the nearby market town of Borgo Valsugana. Seeing as I hadn’t cycled since I fell off my bike aged 11 and had to get eight stitches, I was fairly dubious. However, when an ebike was produced, my fears were slightly allayed.
For fair weather cyclists, an ebike is a great option and makes taking in the countryside very enjoyable. In both towns there is a wealth of mountain bike trails catering for different abilities, and although I myself gave them a miss, it would be a dream for someone with the correct skillset. Ebikes can be rented locally with prices from €25.
Mountains
As you may have guessed, the mountains are the real playground of Trentino. During our first hiking experience we tested out a barefoot walking path. The ground was mostly soft, but at times a little stony and shallow rivers had to be crossed. No talking was advised, to maintain the tranquillity, and the whole idea is to be at one with nature. This activity was the only one that divided our group. Half loved it and half detested it. I’m of a mind to walk the path again, others said not a chance.
The highlight of our trip was unquestionably the Sound of the Dolomites, a series of free concerts that takes place throughout the summer. As the name suggests, they are held in the Dolomite Mountains and everyone attending must reach the site on foot.
We were lucky enough to see Graham Nash, formerly of the Hollies and Crosby, Stills and Nash. The hike up was very tough, especially in the heat, but the sense of accomplishment and chance to sit back and listen to amazing music in an intimate setting made it worthwhile.
Travel and accommodation
Ryanair fly from Dublin direct to Treviso Airport and Aer Lingus fly direct to Marco Polo Airport, Venice. Moena and Levico are accessible from both these airports, however the journey time will likely be somewhere around two hours by car, depending on which airport you use and where you are going.
If you wish to visit these towns I would recommend renting a car regardless, as it is the best way to experience them fully. Temperatures in Trentino range from the mid-20s to 30°C during the summer months.
While in Levico Terme we stayed in Hotel al Sorriso, which looks down on Levico Lake. Prices for a double room, B&B, are €118 per night in high season. In Moena we stayed in Hotel Faloria in the centre of town. A double room in high season, B&B, costs €170 per night. Irish Country Living Travel was a guest of Trentino Marketing on this trip. For more information see www.trentinomarketing.org/en/.
For more information on food and wine from Trentino, see Irish Country Living Food inside this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.
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