From Canale di Tenno to Ossana: A Journey through the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy

Our itinerary starts from Canale di Tenno, a perfectly preserved medieval village, a short distance from Lake Garda, overlooking the turquoise waters of Lake Tenno. Every August, its alleys and its small square host Rustico Medioevo, one of the most popular summer events in Trentino.

But let’s get to our itinerary. The first thing we recommend you do is to explore the village, to breathe in its atmosphere. At this point, you can visit Casa degli Artisti Giacomo Vittone, an artist who at the end of the 1960s chose the village as a “buen retiro”, a pleasant place to relax and find inspiration. To this day, many painters and sculptors stay in Canale di Tenno, repaying the hospitality with their works by contributing to enriching the collection of the House, which also hosts temporary exhibitions and cultural events. Before going to lunch, stop at the Locanda del Borgo, in the square, for a glass of wine.

For lunch you could reach Rifugio San Pietro: by car it’s about 15 minutes, on foot, for the fittest, it’s an excursion of about an hour and a half to two hours. The effort of the walk, however, is rewarded by a panorama of Lake Garda of sublime beauty.

After lunch, on foot or by car, we recommend reaching Lake Tenno for a relaxing break on its shores. It is one of the most famous lakes in Trentino, thanks to the colour of its waters, ranging from emerald green to sapphire blue. It is also a swimming lake so, if it is the right season, don’t forget to bring your swimsuit.

For dinner you must absolutely give a try the carne salada coi fasoi (salted meat with beans), a local specialty. Where? We recommend three places: Antica Croce, a restaurant in the town of Tenno, Taverna Bianca, among the alleys of the village and Calvola farmhouse, just outside the town.

After a nice breakfast, you can head west to reach Bondone in an hour and fifteen minutes by car, on the shores of Lake Idro, almost on the border with the Lombardy region. This village, among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, is famous for being “the town of charcoal burners”.

Its inhabitants, in the past, were known as “i carbonèr”, due to their ability to obtain charcoal from wood. Hard work, which forced entire families to leave the village for months and move to the woods to “make coal”.

Today Bondone is the ideal destination for those looking for an active holiday in a beautiful natural setting. Water sports, cycling, walking: all within reach. Before visiting the village, we advise you to stop at Lake Idro for a swim or a SUP adventure, if it is the right season, or a walk in the Lake Idro Biotope, a haven for many different species of aquatic and other birds.

In the afternoon, however, you can take a walk up to the Castle of San Giovanni, which overlooks the lake, and then finally arrive in the town, to lose yourself in its narrow streets and admire the frescoes on houses, which tell the story of the town, like the tragic plague that hit Bondone in the 17th century.

For dinner, the advice is to return to the lake shores, for a fish-based dinner at the Miralago Pizzeria Restaurant, in the hamlet of Baitoni.

On the third day, it is time to leave the lake behind and start climbing towards the mountains. About an hour’s drive takes you to the village of Rango, halfway between Lake Garda and Madonna di Campiglio. Its position made it in the past a fundamental crossroads along the Via Imperiale route. For centuries its streets were traveled by merchants, pilgrims and shepherds, who found refuge among entrance halls, vaults and covered passages connecting its streets.

As soon as you arrive in Rango, the advice is to stop in the square to refresh yourself by the large square fountain, before you begin exploring the village. Our advice? Take the opportunity to take a nice walk in the countryside, following the “Sentiero della Noce” (Walnut Trail), which takes you to discover the famous Bleggio walnut, a slow food presidium.

In the afternoon, you can visit the nearby hamlet of Balbido, famous for its murals and, above all, for the “largest witch in the world”, a sculpture made of wood and bamboo canes, whose 10.77 metres in height earned it a mention in the Guinness Book of Records!

In the evening, stop at Ristorante Catenaccio, right in the heart of the village, created from what was once the largest stable in the town, and do not forget to try the famous walnut cake, a local specialty.

After leaving Rango, about thirty minutes by car separate you from the next stop: San Lorenzo in Banale, the gateway to the Brenta Dolomites. This village, among the Most Beautiful in Italy, is located in the heart of Val d’Ambiez, which UNESCO has declared a Biosphere Reserve for its biodiversity and, perhaps also for this reason, the village has become a point of reference for regenerating and recharging body and mind in a relaxing natural setting.

Before leaving, we recommend that you book one of the activities proposed by BrentAnima, a group of holistic operators who offer experiences that stimulate the senses and awareness. After a yoga session or a sensory walk, you are in the right mood to visit the village, starting from the church of Saints Sebastiano and Rocco, with its beautiful frescoes by the Baschenis, a family of 16th century artists.

And the afternoon? We recommend a walk suitable for everyone which, starting from the upper and most evocative part of the village, goes into the Adamello Brenta Natural Park and allows you to admire the “seven villas”, namely, the seven hamlets that originally made up the town of San Lorenzo, each with its own church and identity.

Since the walk will have made you hungry, it’s time to try the famous ciuìga, a pork sausage flavoured with cooked and chopped turnips, now a Slow Food presidium and protagonist of the “Ciuìga Festival”, an unmissable event of the Trentino autumn.

You can stop to eat in three different places: at the entrance to Val d’Ambiez you find Ristoro Dolomiti di Brenta, otherwise you can stop at Ristorante pizzeria Erica or at Ristorante Nembia, a stone’s throw from the namesake lake.

The fifth leg of the itinerary invites you to cross the Dolomites to reach the woods and mountains of Val di Sole. An hour and ten minutes by car separate you from Caldes, one the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, on the banks of the Noce stream.

Your discovery of Caldes and its surroundings starts right from here: indeed, the Noce stream is famous throughout the world for rafting, so much so that National Geographic has classified it among the 10 best rivers in the world for the practice of this sport. So, if the season is the right one (late spring and summer), all you have to do is contact one of the rafting centres in the area and book this exciting experience.

If, however, you prefer excursions on foot or by bike to the thrill of the descent along the river, you will find numerous trails near the village, leading into the mountains of Val di Sole and into the woods of the Stelvio National Park.

After a morning among streams and woods, the afternoon is dedicated to discovering the village. A stop at Castel Caldes is unmissable; the castle houses today prestigious exhibitions ranging from ancient art to photography. Once you pass through the imposing door, ask to be told the legend of Olinda, a romantic story with a tragic ending.

And for dinner? Since you are in Caldes, you absolutely must try the Casolét of Val di Sole, a soft, raw cheese, a Slow Food presidium. You can stop for dinner at the restaurant of Hotel Lastè or of the hotel alla Rocca, both located in the village, or at Taverna al Sole, in the Cassana area, or at Ristorante Al Pescatore, in the Tozzaga area.

The last leg of this journey through the most beautiful villages of western Trentino takes you to Ossana, also in Val di Sole, just twenty minutes by car from Caldes. Here, when the sun sets and night falls, you can admire one of the most beautiful skies in Italy. Do not take our word for it; indeed, Astronomitaly considers Ossana one of the best places to stargaze and be enchanted by the magic of the Milky Way.

Before the evening arrives, however, there are many other things to do. First of all, a nice excursion in the Stelvio National Park: there are many, but we recommend the route that leads to Lake Covel.

The afternoon is dedicated to discovering the village. First of all, you can stop at the San Michele Castle, famous for its 25-metre high keep, then you can visit the Church of San Vigilio, the oldest in Upper Val di Sole. Built starting in 1180, it houses 2 altars, one in marble and one in wood.

The day is now coming to an end but, before dedicating yourself to contemplating the starry sky, you might want to grab a bite to eat. We recommend Ristorante Antica Osteria, in the heart of the village: an intimate restaurant with an Alpine style where you can taste traditional flavours processed with an elegant modern twist, or the Pizzeria restaurant of Hotel Il Maniero, the restaurant of Hotel Niagara or Locanda de Fusine, the restaurant of Hotel Santoni, to enjoy the Val di Sole and Trentino cuisine.