NEW VILLAGES TO DISCOVER

Caldés, Ossana and Borgo Valsugana are the last three villages added in 2023. There are now 11 and the new entries are added to Mezzano, Vigo di Fassa, Canale di Tenno, Rango, Bondone, San Lorenzo – Dorsino, Luserna/Lusern and Pieve Tesino.

Caldes is the newest village to become “one of the most beautiful villages” in Italy, the second in the Val di Sole with Ossana, thanks to a well-defined identity and the ability to enhance the historical and cultural heritage. The name Caldes derives from a hot water spring, now unfortunately disappeared; already in 1,200 it was mentioned as Caldis or Caldesio.

The key element of Caldes is its majestic castle: initially it was just a five-story tower built around 1230 - 1235, then the tower passed to the Thun family who enlarged it, giving the building its current appearance.

Caldes also boasts famous characters who are building the history of the country. They are the artists Luciano and Ivan Zanoni. Luciano who created apples and pears in iron for a party in Località Contre, from that moment on became so popular that he created an olive tree for Bill Gates' villa in Seattle. Ivan, his son, dedicates his creations to the animal world, a gesture to thank the Val di Sole from which he took inspiration.
 

We remain in Val di Sole with Ossana, which is located at the entrance to secluded Val di Peio, at the foot of the peaks of the Presanella group. Throughout the Middle Ages and in the modern age it was a thriving village, thanks above all to the iron mines and the commercial exchanges with nearby Lombardy. The village is dominated by the tower of the Castle of S. Michele, one of the most iconic places in the Val di Sole, whose history is largely linked to that of the castle, often disputed between the bishop of Trento and the count of Tyrol and inhabited by various feudal families.

Speaking of local products, we must remember Casolèt cheese, a typical soft mountain cheese, produced from raw milk, to be eaten fresh; it has a sweet and delicate flavor and is suitable for all palates. It was the home-made cheese par excellence, to be consumed mainly with the family in the winter months.

Borgo Valsugana is dominated by the imposing Castel Telvana, the town is crossed by the Brenta river, which has contributed to giving it a delightful Venetian imprint. The medieval character of Borgo has remained almost intact in its urban layout, characterized by a maze of narrow streets, entrance halls, small courtyards, while the austere Renaissance and Baroque palaces rise along the old imperial road. Inside the town there are numerous views that are worth discovering, including the porticoes of the Lungobrenta, the Venetian bridge, the ancient Corso Ausugum with late Renaissance and Baroque buildings, churches and some squares.

Borgo Valsugana is an ideal destination for a sustainable journey. It is in fact located on the Trento-Bassano railway line and is crossed by the Valsugana cycle path which connects Pergine and Lake Caldonazzo with Bassano del Grappa. 80 km along which culture, history and natural landscapes intertwine between Trentino and Veneto. In the village a new artistic project, called Sky Museum, has been launched by Arte Sella. A treasure to be imagined is instead Castel Telvana, which dominates the town from the top of Mount Ciolino. A few kilometers from Borgo Valsugana, the woods around the town of Roncegno are the heart of chestnut production, to which a festival is also dedicated in the month of October.

Further info here: https://www.visittrentino.info/en/articles/romantic-break/10-reasons-to-visit-villages-trentino