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The Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) lies in the far north of Italy, bordering Austria to the north (reached by the Brenner Pass), Switzerland and Lombardy to the west, Veneto to the south and Friuli-Venezia Giulia to the east. Known as Trentino-Sudtirol in Germany, the region has autonomy from Rome, and so is self governing – the region has in fact only been part of Italy since 1919, being ceded by Austria at the end of World War I. The ‘Alto Adige’ part of the name was devised by Mussolini, an attempt at instant Italianisation. In fact, the region remained resolutely half-and-half, with the Sud Tirol section to the north having a very German character – domed churches, German dishes on the menu, German road signs and German speakers. The Trentino section, to the south, is largely Italian speaking and is far more redolent of the Mediterranean than the Germanic north.

The twin provinces have a population of less than a million. Though the eleventh largest of the Italian regions it is only the 16th in population – much of Trentino-Alto Adige is, after all, mountains. The mainstays of the economy are tourism (skiing and walking), wine-making and farming. There are several national parks, and the Dolomites are dotted with picture-book medieval castles. The summer season sees the opening of the alte vie (literally ‘high roads’) walking trails that pick their way across the Dolomites, everything from a pleasant day’s hiking in the mountains to organised fortnight tours. The hiking season runs 20 June – 20 September.

Major towns include Bolzano (Bozen in German) the capital of the Alto-Adige/South Tyrol province, and Trento, capital of the largely Italian Trentino. The twin capitals are the transport hubs, linked by the rail lines that run up from Verona in the south and north to Innsbruck. You are likely to fly into Verona Villafranca, Brescia Montichiari, Aeroporto Marco Polo, Venice (Venezia), or one of the two Milan airports, Milano Malpensa or Milano Linate. There is also a small airport at Bolzano, with flights from London. You could also take the Eurostar from London to Paris, overnight express train from Paris to Milan, and there change for Trento.

Specialities of the region include salamis, salt beef, speck (smoked ham), bread dumplings (knodel), spinach gnocchi, goulash, sausages with horseradish, sauerkraut, strudels, plenty of pastries and Zelten Trentino – a fruitcake soaked in grappa. Trentino-Alto Adige makes more DOC wine than any other Italian region, with Chardonnays and Pinot Grigios, and very good white sparkling spumante. There are good reds such as Schiava (Vernatsch in German) and Teroldego, Caldaro (Kaltersee) and Lagrein Dunkel. The area also produces vin santo.

Hotels across the Trentino Alto Adige region of Italy.

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