When I thought about Italy I always pictured the cities. The squished together townhomes, the piazzas, the night lights, and colorful atmosphere. I never dreamed just how much natural and majestic beauty there was by traveling into the alps region. I’m so grateful to our friends and tour guides who suggested we take a day off from the craziness of the city and explore the Trentino region, just a short two hour road trip from Vicenza. It was the breath of fresh air (literally) we needed and turned out to be one of my very favorite days of the whole trip.
We spent most of our time at the Castle of Avio, a 12th century fortress nestled in the Vallagarina valley, my first ever castle exploration experience and it did everything to wow me. Admiring the ancient architecture so beautifully preserved, wandering the olive groves, having a spaghetti lunch within the walls, and the whole experience just made better by being surrounded by little knights in shining armor.
But we also took the rest of the day driving the scenic route into the alps and stopping at several rifugio along the way to enjoy cappuccinos, strudel, and an amazing dinner in the incredibly cooler temps amidst snow capped mountains.
Living in the mountains of Tennessee, I thought I knew what “mountains” were, I was soon proved very wrong by the majesty of the Italian alps. I have a feeling very little will ever compare to the grandness we savored here.
Though the Austrian alps were further north, I couldn’t help but feel “Sound of Music” vibes during our time here, especially when snacking on apple strudel. : )
salve!
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