Borgo Valsugana: Art, History and River Landscape

River Landscape and Historic Centre

Borgo Valsugana combines a distinctive river landscape with cultural attractions and trails in the surrounding area. In the historic centre of Borgo Valsugana, buildings extend along both banks of the Brenta River, forming an urbanised river landscape. Here, the watercourse and the town's history meet an urban setting suited to travellers who want to get to know a place through its buildings, streets and cultural traces.

Along Corso Ausugum, portals, late-Renaissance and Baroque palaces, shops and churches stand side by side. The Mostra Permanente della Grande Guerra in Valsugana e sul Lagorai is also located in the historic centre. It is housed in the former Mulino Spagolla in a riverside area of the centre. The corso and the exhibition have different focuses: here, architecture and local life shape the tour, while there the focus is on the history of the First World War.

Art and Remembrance in Borgo Valsugana

Spazio Klien is dedicated to Erika Giovanna Klien, an avant-garde artist who was born in Borgo Valsugana on 12 April 1900. The exhibition venue presents changing exhibitions featuring painting, sculpture, bibliographic material and photography. Particular attention is given to local artists and artists from Trentino more generally. Thus, alongside the town's historic character, the regional art scene is also a central focus.

Arte Sella provides a separate artistic focus. This open-air art exhibition runs along a forest road on the southern slope of Monte Armentera in Val di Sella, within the municipality of Borgo Valsugana. Arte Sella is located at Malga Costa. The site includes the Artenatura trail, which leads to artworks and monumental trees; Malga Costa also forms part of the site as an exhibition and cultural space. Here, art and landscape are connected along a trail route, without the exhibition being confined to a single indoor space.

In the hamlet of Olle, Museo Casa Andriollo displays documents and artefacts from women's lives, particularly from the domestic sphere. Another historic site is the Oratorio di San Rocco in Borgo Valsugana. It was built in 1509 by the local population as the result of a vow against the plague that was depopulating the valley. The connection between the plague and the events of that time is considered probable.

Trails and Excursions

Castel Telvana can be reached from the historic centre of Borgo Valsugana via the Sentiero dei Castelli. The trail runs along the slopes of Monte Ciolino to the rear of the castle and offers views over the Valsugana. For a different excursion, La Rocchetta is located near Borgo Valsugana. You can reach the destination in about five minutes by car, bicycle or bus, as well as on foot via numerous routes and paths. The approximate time is intentionally provided only as a guide and does not replace individual day planning.

When choosing a hotel or another type of accommodation, you can therefore first decide on your personal focus. Those who want to combine architecture, museums and local history will find several different themes within a compact cultural area in the historic centre. Arte Sella and the Sentiero dei Castelli offer clearly separate destinations for open-air art and trails through the landscape. This combination makes Borgo Valsugana interesting for individual trips, where culture and outdoor activity can be given different weight depending on the day's rhythm.

Other Places for Orientation

If you would like to put the surrounding area into a broader context, these places will take you to additional destinations within the same region: Dro, Piazzo, Mezzocorona, Grigno, Soraga, Ronzo-Chienis, Brez, Crosano.

For the overarching travel overview: Trentino.