Rotaliana Königsberg is a small territory in the heart of Trentino, strategically located in the center of one of the widest valleys in the entire Alpine arc, the Adige Valley. Historically, this has been one of the main connecting routes between Italy and Central Europe, through the Alps.
The presence of a continuous flow of people moving from north to south and vice versa, yesterday as today, led to the birth and development, along the valley, of many towns dedicated to commerce, agriculture, and hospitality. This is evident from many historical architectures, sometimes conceived as true stage sets to capture the attention of travelers. These elements are still clearly visible today and characterize the appearance of the villages of Rotaliana Königsberg and the surrounding landscape, telling a very rich history that culminates in the flourishing wine-growing identity of our time.
Discover with us the villages of this territory, for a journey dedicated to history, traditions, and viticulture!
LAVIS
Lavis, the main center of the territory, is also the one that most represents this history of transit and exchange between different populations. It develops on the north bank of the Avisio stream which, due to its conformation, constituted a natural barrier between north and south for centuries. The only bridge that crossed it in the past was a mandatory passage point for all travelers. In 1850, a toll was paid here, and right in front of the bridge, the visionary Tommaso Bortolotti built a unique and scenic hanging garden.
The garden became known as Giardino dei Ciucioi (from the German "zum Zoll" = at the customs) and finally, after many years of restoration, it has returned to its original splendor today. It is an incredible place for its many facets: it is an interesting botanical garden but also an eclectic architecture rich in symbolic references. Among the various visiting options, we recommend the theatricalized ones, with live or headphone performances, and the guided ones, where you will follow a suggestive ascending path through various terraces, discovering a greenhouse that smells of lemons, the loggia, an ingenious heating and irrigation system, and other mysterious environments such as churches, castles, and caves.
Today, Lavis is a very active center in the commercial sector, but its main vocation remains wine-growing. This area has an exceptional aptitude for the cultivation of white grapes, particularly Chardonnay and Nosiola. The suggestive Avisio Hills are the heart of this production: their landscape is characterized by the typical geometries of the vines and rural roads that connect the various masi, typical local farmhouses. In spring, every April 25th, don't miss the food and wine event "Di maso in maso, di vino in vino" (From farmhouse to farmhouse, from wine to wine).
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SAN MICHELE ALL'ADIGE
San Michele all'Adige is a small center that played a significant role in history thanks to the presence of the Adige river and the large Augustinian monastery founded there in 1145. The monumental complex no longer houses a convent but remains one of the most distinctive buildings in the region, home to true excellences: at the center stands the spectacular Baroque church of San Michele Arcangelo, rich in valuable paintings and decorations. The north wing of the complex houses the Edmund Mach Foundation, one of the most important research centers in the agricultural and environmental fields in the Alpine arc.
Finally, the south wing is used as a museum: this is the METS - Museo etnografico trentino San Michele (Ethnographic Museum of Trentino San Michele), dedicated to popular culture, customs and traditions, and the numerous traditions of the Trentino valleys. It is one of the most important of its kind in Italy, with as many as 12,000 objects exhibited through 43 different rooms: the visit is a fascinating journey through a myriad of stories ranging from the viticulture of the past to traditional carnivals, from the ancient practice of weaving to religious rites, from agriculture to crafts. All this enclosed in a wonderful building.
San Michele all'Adige is also a reference area for the production of Trento Doc, one of the most awarded classic method sparkling wines, with the highest concentration of producers in all of Trentino. Visit the wineries of San Michele all'Adige
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FAEDO
Going up the panoramic hills above San Michele, you reach, in a few minutes, first the Monreale-Königsberg Castle, and then the small village of Faedo, in an elevated and dominant position over the valley. The former, dating back to the 1300s, was for a long time the administrative seat of the territory; even today it is a true landmark distinguished by its elegant battlements, but unfortunately it is not open to visitors. The village of Faedo is particularly charming because it is small and compact; it has preserved its medieval structure and the historical architectures characterized above all by the numerous vaulted passageways at the base of the houses. Characteristic is the entrance to the village, surrounded by two churches: that of S. Agata, a true jewel dating back to the early 1200s, and that of the SS. Redentore, from 1900. It is a small village immersed in greenery, surrounded by vineyards and woods that for centuries were involved in the activity of miners in search of silver: the surprising remains of some ancient mines are still visible through an easy nature trekking route.
The soils of Faedo make it possible to cultivate vines even at medium-high altitudes (650-750 m a.s.l.): at higher elevations we find varieties such as Müller Thurgau, while lower down there are varieties such as Chardonnay, Aromatic Traminer, Lagrein, and Schiava. The alluvial fan of Faedo is also suitable for the production of sparkling wine base grapes of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir types.
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MEZZOLOMBARDO
The village of Mezzolombardo, like Lavis, has also been strongly characterized by its position. In this case too, it was an almost obligatory passage point for all those who wanted to reach the Non and Sole valleys from the south and possibly continue towards Austria and Germany, further north. This is why it developed over the centuries as an important center of commerce, especially along its elegant main street which is still adorned today with stuccoes and friezes on the facades of the palaces and period villas and the windows of high-level shops.
Mezzolombardo, however, also stands out for its historical architectures located in the upper part of the town, in a prominent position: starting from the south, the Church of San Pietro, the oldest religious building in the territory, dating back to the 12th century, stands out. From here, moving north on foot, in a few steps across a suggestive and new suspension bridge over 130m long, it is possible to reach the Toresela, a panoramic tower built on the remains of an old defensive building.
Continuing further north, one finally arrives at the sixteenth-century Castello della Torre (Tower Castle), the only one in the territory partially open to visitors during the numerous events hosted in its scenic gardens.
Located in the Campo Rotaliano, the wide alluvial fan of the Noce stream that extends between three towns, Mezzolombardo is very well-suited for viticulture. Teroldego, cultivated with the characteristic double pergola system, is the native grape variety that finds its best oenological expression here.
MEZZOCORONA
The village of Mezzocorona enjoys a sunny position in the center of the Piana Rotaliana, at the foot of Monte di Mezzocorona, in a green triangle bordered by the Noce stream and the Adige river.
Here too we find some remarkable historical architectures, starting with two castles. The first, Castel San Gottardo, dates back to the 1100s and was built in an incredible position, inside a fissure in the middle of a very large rock face. Today it is an inaccessible ruin because its owners moved to a new, more comfortable residence, Castel Firmian, built right below the former and still inhabited by their descendants. The most lavish noble residence in the town, however, is Palazzo Martini, with its courtyards, furnishings, and original decorations. It is here that prestigious local events are held, such as the "Mostra del Teroldego Rotaliano" (Exhibition of Teroldego Rotaliano), the most important native red wine of Trentino. Another former residence of great value is Palazzo Firmian: today it houses the town hall but still preserves in all their splendor some of the very first frescoes by the great eighteenth-century painter Paul Troger. Guided tours of the two palaces are organized by the municipal library during the main events of the village.
The alluvial soil and the characteristic vertical walls of the mountains, shaped by the action of glaciers over millennia, allow the cultivation of various grape varieties, among which Teroldego stands out. An important distillation activity has also been handed down here for centuries, with the production of refined grappas.
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ZAMBANA
The village of Zambana, in the municipality of Terre d’Adige, is best known for the production of a very particular vegetable: white asparagus, cultivated in an artisanal way and celebrated in the great "Festa dell’Asparago Bianco" (White Asparagus Festival) held every year between the end of April and May 1st. However, this village has a very particular history, testified by the small church of Saints Philip and James, also known as the church of Zambana Vecchia: it is the only building that remained standing after a large landslide struck the village in 1954, completely destroying it. Today, the small village has been reborn, preserving a strong memory of the agricultural life of the early twentieth century, which is recalled every year in the "Antiche Terre" (Ancient Lands) event at the beginning of October.
ROVERE’ DELLA LUNA
Also in Roverè della Luna, although this is the smallest municipality in the territory, you can find valuable historical buildings such as the small Chapel of Sant’Anna, frescoed with a particular "danse macabre", and Palazzo de Kreutzenberg, a noble residence still inhabited. However, the strongest peculiarity of this small village, which appears suspended above an immense vineyard, as if floating on a sea of vine leaves, is its location on the cultural-linguistic border with the Germanic world: here everyone speaks Italian, but just a few steps north, entering South Tyrol, you can immerse yourself in a different cultural context, of Austro-Hungarian origin, and hear a bit of German and South Tyrolean spoken on the streets.
The alluvial fan of Roverè della Luna has an excellent southern exposure which, combined with a deep and cool calcareous soil, allows an excellent expression of various grape varieties such as Schiava, Aromatic Traminer, and, above all, Pinot Grigio.
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