Borgo Valsugana
Borgo Valsugana is the main town of the Bassa Valsugana, in Trentino, set along the banks of the Brenta river
Updated 20 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Borgo Valsugana now
The story
The story of Borgo Valsugana
The heart of the Bassa Valsugana on the Brenta
Borgo Valsugana is the natural hub of the Bassa Valsugana, the broad southern stretch of the Trentino valley crossed by the Brenta river. The town spreads along both banks of the watercourse, which over the centuries has marked the boundaries of the settlements, powered mills and sawmills, and offered the easiest route through the surrounding mountains. Framed by wooded hills and the foothills of the Vezzena plateau and the Lagorai range, Borgo Valsugana retains the identity of a crossroads, a meeting point between Trentino's alpine culture and Venetian influences that travelled up the Brenta valley. Today the town is the main commercial, administrative and cultural reference point for the neighbouring villages of the lower valley, yet it keeps the modest scale and unhurried pace typical of valley-floor towns, appreciated by travellers seeking authentic tourism away from the crowds.
The historic centre, the bridge and the porticoes
The heart of Borgo Valsugana is an elegant historic centre that blends Venetian traits with Tyrolean influences, a result of its position on the border between two cultural worlds. The bridge over the Brenta, rebuilt several times over the centuries, remains the symbol of the town and the best vantage point for admiring the coloured houses reflected in the water. Walking along the main streets, visitors find low, shaded porticoes, once busy with shops and markets and still home to stores and cafés today, alongside noble palaces with frescoed façades that testify to the old prosperity of local merchants. Intimate squares, river views and paved lanes complete the atmosphere of a town that has preserved its architectural identity, making a simple stroll a pleasant journey through history, trade and everyday valley life.
Castel Telvana
Above the town, on a rocky spur overlooking the confluence of several valleys, stand the remains of Castel Telvana, an ancient stronghold that for centuries watched over the control of Valsugana and its communication routes toward Trento and the Veneto. The castle, of medieval origin, passed through various noble families before slowly falling into decline, yet its ruins still serve today as a visual landmark for anyone arriving in Borgo Valsugana, as well as a destination for short walks and excursions from the historic centre. From the remaining walls and tower, visitors enjoy a wide panorama over the town, the course of the Brenta and the surrounding mountains, a view that helps convey the strategic importance this site once held in the history of the valley, long before it became a destination for slow, mindful tourism.
Valsugana, a route between Trento and the Veneto, and the Great War
For centuries, Valsugana served as one of the main corridors linking Trento and the Veneto, especially toward Bassano del Grappa, facilitating the passage of goods, people and cultures along the Brenta valley. This role as a transit route proved crucial, and tragic, during the First World War, when the valley found itself close to the front line running along the plateaus above. Habsburg positions, forts and trenches still dot the hills surrounding Borgo Valsugana today, while military cemeteries and memorials recall the thousands of soldiers who died along this stretch of the border between empires. Visiting these sites, on a route connecting Borgo Valsugana to the nearby plateaus, helps visitors understand how the twentieth-century history of war became intertwined with the valley's older role as a commercial and cultural crossroads between Trentino and the Veneto.
The Brenta cycle path and the surroundings
Borgo Valsugana is also a reference point for those exploring the valley by bike, thanks to the Valsugana cycle path, which follows the course of the Brenta river for much of its length, linking the town to other centres in the valley along a flat route suitable for families and cycle tourists. Nearby, the well-known spas of Roncegno and Levico offer the chance for a thermal and wellness stop, set within historic parks that enrich the area's tourist offer. Borgo Valsugana's position, between the valley floor and the wooded slopes, also makes it easy to reach hiking trails, smaller villages and scenic viewpoints, making the town a convenient base for varied days out: a stroll through the historic centre, an excursion to the Great War forts, a bike ride along the Brenta, or a relaxing stop at the nearby spas.
Not to be missed
- The bridge over the Brenta and the Venetian-Tyrolean historic centre
- The porticoes and noble palaces along the old trading streets
- The remains of Castel Telvana and the view over the valley
- The Great War forts and sites on the nearby plateaus
- The Valsugana cycle path along the Brenta river
To see
What to see in Borgo Valsugana
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Borgo Valsugana
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