Ville d'Anaunia
Ville d'Anaunia is a scattered municipality in the Val di Non, in Trentino, born from the merger of three historic centres of the...
Updated 20 July 2026
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The story
The story of Ville d'Anaunia
A scattered municipality in the heart of Val di Non
Ville d'Anaunia was created from the union of Tuenno, Nanno and Tassullo, three villages that have dotted the slopes of the Val di Non for centuries — the valley known in Roman times as Anaunia, which gave the new municipality its name. Each of the three villages retains its own identity: Tuenno opens onto Lake Tovel and the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park, Tassullo is home to the famous Castel Valer, while Nanno sits on a panoramic hilltop overlooking the valley. Merging the three centres into a single scattered municipality made it possible to jointly showcase a shared heritage of nature, history and agriculture, while keeping the distinctive character of each settlement alive. Walking through the streets of these villages means passing through rural architecture typical of the Val di Non, ancient churches and small squares, in a setting that remains authentic and closely tied to the rhythms of mountain and countryside life.
The apple orchards and Melinda DOP apples
The landscape of Ville d'Anaunia is largely shaped by apple orchards, which cover the valley floor and climb the slopes to considerable heights. The Val di Non is in fact the homeland of the Melinda apple, a DOP product that stands as one of Trentino's best-known agricultural excellences, grown for generations by farming families united in cooperatives. In spring the orchards burst into a wave of white and pink blossom that draws visitors and photography enthusiasts, while in autumn the harvest sets the pace of village life. Travelling the roads between Tuenno, Nanno and Tassullo, one encounters neat rows of trees, traditional drying sheds and small farm shops selling the valley's symbolic fruit directly. This fruit-growing vocation is not only economic but part of local identity: apple culture permeates festivals, local traditions and even the rural architecture of the area, making Ville d'Anaunia an ideal place to discover the deep bond between agricultural landscape and mountain community.
Lake Tovel and the phenomenon of the red lake
Nestled among conifer woods at the foot of the Brenta Dolomites, Lake Tovel is the territory's most famous destination, reachable from the hamlet of Tuenno. Its clear waters, surrounded by a natural amphitheatre of rock and forest, are linked to a phenomenon that made the lake famous throughout Italy for decades: the summer reddening of its waters, once known as the “red lake”, which tinted part of the basin in shades of red and vermilion. The phenomenon, no longer observable with the same intensity as in the past, fuelled popular legends and naturalistic studies, helping to make Lake Tovel a symbol of the Val di Non. The lake is still a destination for walks and excursions today, appreciated for the tranquillity of its perimeter trails, its panoramic viewpoints and the chance to admire one of Trentino's most evocative lakeside scenes, set within the protected nature of the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park.
The castles: Castel Valer and Castel Nanno
The history of Ville d'Anaunia is also told through its castles, evidence of the defensive and noble role this part of the Val di Non played over the centuries. In Tassullo stands Castel Valer, one of the valley's most fascinating manors, recognisable by its tower and by an architecture that combines fortified elements with more refined residential spaces, developed over the centuries as the residence of the noble families who owned it. Not far away, in the territory of Nanno, lie the remains of Castel Nanno, further evidence of the system of fortifications that once guarded the valley's strategic points, controlling communication routes and agricultural holdings. These manors, together with the historic churches scattered across the three villages, form a local history trail that helps explain how the Val di Non was for centuries a border land and a land of power, contested among noble families and episcopal principalities, before becoming the agricultural and tourist valley it is today.
The Adamello-Brenta Nature Park and hiking
A large part of the mountainous territory of Ville d'Anaunia falls within the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park, Trentino's largest protected area, which includes the Brenta Dolomites and the Adamello-Presanella massif. Trails leading to Lake Tovel, to alpine pasture huts and to higher altitudes set off from the municipality's hamlets, passing through spruce and larch woods and alpine pastures that host rich wildlife, including the brown bear, a symbol of the park's conservation efforts. Excursions can range from simple loop walks around the lake, suitable for families too, to more demanding routes towards mountain huts and Dolomite peaks. In every season the park offers different scenery: spring blossoms, the intense green of summer, the autumn colours blending with those of the orchards down in the valley, and the snowy quiet of winter. For mountain lovers, Ville d'Anaunia is therefore an ideal base from which to explore one of the most precious natural environments in the Italian Alps.
Not to be missed
- Lake Tovel and the panoramic trails surrounding it
- Castel Valer in Tassullo, with its historic tower
- The blossoming orchards and tasting the Melinda DOP apple
- The Adamello-Brenta Nature Park with hikes through woods and mountain pastures
- The historic villages of Tuenno, Nanno and the remains of Castel Nanno
To see
What to see in Ville d'Anaunia
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