Livo
Livo è un piccolo comune dell'Alta Val di Non, in Trentino, adagiato a 741 metri di quota sull'altopiano di Mezzalone, laddove il...
Actualizado el 18 julio 2026
Esta temporada · Julio · Verano
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La historia de Livo
Livo in the Alta Val di Non
Livo lies in the northernmost part of the Val di Non, the so-called Alta Val di Non, in an area that marks the transition between the valley floor of the Noce torrent and the mountains leading toward the Val di Bresimo. The municipality spreads across the Mezzalone plateau, a shelf suspended at 741 metres above sea level that gathers four settlements: Livo, seat of the municipal offices, and the hamlets of Preghena to the north, and Varollo and Scanna further south. Not far away, the Noce torrent, flowing down from the Val di Sole, joins the waters of Lake Santa Giustina, the large artificial reservoir that shapes the landscape of the middle Val di Non. This position, straddling the cultivated plateau and the first mountain slopes, makes Livo a privileged vantage point over the whole valley and a natural gateway to the more isolated and wilder areas of the upper valley, still little touched by mass tourism.
The Apple Orchards of the Val di Non
The economy of Livo, like that of much of the Val di Non, has revolved for generations around fruit growing. The sunny slopes of the Mezzalone plateau are covered with terraced apple orchards that produce the area's typical varieties, marketed under the Melinda brand and protected by the Mela Val di Non DOP designation, the first Italian DOP ever awarded to a fruit-growing product. In spring the orchards turn into a sea of white and pink blossom that draws hikers and photographers along the country lanes, while in autumn the landscape takes on the warm tones of harvest time. Apple growing is not only an economic activity but an identity marker that punctuates the calendar and the landscape of the municipality, blending with woods, meadows and small vegetable plots surrounding the settlements of Livo, Preghena, Varollo and Scanna.
Woods, Valleys and Hamlets
Beyond the cultivated belt, much of Livo's municipal territory is covered by coniferous and deciduous woods that climb from the edges of the plateau toward the first mountain slopes, cut through by streams and gullies where small waterfalls and hidden cascades appear among the vegetation. Within this setting lie the hamlets: Preghena, with its church dedicated to Saint Anthony, keeps the intimate atmosphere of a mountain village; Varollo is home to the church of the Nativity of Mary, a Gothic building notable for its unusually slender bell tower; Scanna, the southernmost hamlet, overlooks the valley with a profile typical of the rural villages of the Val di Non. In the main village, the church of San Martino, documented as early as 1209, is among the oldest religious buildings in the area and bears witness to the long continuity of settlement on the plateau.
The Landscape, Trails and Nature toward the Val di Bresimo
The landscape of Livo is typical of the Alta Val di Non: a cultivated plateau overlooking a deep valley floor, framed by wooded slopes climbing toward the mountains bordering the Val di Bresimo. From the Mezzalone plateau, trails and farm tracks set off, allowing walkers to move among orchards and woods with views over Lake Santa Giustina and the wide basin of the Val di Non, before heading into the wilder valleys leading to the nearby Val di Bresimo, historically linked to Livo. These are routes suited to a relaxed walk rather than a demanding trek, designed for those seeking direct contact with the rural Trentino landscape, among dry-stone walls, small mountain pastures and clearings that open suddenly among the trees. The quiet of these trails, far from the valley's more crowded destinations, is probably the feature most appreciated by visitors to Livo.
History and Experiences in Livo
The history of Livo has roots in prehistory, documented by the remains of ancient hillforts found on the plateau, and continues in the Middle Ages with the rise of the lords of Livo, among the most influential families of the Prince-Bishopric of Trento in the 12th century: in 1183 the local fief was entrusted to them, and a branch of the family, the Altaguardia, also controlled the nearby castle of Bresimo. It is no coincidence that, until 1948, the municipality of Livo also included the territories of Bresimo and Cis, which later became independent, confirming a close historical bond with the upper valley. On the Caslir hill stood the Rocca di Livo, while Castel Zoccolo, first mentioned in 1233, still preserves a few but significant traces of its medieval origins. A violent fire struck the historic centre on 11 December 1880, an event still recalled today by a commemorative plaque. Today Livo offers a slow-tourism experience, made of walks among the apple orchards, visits to the small hamlets and stays on farms and rural homesteads that still tell the story of a bygone rural economy.
Not to be missed
- Castel Zoccolo, a medieval fortification first mentioned in 1233
- The church of San Martino in Livo, documented since 1209
- The church of the Nativity of Mary in Varollo, with its slender Gothic bell tower
- A walk among the blossoming apple orchards of the Mezzalone plateau
- A hike through woods and trails toward the Val di Bresimo
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