Top of the World
Perched on the hills of the Destra Adige, the Castle, managed by the Fai, has dominated the lower Vallagarina for centuries, surrounded by its mighty crenellated walls. It is one of the oldest and most original castles in Trentino. The castle of Avio is one of the first things you notice when you enter Trentino, coming from Verona. You see it from below, going along the Adige valley. At night it shines like a precious crown, with its illuminated walls and towers, on the top of the hill. When you visit it and look out from the top of the very high Mastio (donjon), the view is extraordinary: you can admire the whole Vallagarina crossed by the Adige river. The Castle of Avio is formed by a large complex that includes the eleventh-century keep, five towers, the baronial palace and the thirteenth-century walls. It is one of the oldest and most original castles in Trentino, belonging almost uninterruptedly to the noble Castelbarco family, who during the Middle Ages transformed the fortress into a small feudal court, a destination for artists and intellectuals. Before entering the heart of the castle of Avio, we recommend you visit the "Sala delle Guardie". Its walls preserve intact a cycle of frescoes with battle scenes, dating back to the fourteenth century. Inside the donjon of the castle you can visit the "Camera di Amore" (Love Chamber), decorated with fourteenth-century frescoes, which, refined and lively, tell the story of the Middle Ages of ladies and knights, celebrating the arts of war and courtly love. In particular, you can admire a man pierced in the heart by a lance, a lady with a small dog - symbol of fidelity - and Love blindfolded, with a bow and arrows.
