Baselga di Piné

The Piné plateau is home to a number of settlements between 800 and 1200 m above sea level, mostly clusters of houses whose history, however, has its roots in very ancient times. According to various findings, it seems that the whole area was already inhabited in the Bronze Age, when people were engaged in hunting and mining, as documented by the archaeological site of Passo Redebus, where a copper workshop was found.

In the Middle Ages, the plateau was colonised by Germanic peoples, whose presence can still be seen today in the urban layout of the various villages. It was in the second half of the 13th century, however, that the Magnifica Comunità di Pinè was founded, comprising all the municipalities in the area, with the aim of administering the territory and managing the few resources it had to offer. Since then, the spirit of the inhabitants of the Pinè plateau has not changed and even today they maintain the same proud spirit of adaptation and autonomy that has enabled them to create evolved and modern communities.

What to see
If you decide to visit Baselga di Piné, you will soon realise how many places of historical, religious and natural interest there are in the vicinity. The village is immersed in an uncontaminated nature and can offer you various opportunities to admire enchanting views.

The parish church of the Assunta, with its Gothic forms dating back to the 16th century and a cusped bell tower from the 17th century, contains valuable wooden altars and a painting by Paolo Naurizio.
After strolling through the small streets of the village, you can choose your destination from the many in the area.

The Sanctuary of Montagnana, a reference point for Marian devotion in Trentino, is certainly one of them. The original chapel dates back to 1648, but after the apparitions of the Madonna to the shepherdess Domenica Targa, the current building was constructed in the 18th century. On the twenty-eight steps of the holy staircase, which reproduces the one in Rome, you will find sandbags from the Holy Land.

In the nearby Cembra Valley you will find one of the most beautiful natural spectacles in all of Italy: the Segonzano Pyramids, a geological phenomenon that has created pinnacles and towers surmounted by porphyry boulders; a must if you are on holiday in these parts. The same goes for the Lupo waterfall, the most famous in Baselga di Pinè and reachable with a nice walk through nature.
Finally, if you love archaeological sites, you must visit the Acqua Fredda site, which preserves numerous testimonies of the presence in the area of a large community already in the Bronze Age.

Things to do
There is no shortage of activities to do if you stay in Baselga di Pinè, both in winter and summer, and this is one of the most popular locations in Trentino. Lakes Piazze and Serraia are an irresistible attraction for picnics, excursions, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and even taking a dip in their waters, awarded the Blue Flag every year. In winter, on the other hand, the ice surface attracts skating enthusiasts.

Alternatively, Baselga di Pinè is home to the Ice Rink Piné, one of the best equipped ice rinks in the region and used for international competitions, while if you want to learn how to play curling you can sign up for one of the courses organised at the Palacurling.
A final suggestion is a not-to-be-missed excursion to the Cros del Cuc on the Pinè plateau, to admire a breathtaking view of the surrounding lakes and mountains.

Typical products and gastronomic specialities
The specificities of the place also concern the food and wine aspect, and in this respect you certainly can't give up a nice plate of strangolapreti to be enjoyed in one of the alpine-style taverns heated by the ever-present wooden stube.
Among the typical products of the Pinè plateau, however, there are also speck, honey, polenta, canederli (a kind of dumpling), apples, milk and, of course, cheese, which you can appreciate in particular by dining in one of the local farmhouses.

Could the wines be missing? The answer is obviously not, and in fact in Baselga di Piné you will have the opportunity to taste the best wines of Val di Cembra, among which the Cembrani Bianco and the Müller Thurgau, another top wine of Trentino, stand out. Finally, if you want to take home a souvenir of your holiday, all you have to do is choose one of the local craft products, the result of ancient traditions handed down from father to son. These include fine wood and wrought iron sculptures or hand-decorated artistic ceramics.