Avio at the foot of Mount Baldo

Avio is the largest municipality of the lower Vallagarina and is situated almost half way between Trento and Verona. Crossed by the Adige river, it is plunged into a flat land at the foot of Mount Baldo and surrounded by the Lessini mountains. It boasts a Roman origin and is well-known for the Castle of Sabbionara, a small hamlet of the municipality, and for its products: in fact, several excellent wines are produced here. Moreover, from Avio you can easily reach Mount Baldo.

Avio has an ancient origin, as proved by the remarkable Castle of Sabbionara d'Avio placed in the hamlet Sabbionara and owned by the Italian Fund for the Environment (FAI). Positioned on the top of a hill in order to overlook the whole valley, the castle is still in a good state of repair and has an imposing mass: a massive surrounding wall encloses the baronial palace, the five towers and the Guards' house, which holds a cycle of frescoes of the fourteenth century. Noteworthy is also the center of Avio, with its decorated portals and its two churches, the Old Church, dated back to 1145, and the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta of the seventeenth century.

Avio hosts also the City Antiquarium, in Casa Brasavola, which displays findings of the Roman age: an evidence of the ancient origin of this village and the flourishing trades affecting the valley during that epoch. Besides coins, the gallery holds also some epigraphs and some milestones of the Roman road Via Claudia Augusta Padana.

Thanks to its mild climate Avio guarantees a perfect shelter for vineyards and olive trees: so it's no accident that several Trentino wines are produced here, for example the Pinot Grigio, the Chardonnay, the Marzemino and the autochthonous wine Enantio. Moreover, Avio is part of the wine route Strada del vino e dei sapori della Vallagarina. A clear evidence of the importance of vines for this area is the event held every September called "Uva e dintorni"(grapes and environs) with jugglers and artists enlivening the medieval village.

Placed on Mount Baldo, Avio is an ideal starting point for walking tours leading to the alpine summer houses of the area, where you can taste and buy local products. Mount Baldo, which is part of the homonymous nature reserve and for this reason a protected area, is a real training ground for several outdoor activities: trekking, mountain biking, free flying, skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.
Starting in Avio and following a mule track you can reach the waterfalls of the Aviana stream and a long Via ferrata called Via Ferrata Gerardo Sega which allows to enjoy marvelous scenic lookouts.