San Lorenzo in Banale

Houses of stone and wood, gently nestled on a green terrace at the foot of the Brenta Dolomites. One need only walk through the streets of San Lorenzo in Banale (a hamlet of San Lorenzo Dorsino), among the most beautiful villages in Italy, to feel a sense of peace and serenity pervade. Forty-five minutes by car from Trento, San Lorenzo in Banale is located at the entrance to the Val d'Ambiez, considered the gateway to the Brenta Dolomites, ideal for immersing oneself in the nature of the Adamello Brenta Park, walking among alpine pastures and mountain paths. Then return to the village, and lose yourself in the porticos and alleyways of this hamlet, born from the fusion of seven ancient fiefdoms (the seven villas), each with its own peculiar characteristics, which are still visible today. Places to visit include the Casa del Parco C'era una volta (Once upon a time), an 18th-century building renovated as a typical peasant dwelling of the past to discover its traditions, and the 16th-century church of San Rocco and San Sebastiano, on whose walls you can admire the frescoes of the Baschenis, 16th-century artists. The highlight of this village's cuisine is ciuiga, a pork-based sausage flavoured with cooked and chopped turnips, now a Slow Food presidium. The recipe originated in the late 19th century when a butcher in the village, driven by necessity, recycled meat scraps by thickening them with white turnips.