Ala between its velvet-making history and routes through the landscape

Historic Center and Ala Città di Velluto

Ala’s historic center preserves its old-world splendor. Every summer, it hosts the Ala Città di Velluto event. Ala Città di Velluto includes concerts, theater performances, street shows, exhibitions, workshops and food stalls throughout the historic center. During the event, this gives the town center several cultural and culinary venues, each offering different program items.

Ala’s history is also connected with the production of silk velvet. From the late 17th to the 18th century, Ala was a point of reference for silk velvet production. This historical focus shapes the way the town is understood, as does the preserved building fabric in the center.

Palazzo de’ Pizzini and Musical Heritage

Palazzo de’ Pizzini is a complex of three buildings constructed between the late 17th and late 18th centuries. Mozart stayed at Palazzo de’ Pizzini with his father three times in three consecutive years and played there in the reception hall on the piano nobile.

Palazzo de’ Pizzini houses the Museo del Pianoforte, which preserves rare and historic instruments from the collection of pianist Temenuschka Vesselinova. Guided tours of Palazzo de’ Pizzini are available by prior reservation through the Municipality of Ala’s Culture and Tourism Office. Anyone wishing to visit the palace should therefore plan the visit with the required reservation.

Historic Routes and Baroque Sacred Architecture

The Antica via Ala – Serravalle route is 11 kilometers long. On foot, the route takes about three hours; by bicycle, just under two hours. Along the Antica via Ala – Serravalle route, there are 13 points of interest equipped with explanatory signs. The route was created as a food-and-wine route and promoted by local wineries.

The origins of the Santuario di San Valentino date back to the 14th century. The Santuario di San Valentino acquired its present-day Baroque form through expansion work in 1763. Access to the Santuario di San Valentino is barrier-free and clearly signposted. A visit therefore focuses both on the sanctuary’s long history and on its Baroque form.

Fucina Cortiana and Activities in the Surrounding Area

The path to Fucina Cortiana leads through an impressive natural landscape with views of Val di Ronchi and the Piccole Dolomiti. Access to Fucina Cortiana is barrier-free and clearly signposted.

In the immediate surroundings of Ala, the Altopiano della Lessinia offers opportunities for Nordic walking and mountain biking. Together with the Antica via Ala – Serravalle route, which takes about three hours on foot, and its just-under-two-hour bicycle version, this provides several documented ways to actively explore Ala and the nearby area.

Further destinations for your planning: Sarche, Monte Mezza, Romeno, Tonadico, Caldonazzo, Volano, Cavalese, Campestrin

For the higher-level travel overview: Trentino-South Tyrol.