Villa Margon and Trento

 September 27, 2019

From Trieste, I took the train to Verona, where a new friend, Filippo, picked me up and drove me to Ravina di Trento, where my dear friend Lucia is the caretaker of the Villa Margon. I've known Lucia for more than a decade and have visited her in several forested locations, but Villa Margon is the most regal of them all.

Villa Margon

Villa Margon is part of the Cantine Ferrari complex, makers of the renowned Ferrari sparkling wines. Visitors come from all over the world, for the wine-tasting, but also to view the frescoed walls of the villa. 

Frescoed walls are also outside the villa. 

Located outside of Trento, Villa Margon is a sixteenth century villa with more than 500 years of history, beginning with the Council of Trent, when the villa welcomed cardinals and other religious figures from all over Europe, including Emperor Charles V. (Charles V was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands).In fact, his exploits are highlighted in one of the fresco cycles that adorn the villa.

 

A few images from the frescoed walls that fill several rooms in the villa. 

In addition to viewing the Villa, I also spent many hours hiking with Lucia, her husband Luciano and their daughter, Marta. At times we were in the chilly fog at Passo Fittanze, or meandering along the Altopiano and other areas of Trentino where there are numerous hiking trails. Marta and Lucia hunted mushrooms, in particular a variety called sanguinelli (saffron milk cap) mushrooms, which Lucia cooked that evening and made sandwiches for our hike the next day. 

Lucia and Luciano hunting mushrooms.

We visited a natural bridge (Ponte di Vieja) and several nearby villages, where we encountered few people but found a great pizzeria. 

Marta and Luciano walking on Ponte di Vieja

During our hikes, we also viewed the devastation caused by Vaia, a monstrous windstorm that blew through the area in October of 2018. Vaia was the largest single windstorm event in recorded history, and hit some of the most beautiful and most productive forests in Italy.  Scirocco winds up to 200 km/hr caused 8 million cubic meters of downed timber, resulting in 41,000 hectares of destroyed forest. 

Marta and Luciano near the ruined trees.

Stacks of timbers lined the trails, waiting to be transported, many of the timbers rotting after a year of sitting in piles. It was heart wrenching to see, another unfortunate casualty of climate change. 

As always, spending time with Lucia and her family was a lovely treat; she is a wonderful friend and gracious host that I am fortunate to know. 

The main piazza in Trento, where high school students were on strike that day. 

During my visit, I stayed at a hotel in Trento, and before leaving the area, I had a chance to view some of the sights in the historic center. 

Soon,  I was off to my next stop, Malcesine and Lago di Garda!

Segonzano

Here's a view of the Val di Cembra, the area in Trentino-Alto Adige where Segonzano is located. Segonzano is actually composed of fifteen villages. My friend Lucia manages an environmental center located in a vast forest, where school children come to learn about nature and the environment. I met Lucia last year through a language exchange site and we usually meet on Skype to talk for an hour once a week . She invited me to visit her, and I stayed in Segonzano for four days this week. In a region that is often cloudy, we were blessed with sunny skies throughout my stay.

The environmental center amidst the forest.

The children come with their teachers for day trips, they may stay overnight to explore the forest at night, or during the summer they might stay for a week or two of summer camp. There are 55-beds, 4-5 to a room, to accommodate them during their stay. Lucia and her daughter Marta live on site and take care of many duties at the center. They were wonderful hosts during my stay and we had a great time exploring the area together. Marta is a skilled guide in the forest: she's a born naturalist with a strong love for animals, and dotes on her pet pig, Pepsi.

Marta and Lucia with a porcini mushroom.

We went on many walks in the nearby forest, where some trees had started changing colors.

The trees here are mostly pine, beech and larch.

Mountains were always in the distance, providing a vivid contrast to the many cultivated fields of grapes, apples and strawberries in the valley.

Another major industry in the area is the mining of porfido (porphyry) that is used in building and road construction. Porfido is a volcanic rock quarried from the nearby mountains. Many homes in the area resemble Swiss chalets, with colorful displays of flowers hanging from windows and balconies.

One of the more unusual places we visited were the piramidi di terra or earth pyramids that were created by erosion.

On several mornings, Lucia and I visited some of the Segonzano villages while running errands, and one morning we went to Trento.

A fresco on Palazzo Alberti-Cotico in Trento.

After being in the city for a few hours, I was eager to return to the peaceful forest setting. I enjoyed my stay with Lucia and Marta and am very grateful for their kindness and generosity in hosting me in their home, sharing their lives and showing me the wonders of their region. As I was leaving, Marta gave me a special memento, a small boat she had carved that day out of larch bark, along with my initials on the side of the boat. Che dolcezza! How sweet! I will miss these dear friends! Grazie mille, carissimi!

Lucia and I at the train station in Trento.

For more photos, click here: Segonzano#