Ala, city of velvet ...an unforgettable experience. Ala is the main economic and cultural centre of lower Vallagarina, the valley of the river Adige which flows south through Veronese territory, past the Verona lock and onto the Venetian plain at the foot of the pre-Alps. The coppice-covered hillsides and the deep side valleys penetrate right into the Lessini mountains to the east (valleys of San Valentino and Ronchi) and the Mount Baldo chain (valleys of Aviana and Sorna).
Ala has baroque and late baroque features, with buildings and dwellings fl anking narrow winding cobbled streets and bordering pretty little squares, in a typically Renaissance and Medieval layout. Furrowed by the course of the river Adige, Ala is "a place that has experienced particular times" yet one that still retains its own identity. A market town in medieval times, Ala stubbornly opposed Venetian domination and in the course of centuries earned itself worldwide fame as the home of silk weaving.
The "city of velvet" - as it is known due to its fi ne silks and fabrics - succeeded in blending a modern idea of development with artistic and cultural growth, thanks to the presence of an enlightened nobility. A stroll through the quiet deserted streets in the old centre of the town, on the southernmost border of the Trentino region, reveals the mysterious, fascinating atmosphere still conveyed by the façades of the nobles' palaces, the masks decorating imposing portals, the loggias, the courtyards and the squares.
From the 17th to the 18th century, Ala was an important centre for the production of silk velvets, and the entire town, with its houses, streets and squares, retains the aristocratic appearance of a time of exceptional wealth and social vitality. In the 18th century, by now a famous industrial centre, Ala underwent complete transformation. The wealthiest families embellished their residences with marble, stucco work and paintings. The silk spinning machines with their great water-wheels driven by an artificial canal, the dye-works and the fulling mills became the landmarks of the industrial part of the town. Trade relations with the nobles and princes of Central Europe had a cultural influence; the nobles formed music and literary circles, they invited musicians, singers and poets to their homes, they fostered relations and correspondence with famous people, including Emperor Joseph II, Marie-Thérèse of Austria, Napoleon Bonaparte and Mozart, who "made music" in a hall of Palazzo de Pizzini von Hochenbrunn during his second trip to Italy.
Ala is also renowned for its beautiful landscape. Numerous itineraries are available, including visits to the local wine cellars and hillside vineyards, and peace-seeking excursions to places of worship, such as the sanctuary of San Valentino overlooking Marani and, the ancient little churches in Santa Margherita. In Valle dei Ronchi you can visit the characteristic Cortina forge and then climb up to the "Little Dolomites" and even stay in the Fraccaroli, Capanna Sinel, Scalorbi and Pertica mountain huts. Ala is ideally situated to offer opportunities for both culture lovers and those wishing to enjoy nature and the beauty of an unspoilt landscape and also to enjoy beautiful excursions. In the summer the past few years, Ala has revived the season of silk-worm breeding and silk making in an event called "Ala, city of velvet". With a successful blend of history, art, tourism and entertainment, Ala makes its historical and artistic legacy known to a vast public.
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