Italian Roots Tour Nova Trento: Wine, Culture & Colonial History

Vineyards, a water-powered mill, and the story of Italian settlers in the mountains

The Italian Roots Tour is a nine-hour guided tour of Nova Trento, a region in southern Brazil colonized by immigrants from Italy's Trentino region, where Italian culture, winemaking and religious tradition still shape daily life. You visit two wineries with tastings, a colonial museum with period tools and a working Atafona mill where corn is ground by water wheel, a religious complex that shows the settlers' faith, and the town's main avenue with historical context from your guide. The tour includes van transport, an accredited guide speaking Portuguese, and a traditional Italian buffet lunch at a family inn.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Nova Trento's culture and cuisine

• Visit Vinicola Castel vineyards
• Tour Colonial Museum and Atafona mill
• Visit Complex Mother Paulina
• Enjoy typical Italian buffet at Inn Cantina Italiana
• Panoramic tour of Nova Trento main avenue
• Visit Girola winery and taste wines and cheeses
• Stop at Fip Fashion Fair for shopping and coffee

The experience

Nova Trento sits in the mountains of southern Brazil, built by Trentino immigrants who brought their grapes, wine-making methods and food traditions with them. The tour moves through eight stops that trace how those settlers shaped the region: you start at Vinicola Castel vineyard to learn about the grape varieties and family farming practices, then move to the Colonial Museum to see the actual house, tools and customs of the first arrivals. The Atafona (a mill powered by a water wheel) still grinds corn by hand the way it did generations ago, producing Fubá, a staple of the region's cooking.

Food and wine anchor the day. At Girola winery you walk through production and the cellar, then taste wines alongside cheeses and colonial products. Lunch is a full Italian buffet served at Cantina Italiana, a property that keeps the old recipes alive. Between tastings and meals, you visit the Mother Paulina Complex to understand how deeply religion shaped the settlers' lives, take a panoramic drive down Nova Trento's main avenue while your guide explains the town's history, and spend an hour at the FIP Fashion Fair, a textile market with around two hundred stores where you can stop for afternoon coffee.

The van is air-conditioned with individual reclining seats, a stereo and a DVD player. Your guide is accredited by Cadastur, Brazil's tourism authority, and speaks Portuguese throughout the day. The tour runs nine hours and suits all fitness levels. Infants can travel in a pram or stroller, or sit on an adult's lap.

What’s included

• Accompaniment by a Cadastur-accredited guide speaking Portuguese.
• van and executive minibus transport with air conditioning, stereo, DVD and individual reclining seats.
• traditional Italian buffet lunch at Cantina Italiana.
• wine and cheese tastings at Girola winery.
• entry to the Colonial Museum, the Atafona mill, the Mother Paulina Complex and the FIP Fashion Fair.

Before you book

Days and timesThursdayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to2d before

GroupUp to 28

Live guidePortuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Transptur Turismo

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks Portuguese, so you'll follow the commentary in that language. If you're comfortable with Portuguese or traveling with someone who is, the tour works smoothly. If you need English or another language, confirm availability before booking.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly happens at the Atafona mill in Nova Trento?

The Atafona is a working mill powered by a water wheel, still grinding corn by hand to produce Fubá, a cornmeal staple of the region. You watch the traditional process and learn how settlers used this method for generations.

Do I get to taste wine on this tour?

Yes. At Girola winery you taste wines paired with cheeses and colonial products, and you visit Vinicola Castel vineyard first to learn about the grapes and farming. Lunch at Cantina Italiana includes a full Italian buffet.

What is the Colonial Museum like?

The Colonial Museum is a preserved house from the settlement era, displaying agricultural tools, household items and the customs of the first Italian immigrants. It shows how the Trentino settlers lived and worked in the region.

How long is the tour and what time does it run?

The tour is nine hours long. Specific departure and return times depend on your booking. Contact the operator for the exact schedule.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food is served?

Yes, lunch is included at Cantina Italiana, a family property serving a traditional Italian buffet that reflects the cooking of the settlers. Wine, cheeses and other colonial products are part of the tastings during the day, but personal food expenses beyond what is provided are not covered.