Trentino

Fototeca Trentino Spa - Pio Geminiani

Trentino has always been the ideal destination for the entire family, thanks to its safe and friendly territory and to uncontaminated nature where relaxing yet entertaining holidays can be enjoyed while making a thousand discoveries!
The region offers many opportunities for visitors to participate in sports, excursions, cultural tours and strolls surrounded by marvellous nature in the both summer and winter, where children can learn in a playful manner and take on new and fascinating experiences. The region is also the site of the Stelvio National Park, the largest Italian park and currently the most extensive one in the Alpine area and home to numerous animal and plant species of great interest to both adults and children.  

The Dolomites capture tourists with the most diverse sports from November through April, from skiing to snowboarding, mountaineering, climbing, snow walking, snowshoeing and dog sledding. There are over 300 modern ski-lifts in operation providing access to a total of 800 km of slopes which are always in perfect condition. The ski-lifts are also equipped for the younger ones. In fact, many ski schools organise Kinderheim and Kindergarten where parents can leave their children in the company of other children of the same age and youth workers. In the summer, water sports on Lake Garda, horseback riding and mountain biking can be alternated with excursions amidst green vegetation, Nordic walking on the highest mountain tops, shopping and tours of picturesque cities.

The climate also contributes to making this region the ideal destination for families all year long. To begin with, the region doesn’t have any fog and although it is primarily at a rather high average altitude, it doesn’t have those rigid characteristics of other alpine areas. The mildest region is without a doubt the area of Alto Garda and the low Sarca Valley. Alpine valleys have rigid winters and short rather rainy summers, while snow remains on the ground in the alpine areas for most of the year.

The Province of Trento’s most fashionable town in the Dolomites is Madonna di Campiglio (1,550 m). Many consider the most beautiful area in the Dolomites to be San Martino di Castrozza surrounded by the meadows once cared for by the ancient monastery of San Martino, and Giuliano located in the Primiero Valley. The two resorts Folgarida and Marilleva along with the Tonale Pass area and the town of Peio are the primary ski areas in the Sun Valley. Specifically, the Marilleva ski area comprises 25 ski-lifts which connect it (skis on) to Folgarida and to Madonna di Campiglio thus creating a circuit of some 120 km of slopes.

Fototeca Trentino Spa - Marco Simonini

Finally, leading tourist resorts include Andalo, Molveno and Fai located between the foot of Mount Paganella and the heart of the Brenta Dolomites.

Located at an altitude of 1,030 m in the heart of central-western Trentino, Fai della Paganella is well-known in the winter for its skiing. The ski-lifts start off in town and climb to the top of Mount Paganella to connect with those at Andalo, thus serving some 50 km of ski slopes of various levels of difficulty which are also equipped with scheduled artificial snow-making facilities. The ski-lifts operate in the summer too so visitors can go up to the shepherds’ huts and refuges. The archaeological excavations close to the built-up area of Fai on Doss Castel spur are also interesting. The town is also home to a renowned tennis centre offering children international tennis courses in the summer. There are many foot paths and mountain bike trails in the pinewoods surrounding the town, or where a little outdoor gymnastics can be done by following the 21 steps in the exercise course in the Capannina woods.

In addition to nature, Ortisei, S. Cristina and Selva di Val Gardena (within a range of just 8 km) offer a wide choice of artistic and cultural activities. The 1,236 m ASL of Gardena Valley’s chief town Ortisei make it the ideal altitude for both a winter and summer holiday. The town and its lively pedestrian precinct are a place for people to meet and go shopping. It’s also ideal for a walk in the woods to find an old farmstead. Mount Seceda and the Alpe di Siusi tableland can be reached on comfortable cable cars.

Santa Cristina (1,428 m) unfolds along the sunny slopes of the Gardena Valley in front of the Sassolungo Mountain Group, a position making it ideal for both summer and winter holidays. The town provides convenient access to the Mount Pana, Ciampinoi and Col Raiser ski-lifts. Castel Gardena - or more appropriately Fischburg – is a castle dating back to the 16th century located behind the wooded slopes home to the town’s ski-lifts. It is currently private property and is not open to the public.

Selva di Val Gardena (1,563 m) is one of the most prestigious and coveted alpine towns for winter and summer holidays alike. Located in the heart of the Sella Ronda ski circuit, Selva provides kilometres of snowy slopes, thrilling descents and endless entertainment: ice skating, sledging, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, frozen waterfall climbing and much more. During the summer, Selva is known for its endless mountain paths where visitors can go on excursions, take a stroll or follow adventurous Nordic-walking paths and mountain-bike trails.

Fototeca Trentino Spa - Giovanni Cavulli

Andalo is a well-known summer and winter tourist destination located between the Brenta Dolomites and the Paganella Massif, just 20 km from the motorway tollbooth. It is equipped with 25 modern chairlifts which bring visitors up to the top of Paganella (2,125 m) and serve a circuit of 50 km of slopes, most of which equipped with artificial snow-making facilities. These facilities are open in the summer so guests can enjoy a 360° view of the entire area of Trentino and beyond…so they can go for pleasant nature walks, take in the magnificent view overlooking the Brenta Dolomites and taste local Trentino products at the refuges. The sports amenities are very well equipped, embrace an area comprising over 100,000 m2 and offer numerous sports and recreational facilities for the entire family such as amusement parks, bowls, tennis courts, a conference building, riding centre, climbing facilities, miniature golf, a basketball/five-a-side court, football field and a swimming pool and a wellbeing centre in a new building providing entertainment and relaxation!  

Swimming and water sports enthusiasts looking, for example, to go sailing or surfing will enjoy Lake Garda. It is certainly one of the largest and most charming lakes in Italy and is set among green hills and mountain ranges where beaches and small bays embraced by scents and colours can be discovered at any time of the year. The climate is mild and temperate, and favours growth of lush vegetation at times similar with the vegetation found on Mediterranean coasts. Trentino also has hundreds of rapid, downward-flowing streams which become the ideal practising grounds for kayak and rafting enthusiasts.

Thanks to numerous sports schools, those looking for thrilling excitement in the winter or summer can go paragliding, hang-gliding, gliding or parachuting.

Finally, local gastronomy is truly varied and has many delicacies. The origins of this food culture lie in this people’s traditions and heritage and can be tasted and appreciated along Trentino’s 7 Roads of Wine and Flavours. This area’s well-known valuable fruit and genuine vegetables grown in its valleys or on its slopes are a true symbol of the identity of Trentino: from apples to Dro plums, organic vegetables from the Gresta Valley and Torbole broccoli which are the perfect accompaniment to traditional polenta. Trentino is also a land of great cheese the such as Spressa delle Giudicarie, which is typical of mountain pastures.
Valsugana is well-known for its moretti or savoury sausages seasoned with a hint of anise grown in the woods. Non Valley offers gourmands mortandele or pork meatballs which can be eaten raw or cooked. However, locals and visitors alike are most certainly attracted by raw salted meat.

Trentino’s great wine culture naturally comprises autochthonous vines of particular interest to individuals looking to take home the essence of Trentino flavours. Standing out among its white wines is the Nosiola from the homonymous vine cultivated in the hilly area of Lakes Valley and Cembra Valley.
However, there are also two commonly-known reds: light Marzemino and Teroldego.