Trentino Alto Adige Travel Guide

What to see in Trentino Alto Adige

When people think about this land the first thing that usually comes to their mind are the Dolomites, pale rocky mountains elevating on the blue sky...But there is much more that travelers can find in Trentino Alto-Adige: they can walk trough cozy cities and villages where Medieval traces are still well visible, get enchanted by the genuine taste of food and products, by the beauty of the valleys, by the simple life style of the people, close to nature, get involved in all the outdoor activities that can be done every time of the year...You won't be disappointed!

Read our green-travel guides:

Trento

Bolzano

Slow itineraries, on foot or by bike

Get ready with your backpack for a trip of one or more days. Many trips can be arranged if you love trekking. The paths are usually well marked and along the way there are refuges and huts, equipped places where to stop for the night. You can choose easy itineraries suitable for families with children, or more difficult and challenging ones, walking through glaciers up to mountain tops of 3000 meters or more. The landscape is unique and very various!

There are also many Natural Parks, opportunities to discover the alpine flora and fauna with many activities thought also for children and families. The main parks that are worth visiting in Trentino are Adamello Brenta, Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino and Stelvio, while in Alto Adige they are Puez Odle, Tre Cime, Tessa Group, the park of Fanes-Sennes-Braies and the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina.There are also many urban treks: you can walk trough the most interesting places in cities and then climb up  to the surrounding mountains, crossing green forests and field...all without using your car!

The Region is rich of lakes as well, most of them are bathing. Swimming in their soft water surrounded by mountains is such a relaxing experience, worthy to be tried! It is also very common to find lakes along mountain paths, at high altitude, nice surprises for hikers, dotting the landscape and making it even more beautiful. The most famous lakes to visit are Carezza Lake in Elga Valley, surrounded by a green forest, from which you can enjoy a great view on Latemar, Braies Lake in Pusteria Valley, Molveno Lake at the foot of  Brenta Dolomites, and Garda Lake which attract people who love water sports.

For those who like traveling with bikes there are many possibilities as well: bicycle paths extend across all the Region. Here are some of the most interesting itineraries:

• from Caldonazzo Lake to Bassano del Grappa, across Valsugana (about 50 Km)
• from Trento to Bolzano, along Adige Valley, about 60 km, a path surrounded by orchards and vineyards
• from Trento to Rovereto, across Vallagarina, towards Avio (about 52 Km)
• across Non Valley, a ring of about 25 Km, passing trough meadows and rolling hills and crossing the villages of Fondo, Malosco, Ronzone, Sarnonico and Cavareno  
• from San Candido to Lienz, between Pusteria Valley and Austria, 40 km across this incredible green valley

Along the ways there are Bicigrill, nice places where to have a rest and taste typical products.

Antique taste and genuine local food

In the past most of the people living in Trentino Alto Adige where farmers and lived in small villages in the valleys. Large part of the economy was connected to agriculture. This past tradition is still well visible in the Region. For this reason, you won't be disappointed: there is the possibility to try tasty and genuine products, but also rustic and simple, as the people living in this place are.

Very famous all over the word are apples, grown in the valleys of Trentino and Alto Adige. You can taste them in many ways, raw or cooked. Don't miss “strudel”,  a traditional cake with a soft stuffing of apple nuts and rising. Small fruits, like strawberries, blueberries, currants and blackberries are grown as well. The region is a great producer of wine: very famous are the ones grown in the flat countryside of Piana Rotaliana, between Mezzocorona and San Michele all'Adige.

In Trentino Alto Adige there is also the production of speck and cheese, made in alpine huts. You can taste them together with different types of bread made with seeds and wholewheat flour or with “tortel” a typical product of Non Valley, made with potatoes. From ancient German and Austrian traditions you can try “canederli” together with steaming cornmeal mush.

Where to sleep in Trentino Alto Adige: eco-friendly accommodations

In Trentino Alto Adige it is possible to sleep in eco-friendly hotels as well. An interesting place is residence Esserhof in Lana (BZ). This is an example of bio architecture: the hotel is built with straw. The owner will welcome you in a relaxing  and cozy athmosphere, in a beautiful place surrounded by nature.

If you love the idea of waking up and see the sunrise on the mountains and breath the fresh morning air, Maso Gstatschof in Castelrotto, is the place you are looking for! The hotel is build with wood, with a great view on Alpe di Siusi. The food here is organic and Km0. There is also a small ranch where to learn how to take care of horses and pony.

Get lost in the past and relax in this ancient tower of 1200, rebuilt and transformed in a romantic hotel from where you can see the Scillar Group. I am talking about Romantik Hotel Turm in Fiè allo Scillar. 

And if you prefer a relaxing but also fun holiday close to nature, Villa Irma will welcome you with its cozy atmosphere. The house is near Levico and Caldonazzo lakes, and offers km0 products but also many itineraries on the surrounding mountains.

Discover all eco-friendly accommodations in Trento Alto Adige

Relax an take inspirations for your holiday

It is very important to take a rest and have some time to relax: this is not hard at all if you will decide to spend your holidays in Trentino Alto Adige: you can try thermal waters, milk or straw baths, saunas smelling like wood...Fragrances of mountains and nature, for the well-being of your body and your mind. 

And for these looking for some peace and quiet in the nature, a walk trough Lagorai, lonely, wild but fascinating mountains in the south part of Trentino, can be the perfect choice. As an example discover this itinerary which climbs up to Lastè delle Sute.

Trentino Alto Adige is a place suitable for everybody, giving many types of opportunities: for those who like outdoor activities, adventures and great landscapes, for those  who are looking for some time away from the city and its frenzied rhythms and want to relax, for families with children who want to discover the mountains, for those who want to taste simple and genuine products, grown with passion in the land and also for people looking for a simpler life style, close to nature. This is also a region where lot of attention is given to themes likes the safeguarding and development of natural areas and the protection of biodiversity and wildlife species. 

To conclude, if you are looking for some other inspiration for your holidays in Trentino Alto Adige you can read these articles:

Nature, Science and Technology, in Muse-o

Muse: a sustainable science museum

Author: Anita Cason

Cover image: epilfera via Flickr