Published: March 2026 | Updated: July 2026
Dolomites Hiking Skiing Lake Garda Museums Christmas Markets
Trentino-Alto Adige is a region of staggering natural beauty and deep cultural complexity. In a single day you can hike through UNESCO World Heritage peaks, visit a 5,300-year-old mummy, swim in Italy's largest lake, and eat dumplings made to a recipe that predates the Roman Empire. The region punches well above its weight for attractions — the Dolomites alone draw visitors from every corner of the globe, but there are also medieval castles, modernist museums, alpine lakes, and world-class ski resorts.
This guide covers the top things to do in Trentino-Alto Adige, organised by activity and location. Whether you have three days or two weeks, you will find inspiration for an eco-friendly trip that offsets its carbon footprint through every hotel booking. Book through ecohotels-impt.com — every stay offsets 1 tonne of CO2, you get EUR5 free credit on your first booking, and 5% cashback in IMPT tokens at 25,000+ partners. Same price as Booking.com.
The single most iconic experience in the Dolomites. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Drei Zinnen) are three towering saw-toothed peaks that have become the symbol of the Dolomites — Cima Grande (2,999 m), Cima Ovest (2,973 m), and Cima Piccola (2,857 m). The classic loop trail (Sentiero 101) starts at Rifugio Auronzo (2,320 m), ascends gently past three mountain huts — Auronzo, Lavaredo, and Locatelli — and gives you intimate close-up views of the north faces for nearly the entire walk.
The full loop is 9.5 km with about 350 m elevation gain and takes 3-4 hours at a comfortable pace. It is accessible from late June to October. Bring sturdy shoes, water, and a jacket — weather can change from sunshine to snow in half an hour at 2,500 m. Located in the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park, about 90 km north-east of Bolzano. The access road from Misurina requires a toll (around EUR30 per car) or you can take the shuttle bus in high season.
The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano houses one of the most extraordinary archaeological finds of the 20th century: Otzi, a Copper Age man who died in the Otztal Alps around 3,300 BC and was preserved in glacial ice for over five millennia. Discovered by hikers in 1991 at 3,210 m on the Austrian-Italian border, Otzi and his complete outfit — a bearskin hat, grass cape, leather shoes, copper axe, bow and arrows, medicinal birch fungus, and flint dagger — are displayed in a custom climate-controlled chamber kept at -6C and 99% humidity.
The museum (Via Museo 43, Bolzano) is open daily except Mondays from December to May. Allow 2-3 hours for the full visit. Entry is EUR12 for adults. The museum is a 10-minute walk from Bolzano station. It also covers the full history of South Tyrol from the Palaeolithic through the Roman period.
Trento — the capital of Trentino province — is one of northern Italy's most underrated cities. Its historic centre is a compact, walkable showcase of Renaissance and Romanesque architecture, centred on Piazza Duomo with the Baroque Neptune Fountain, the Romanesque Duomo di Trento, and the frescoed facades of the Case Cazuffi-Rella. The Castel del Buonconsiglio — a sprawling 13th-century castle that housed the prince-bishops who ruled Trento — dominates the old town, its Torre Aquila containing one of the best-preserved medieval fresco cycles in Europe: the Cycle of the Months, a vivid portrayal of 15th-century life through the seasons.
At the northern edge of the city, the MUSE science museum — designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2013 — is a landmark of sustainable architecture. Its striking glass-and-steel form rises beside the Adige river, housing interactive exhibits on biodiversity, geology, and sustainability. The building was designed to be carbon neutral and uses geothermal energy and natural ventilation. Entry is EUR10, and the museum is an easy walk from the station.
If there is one view that defines the Dolomites on Instagram, it is Seceda. From the top of the Seceda cable car (2,518 m) in Val Gardena, a 20-minute walk takes you to the ridgeline where the Odle / Geisler peaks drop away in a sheer wall of pale dolomite rock into a green valley. The contrast between the vertical geology on one side and the gentle alpine meadow on the other is surreal — it looks like a Photoshop composite, but it is very real.
The cable car from Ortisei (Urtijei) runs from June to October; a winter lift also operates for skiers. In summer, you can continue along the ridge for a longer hike to the Malga Pieralongia or the Rifugio Firenze. Allow 2-4 hours depending on how far you go. Val Gardena itself — a Ladin-speaking valley with three main villages (Ortisei, Santa Cristina, Selva) — is worth a full day for its woodcarving shops, alpine hotels, and exceptional mountain cuisine.
The Sellaronda is one of skiing's legendary circuits: 40 km of runs and lifts circling the Sella massif, crossing four Ladin valleys (Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Arabba, and Val di Fassa) in a single day. Clockwise takes you around the mountain on mostly blue and red runs; anti-clockwise (the orange route) is slightly more challenging. The entire circuit can be skied in 5-6 hours by a competent intermediate skier, with mountain huts serving bombardino (eggnog-like liqueur), canederli, and strudel along the way.
The Sellaronda is part of the Dolomiti Superski network: 1,200 km of interconnected slopes across 12 ski areas, making it one of the largest lift-linked ski regions in the world. Winter season runs from early December to early April. A Dolomiti Superski pass covers the entire network and can be pre-booked online.
The northern tip of Lake Garda — the towns of Riva del Garda, Torbole, and Arco — belongs to Trentino province, and it feels like the Mediterranean has been transplanted into the Alps. Palm trees line the waterfront, windsurfers and sailors race across the lake driven by the reliable Ora del Garda afternoon breeze, and the medieval castle of Arco stands sentinel over olive groves that produce Europe's northernmost olive oil.
Riva del Garda is the hub: a bustling town with a Habsburg-era waterfront, a 12th-century Rocca (fortress) housing the MAG Museo Alto Garda, and one of the best swimming spots on the lake at Spiaggia Sabbioni. Torbole is the windsurfing capital — its beach is a launch point for the strongest winds on the lake. Arco, a few kilometres inland, is a world-famous climbing destination with hundreds of bolted routes on limestone cliffs above the town. All three are connected by a lakeside cycle path that runs from Riva to Torbole (2 km, flat, suitable for all ages).
Bolzano's Ritten Cable Car (Funivia del Renon) is not just transport — it is an experience. In 12 minutes, it lifts you from the city centre (265 m) to the Renon plateau at 1,220 m, on the longest cable car in Europe (4.5 km). At the top, the Renon Earth Pyramids — tall, conical rock formations crowned with boulders — create an otherworldly landscape on the slopes of the Ritten. The Renon Narrow-Gauge Railway (1907 vintage) runs 6 km through forests and meadows from Soprabolzano to Collalbo, making the plateau accessible without a car.
The Renon is also the starting point for dozens of easy hiking trails with panoramic views over the Dolomites. The cable car runs daily; a round trip costs approximately EUR10. Combined with a visit to Otzi in the morning, this makes a perfect Bolzano day.
The Stelvio Pass (Passo dello Stelvio), at 2,757 m, is Italy's highest paved mountain pass and one of the most dramatic driving roads in Europe. Its eastern ramp climbs from Prad am Stilfserjoch / Prato allo Stelvio through 48 hairpin turns — a ribbon of asphalt that is a pilgrimage for cyclists, motorcyclists, and Top Gear fans (the show famously named it the greatest driving road in the world).
The pass connects Trentino-Alto Adige to Lombardy and, beyond, to the Swiss Engadin. It sits within the Stelvio National Park, Italy's largest protected area, home to ibex, chamois, golden eagles, and — since 1999 — brown bears reintroduced from neighbouring Adamello-Brenta. The pass is open from late May to October (check conditions before setting out, as even June snow is possible). Summer chairlifts serve hiking trails and a small summer ski area on the Stelvio glacier.
Italy's largest and most famous Christmas market fills Bolzano's Piazza Walther from late November to 6 January. Chi Siamo 80 wooden chalets sell hand-carved nativity figures, woollen goods, glass baubles, local wines, and enough food to make lunch unnecessary: speck on rye bread, canederli, zelten (the local fruitcake), roasted chestnuts, and of course gluhwein (mulled wine) served in collectible ceramic mugs. At dusk, the lights come on, the surrounding Dolomites fade to silhouettes, and the scene is genuinely magical.
Smaller but equally atmospheric markets run in Trento (Piazza Fiera and Piazza Cesare Battisti) and Merano, which adds a thermal spa element to the Christmas experience. If you are planning a winter trip without skiing, the Christmas market trail through Trentino-Alto Adige is one of the best in Europe.
Trentino-Alto Adige has dozens of alpine lakes, and several are warm enough for swimming in summer. Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee) in Val Pusteria is the most famous — an emerald-green lake backed by sheer rock walls of the Croda del Becco, with a wooden boathouse that is the most photographed spot in the Dolomites. Rowing boats can be rented for EUR25/hour. The water is cold even in August (~12-14C), but the 4 km loop trail around the lake is the real highlight.
Lago di Molveno, below the Brenta Dolomites, is warmer and better for swimming, with a lido, beach areas, and a Blue Flag for water quality. Lago di Caldonazzo in the Valsugana valley is one of the warmest alpine lakes in Italy, reaching 25C in summer, with sandy beaches and pedal boat rentals.
Trentino-Alto Adige is one of Europe's most sustainable destinations — over 80% of its electricity comes from renewables, trains connect every major town, and eco-certified hotels are common. Here is how to minimise your footprint:
Hiking the Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop in the Dolomites is the undisputed number-one experience. This 9.5 km circular trail around three iconic peaks — Cima Grande, Cima Ovest, and Cima Piccola — delivers the most dramatic alpine scenery in Europe. Accessible from late June to October, the trail is moderate in difficulty (350 m elevation gain, 3-4 hours) and passes three mountain huts where you can stop for lunch or a drink.
Yes — Bolzano is a unique bilingual city where Italian and Austrian cultures blend in architecture, food, and daily life. It offers the Otzi the Iceman museum (one of Europe's best archaeological museums), the medieval Duomo with its green copper roof, excellent restaurants spanning both Italian and Tyrolean traditions, and a cable car that lifts you directly from the city centre to the Renon plateau (1,220 m) in 12 minutes. It is also the ideal base for exploring the Dolomites.
Yes. High-speed trains serve Trento and Bolzano from major Italian cities. The Dolomiti Bus network connects all major valleys and trailheads, and the Mobil Card Sudtirol provides unlimited access to buses, regional trains, and many cable cars. For hikers, the combination of cable cars and valley buses makes a car-free Dolomites trip entirely feasible — and substantially greener. The Val Gardena and Alta Badia areas are particularly well-served by public transport.
All hiking trails in the Dolomites are free to access — you pay only for cable cars or parking. Trento's historic centre, including Piazza Duomo, the frescoed Case Cazuffi-Rella, and the riverside walks, is free. Bolzano's Walther Square and the farmers' market at Piazza delle Erbe are free. Walking along Lake Garda's northern shore between Riva and Torbole, and exploring the Renon Earth Pyramids near Bolzano, are also free activities.
A minimum of 4-5 days: allocate 2 days for Trento and its surroundings (including Lake Garda's northern shore or the Brenta Dolomites), and 2-3 days for Bolzano and the Dolomites (Val Gardena, Seceda, or Alta Badia). A full week gives you time to add Madonna di Campiglio, the Sellaronda ski circuit in winter, or the Stelvio Pass drive in summer. The region is compact — you can reach most places within 90 minutes.