Our tips for this summer in Paganella
Monday 4 March 2024

Winter is drawing to a close and the summer holidays are starting to take shape on the calendar. And this year the Brenta Dolomites are bursting with adventures, all you have to do is come here in the mountains.

Trekking, biking, baby parks, food and wine, breathtaking panoramas: here is a brief guide for things to do and see in Paganella this summer.

Nature, the best teacher for your children

On the Paganella the footpaths, forests, and parks are educational. In forest bathing and on sensory footpaths your children can play in harmony with the rich natural environment all around you.

At the Sarnacli Mountain Park their five senses will guide them to explore the Adamello Brenta Natural Park.
On the Le Porte sul Bosco footpath they learn how to protect and conserve mountain ecosystems, while in the world of Sciury they can have fun with tree houses, mushrooms, pine cones, and logs.
In the Biblioigloo workshops they build wind vanes, beeswax candles, snow crystals, and toy foxes using recycled materials.
During Baby Forest Bathing they meet some inhabitants of the forests around Fai della Paganella, listen to fairy tales, hug energizing spruce trees, and walk barefoot on tree bark, grass, pine cones, and dry leaves.

Of course there are also our high altitude baby parks, the horse-riding center, swimming pools with water slides, adventure parks, treasure hunts, the wildlife park, mountain and educational farms.

If instead you are taking teenagers on holiday we recommend you read this article.

Enrosadira at breakfast and sunset at aperitif

Check the time of sunrise and leave home early to see the Dolomites turning pink just before dawn. This is called Enrosadira and if you have never seen it then you should not miss it. If you have, then you are probably already looking for the best vantage point to see it again.

At sunset choose between the view over the lake, the Bleggio, the Val di Non, or the Paganella.

Alternatively, go up above the tree line where there is a whole new world to discover. On Cima Roda you can float in an endless panorama of Trentino seen from above, with Lake Garda, the peaks of Pale di San Martino, Lagorai, Catinaccio, Val di Non, and most impressive of all, the towering Brenta Dolomites.

Lace up your boots and set off on a footpath

Hiking options include short, intermediate, demanding, and multi-day. Along the way you can expect lakes, forests of beech and spruce trees, mountain streams, and stunning Dolomite views.

The cable-cars and chairlifts are open every day to carry hikers, children in pushchairs, people with disabilities, bikers, dogs, cats, and the occasional hamster up and down the mountains. We have not transported any goldfish yet (as far as we know).

At the top you arrive at chalets, mountain huts, and high mountain farms where you can relax in the fresh air and sunshine. Savour our local strangolapreti and polenta with tasty morsels of venison and, if you fancy, try modern interpretations of traditional mountain dishes.

Rope, harness, and helmet for via ferratas and canyoning

Our more adventurous visitors will be putting on harness and helmet, and preparing their karabiners, runners, and slings before setting off for the Ferrata delle Aquile, the Via delle Normali, or a local crag.

Or they might put on swimming costumes and hiking boots, and hire a wetsuit, helmet and harness. With its water slides, abseils, jumps, waterfalls, and cold showers, canyoning in the Rio Briz will certainly freshen you up.

If it is your first time then you can join an organized trip with our Alpine Guides.

Pump up the tyres and load your bikes onto the car

Or you could hire them here, whether electric, gravity, or enduro, the MTB steals the show here from April to October.

Choose a route or trail according to your skill level and if unsure, ask for advice at the Paganella Academy. You can also book a lesson to improve your technique, take part in a course, or go on a tour with one of our guides, all experts in biking and the local area.

A window onto the past that lingers on in the present

A church and a fountain in every hamlet, with a treasure hunting map that allows children and adults to enter into the everyday life of the lively village of San Lorenzo Dorsino.

Go on a guided visit of M.A.S., the Museo delle Arti e dei Saperi in Fai della Paganella, to learn about mountain traditions of the past.

Admire the frescoed walls and vaults of the church of San Vigilio in Molveno, San Giorgio in Dorsino, and Santi Rocco and Sebastiano in San Lorenzo.

At the little church of San Tommaso in Cavedago and the ruins of Castel Belfort, you can instead enjoy splendid views over the apple orchards and woods of Val di Non.

Take a stroll around Molveno with Danila, the village historian, or learn about the lives of Alpine char and brown trout at the Fish Farm, and then see how a sawmill from the 1500s works, even today!

On a rainy day, visit the exhibition of nativity scenes and models managed by the Elderly Association of Andalo, or book tickets for the museums and castles of Stenico, Trento, and Val di Non.

For those who have a clear idea of what they want from a holiday

No sport, no children, no culture, just plenty of “dolce far niente” and good food.
Pass the day between Finnish sauna, whirlpool bath, hay clima sauna, contrast shower, and bio-sauna, while sipping cool elderberry and dwarf pine infusions.

There are three wellness centers on the Paganella plateau at Andalo, Molveno, and San Lorenzo Dorsino with others inside the various hotels that are also open to non hotel guests.

Finish off the day tasting wine at a local cellar: Teroldego Rotaliano DOC, Nosiola Trentino DOC, Spumante Trento DOC, InQuota (the first Italian method whiskey), Trentino grappa, and apple cider.
And when you start to feel hungry, try the tortel di patate (potato fritters) at one of our restaurants and mountain huts.

Some useful information and final recommendations

• Always carry a small rucksack with water and snacks during the excursions.
• Dress in multiple layers. It might be summer but in the mountains you can pass from T-shirt to down jacket in the space of 10 minutes.
• Do not forget sunglasses and sun cream, in the fresh air you might not notice it but here the sun burns quickly. It is not unusual to see tourists walking around bright red.
• Bring back to the valley everything you take up with you. There are no rubbish bins in the mountains so take a plastic waste bag, and if you want to help us to keep the mountains beautiful, pick up any rubbish left by less considerate visitors.
• By your uplift tickets online. They do not sell out, but being able to avoid the queue is always nice. For organized activities and experiences, you should ensure a place by always booking in advance.
• If you are bringing your dog with you, remember all the things you need for travelling: lead, muzzle, and sanitary bags.
• Check our What’s Open? section. If in doubt, feel free to ask us.
• How long does the summer season last on the Paganella? At weekends and long weekends in April and May the lifts and bike park are open. Activities and services open gradually with almost all being fully operational by mid June. Then it is full season until the second week of September. In recent years we have been lucky with the weather and we stayed open until October.