There is no sea in Trentino, but there is plenty of water to swim in. The region's lakes have real beaches, with sand or grass, clean water and mountains all around. Some are large and warm, perfect for swimming and water sports. Others are small mountain lakes, fresh and quiet. Several beaches on Trentino's lakes earn the Blue Flag every year, the award for water and service quality. In this guide we take you to discover the swimmable lakes and beaches of Trentino, with the swimming season and where to stay nearby. We at Italy Holiday welcome guests right on the shores of these lakes, and these are the spots where we would go for a swim ourselves.

1. Lago di Caldonazzo, the big warm lake of the Valsugana

Lago di Caldonazzo is the largest lake entirely within Trentino and one of the favourite spots for anyone looking for a beach among the mountains. Its most loved quality is the temperature: it is one of the warmest lakes in southern Europe, with water rising to around 24 degrees in summer. In June the water is already about 20 degrees, in July it reaches around 23, and in August it touches 24. This makes it perfect for relaxed swimming and for whole days on the beach with the family.

Around the lake there are several Blue Flag beaches, spread among the towns that face the water: Caldonazzo, Calceranica al Lago, Tenna and San Cristoforo. They are equipped beaches and free areas, with grass and easy access to the water. As well as swimming, here you can sail and try SUP, canoeing and water-skiing. The swimming season runs from May to September. You can reach it in about twenty minutes by car from Trento, or by train on the Valsugana line, which stops near the shores.

2. Lago di Levico, the beaches among the hills

A few minutes from Caldonazzo, near Levico Terme, Lago di Levico awaits you. It has a long, distinctive shape that recalls a fjord, and it is surrounded by wooded hills. The Levico beach also earns the Blue Flag: the water is mild and clear, and the shores are gentle and shaded, perfect for swimming, walking and cycling with the family.

Here you will find tree-lined free beaches, equipped swimming areas and a loop trail that runs along the shores. The swimming season runs from about May to September, while spring and early autumn are ideal for walks. You can reach it on foot from the centre of Levico Terme, by car, or by train on the Valsugana line.

3. Lago di Lavarone, a swim at altitude among the woods

Climbing onto the Lavarone plateau, at about 1,070 metres, you will find a small lake with clear water, of karstic origin, surrounded by woods. The Lido Marzari on Lago di Lavarone also earns the Blue Flag, and in summer its water is warm enough for a swim. It is an ideal place for a relaxing family day, with two equipped beaches and a path that runs along the shores.

As well as swimming, here you can rent a pedal boat, take easy walks and discover an art trail in the woods with works and installations along the way. You can reach it in a few minutes by car from the village of Lavarone. Compared with the big lakes in the valley, the air here is fresher and the atmosphere quieter, a nice alternative on the hottest days.

4. Lago di Serraia, the beach of the Pine plateau

On the Pine plateau, at about 1,000 metres, Lago di Serraia opens up, near Baselga di Pine. It is surrounded by woods, reed beds and meadows, with a flat shore that is easy to walk. The Serraia beach also earns the Blue Flag, a sign of the good quality of the water and the services on the shore.

It is a quiet, family-friendly lake, with equipped swimming areas and a flat path along the bank. As well as swimming, here you can do SUP, canoeing, dragon boating and picnics on the grass. The swimming season is the summer one, when the mountain water warms up enough. You can reach it in about half an hour by car from Trento, climbing up to the plateau.

5. Lago delle Piazze, the small lake among the meadows of Pine

Still on the Pine plateau, not far from Serraia, you will find Lago delle Piazze. It is a small alpine lake surrounded by meadows and pine woods, with beaches for swimming, a beach reserved for dogs and play areas for children. The beach in the Piazze area, in Bedollo, also earns the Blue Flag.

It is a relaxing, family-sized spot, where summer swimming combines with windsurfing, kayaking, dragon boating and fishing. The water is clean and the setting is the quiet one of the plateau. You can reach it in a few minutes from Lago di Serraia, and it is easy to visit both in the same day, choosing where to stop for a swim.

6. Lago di Tenno, the turquoise diamond above Garda

Just above Riva del Garda hides one of the most beautiful lakes in Trentino. Lago di Tenno is a small alpine lake at about 570 metres, famous for the intense turquoise colour of its water and for being one of the cleanest lakes in Italy. Its Spiaggia Grande earns the Blue Flag, and a flat path of about 3 kilometres loops the shore in about an hour.

From June to August the clear water is lovely for a swim, while spring and early autumn are ideal for walks. Not far away is Canale di Tenno, a medieval village among the most beautiful in Italy, with narrow lanes and stone houses. From our area you can reach it in about an hour by car, a nice day trip.

7. Lago di Molveno, the beach at the foot of the Brenta Dolomites

Lago di Molveno is an alpine lake with crystal-clear water, at the foot of the Brenta Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its large grassy beach is so well kept that the lake has been awarded several times by Legambiente as the most beautiful in Italy, now for ten years in a row. The water is fresh and very clean, and a loop trail of about 12 kilometres lets you walk around it in a few hours.

Summer swimming here combines with kayaking, SUP and pedal boats, and from the nearby cable car you can enjoy views over the Brenta peaks. The water is that of a mountain lake, fresh even in high summer, so the swim is more refreshing than warm. The best season runs from late spring to early autumn. From our area it is a little over an hour away by car.

Where to stay for a lake holiday in Trentino

If you look at the map of these beaches, you notice one thing: the heart of Trentino's swimmable lakes is the Valsugana. Caldonazzo and Levico, with their Blue Flag beaches, sit right next to each other, and the towns of Calceranica al Lago, Tenna, San Cristoforo and Pergine Valsugana all face the same warm water. From here, the Lavarone plateau too, with its lake at altitude, is just a few minutes uphill.

This is why the Valsugana lake area, around Caldonazzo, Levico, Calceranica and Pergine, is an ideal base for a lake holiday. In the morning you wake up a few minutes from the water, you spend the day between beach and sport, and when you want a change of scenery you have the other lakes a short distance away: the Pine plateau with Serraia and Piazze a little over half an hour away, and the more distant lakes such as Tenno and Molveno reachable in about an hour, for a fine day trip.

We at Italy Holiday welcome guests right in this area, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment. If you dream of a holiday with the lake beach in front and the mountains around, discover where to stay near the lakes of the Valsugana and pack your swimsuit: the beaches of Trentino are waiting for you.