A holiday in Trentino is not only mountains and effort. Here you will find thermal waters that have soothed skin for generations, warm lakes where you can swim as if at the sea, historic parks to wander through slowly, and quiet corners of forest where you can slow your breathing down. These are the right places if you are looking for a slow holiday, made of wellness and rest. In this guide we take you to discover nine relaxing places in Trentino, telling you what makes each one special, when to go and how far it is from our area. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests in this land for a long time, and these are the places we would recommend to a friend looking for peace.
1. Terme di Comano, the water that cares for the skin
Terme di Comano is one of the best-known thermal centres in Trentino, set within a fourteen-hectare park of meadows, paths and a Kneipp trail among the trees. Its water is rich in magnesium, flows at a constant temperature of around 27 degrees, and has been known for centuries for being gentle on the skin: it has long been used to relieve those who suffer from psoriasis and dermatitis.
It is a place designed for slow wellness, where the baths combine with walks in the green and moments of calm in nature. The thermal season usually runs from spring to autumn. It lies in the Giudicarie valleys, west of Trento, and from our area it is reached in about an hour and a quarter by car. For up-to-date opening times, treatments and prices it is best to check the official website.
2. Terme di Merano, wellness among pools and a park
Just over the Trentino border, in Merano, one of the largest thermal centres in the Alps awaits you. It is a modern building of glass and steel, next to the old town, with around twenty-five indoor and outdoor pools, a wide sauna area and a large thermal park of more than fifty thousand square metres. Some of the pools are fed by thermal water, long appreciated for the general wellbeing of the body.
It is the ideal place to dedicate a few hours, or a whole day, only to rest: swimming, moving from the sauna to the open air, lying among the trees of the park. The indoor pools are open all year, while the outdoor park opens in the warm season, from around mid-May to mid-September. From Trento it is reached in a little over an hour. Check up-to-date times, tickets and openings on the official website.
3. Lago di Caldonazzo, the great warm lake of the Valsugana
Lago di Caldonazzo is a large stretch of water set in the green of the Valsugana valley. Its most loved feature is the temperature: it is one of the warmest lakes in Europe, with water that in summer comes close to 24 degrees. This makes it perfect for relaxing swims and for whole days spent on the beach, without hurry, with the whole family.
Its waters have been awarded the Blue Flag, and around the lake you will find beaches, meadows and villages overlooking the water, such as Caldonazzo, Calceranica al Lago and Tenna. The bathing season usually runs from May to the end of September. It is reached in about twenty minutes by car from Trento, or by train on the Valsugana line, which stops a few steps from the shore.
4. Lago di Levico, a fjord beside the spa town
A few minutes from Caldonazzo, beside Levico Terme, you will find Lago di Levico. It has an elongated, distinctive shape that recalls a fjord, and it is surrounded by wooded hills. Its waters too have been awarded the Blue Flag: they are mild and clear, and the shores are gentle, perfect for swimming, walking and cycling with the family.
Here you will find tree-lined free beaches, swimming areas and a loop trail that runs along the shore. The bathing season usually runs from May to September, while spring and early autumn are ideal for quiet walks. It is reached on foot from the centre of Levico Terme, by car, or by train on the Valsugana line. Below the town there is also a historic thermal centre, which makes this corner of the valley a small capital of wellness.
5. Parco secolare degli Asburgo, the thermal garden of Levico
A short walk from the lake, in Levico Terme, lies the Parco secolare degli Asburgo, a large thermal garden created at the start of the twentieth century, opened in 1905. It is the most important historic park in Trentino: along its avenues grow century-old beeches, a giant sequoia, magnolias and many other species of trees and shrubs, among tidy meadows and elegant period architecture.
It is a perfect place for a slow walk in the shade of the trees, away from traffic and from haste. It can be visited comfortably all year, but it is in spring and autumn that it gives its most beautiful colours. It lies in the heart of Levico Terme and is reached on foot from the town centre, ideal to combine with a day at the nearby lake.
6. Lago di Lavarone, the small warm lake of the plateau
Climbing up to the Lavarone plateau, at about 1,070 metres of altitude, you will find a small lake of clear water, of karstic origin, surrounded by woods. Lago di Lavarone too has earned the Blue Flag, and in summer its waters warm up enough to be swimmable. It is an ideal place for a relaxing day with the family, among easy walks, pedal boats and an art trail in the woods.
On the lake there are two equipped beaches and a path that runs along the shore. It is reached in a few minutes by car from the village of Lavarone, or on foot along the marked trails. Compared with the large lakes of the valley, the air here is fresher and the atmosphere quieter. From our area it is about forty minutes by car.
7. Lago di Serraia, the quiet lake of the Pine plateau
On the Pine plateau, at about 970 metres of altitude, you will find Lago di Serraia, a stretch of water surrounded by woods, reeds and meadows, a few steps from the centre of Baselga di Pine. Its waters have been awarded the Blue Flag and in summer they are swimmable, with equipped areas along the shore. A flat path follows much of the lake, perfect for an effortless walk.
It is a calm place, where you can alternate a swim with a moment of rest on the meadows, or a stroll along the banks. A short distance away there is a second swimmable lake, Lago delle Piazze, so you can enjoy two stretches of water on the same plateau. The best season runs from late spring to early autumn. From Trento it is reached in about half an hour by car.
8. Lago di Tenno, the turquoise lake to relax by
Just above Riva del Garda hides one of the most beautiful lakes in Trentino. Lago di Tenno is a small lake at about 570 metres of altitude, famous for the intense turquoise colour of its waters and for being one of the cleanest lakes in Italy. A flat path of about three kilometres loops around it in roughly an hour, offering ever-new views and many corners to stop at.
Its waters are clear and at a pleasant temperature, ideal for a quiet swim in summer, while spring and early autumn are perfect for walks. A short distance away is Canale di Tenno, a medieval village among the most beautiful in Italy, with narrow alleys and stone houses. From our area it is reached in about an hour by car.
9. Lago di Tret, the little lake in the woods
To close, we take you to the upper Val di Non, where among the woods hides the small Lago di Tret. It is a stretch of water surrounded by trees, with a small island at its centre and grassy banks where you can lie in the shade. It is one of those places you go to truly recharge, far from everything, with only the sound of the forest around.
The lake is swimmable and an easy path loops around it, while nearby you will find huts serving typical Trentino dishes. It is reached with a pleasant walk of about an hour from the village of Tret, and it is the right destination for those who seek peace and quiet more than crowded beaches. The best season runs from summer to early autumn.
Where to stay for a relaxing holiday in Trentino
If you look at the map of these nine places, you notice one thing: the heart of relaxation in Trentino beats around the warm lakes of the Valsugana valley. Caldonazzo and Levico are the two great swimmable lakes of the valley, and right at Levico Terme you also find a historic thermal centre and the most beautiful century-old park in the region. From here, Trento, the Pine plateau with Lago di Serraia and the Lavarone plateau are reachable in a short time.
This is why the lake area of the Valsugana, around Caldonazzo, Levico, Calceranica al Lago and Pergine Valsugana, is an ideal base for a wellness holiday. In the morning you wake up a few minutes from the warm water, you spend the day among beach, park and walks, and when you want a change of scenery you have the spas and the other lakes a short distance away. From the Valsugana even the more distant places remain a fine day trip: Lago di Tenno and Terme di Comano are reached in about an hour and a quarter, Terme di Merano in a little over an hour from Trento. If you love quieter mountains, the Vigolana plateau, Val di Sole and Val Rendena are also excellent bases for slow days in nature.
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 made of warm water, quiet parks and time for yourself, discover where to stay near the lakes of the Valsugana and pack your bag: relaxing Trentino is waiting for you.
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