Mountain Haven for Large GatheringsN°001
TrentinoAlto Adige, Italy
garden
From $11,627 per night
Dolomite peaks, alpine villages and Italy's most polished mountain living
Trentino-Alto Adige is Italy's northernmost region, where the pale towers of the Dolomites rise over vineyards, apple orchards and villages that blend Italian warmth with Austrian order. From the ski slopes of Madonna di Campiglio to the Ladin valleys around Marebbe and Kronplatz, a private chalet here delivers world-class skiing and hiking with the region's famously refined food and wine.
- The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of pale towers and high plateaux
- Madonna di Campiglio, one of Italy's most elegant ski resorts, linked into 150 km of pistes
- Marebbe and San Vigilio, gateway to the Kronplatz ski area and the Fanes-Senes-Braies nature park
- Alto Adige wine country around Bolzano, with the highest density of top-rated dining in Italy
- Private chalets with saunas, mountain views and concierge-arranged guides and ski passes
Known forThe Dolomites, Madonna di Campiglio and Kronplatz-area skiing, Ladin valley culture, alpine spa towns, Alto Adige wines and Michelin-level mountain dining
Best time to visitDecember to April for skiing; late June to September for hiking, climbing and mountain lakes
Nearest airportVerona (VRN) and Innsbruck (INN); Bolzano (BZO) for regional flights, Venice (VCE) a wider alternative
Ideal forSkiers, hikers, families and food-loving travellers seeking a refined alpine base
Mountain Escape With Trentino CuisineN°002
TrentinoAlto Adige, Italy
SaunagardenFireplace
From $11,627 per night
Stunning Chalet With Fun Pool and SaunaN°003
TrentinoAlto Adige, Italy
Private poolSaunaSpa
From $1,674 per night
Luxury Mountain Chalet With Private SpaN°004
TrentinoAlto Adige, Italy
Private poolSaunaSpa
From $1,674 per night
4homes available
3–6bedrooms
up to 12guests
2with a pool
Events not to miss in Trentino-Alto Adige
- Late June to early July
Südtirol Jazz Festival Alto Adige
Concerts staged in extraordinary settings across Alto Adige, from town squares to mountain huts and cable-car stations. A distinctive way to hear world-class jazz amid the Dolomites.
- Early July
Maratona dles Dolomites
One of the world's great amateur cycling events, closing the Dolomite passes around the Ladin valleys for a day of gran fondo racing. Spectacular to ride or to watch from the roadside.
- Early November
Merano WineFestival
A refined gathering of top Italian and international producers in Merano's Liberty-style Kurhaus. The region's wine culture at its most elegant.
- Late November to early January
Christmas Markets of Bolzano and Trento
Two of Italy's most atmospheric Christmas markets fill the arcaded old towns with stalls, mulled wine and alpine crafts. Pair a market visit with early-season skiing.
- Late December
3Tre Night Slalom, Madonna di Campiglio
The FIS Ski World Cup's famous floodlit slalom on the Canalone Miramonti, run at the centre of the resort. One of the most electric evenings in world skiing.
Trentino-Alto Adige through the seasons
- Winter (December – April)
Snow-sure Dolomite skiing
Immaculate pistes at Madonna di Campiglio and Kronplatz, long valley runs and rifugio lunches in the sun. Floodlit slaloms and Christmas markets add sparkle either side of the ski day.
- Spring (May – June)
Blossom, spa towns and quiet valleys
Apple blossom fills the Adige valley while snow still crowns the peaks. Merano's gardens and thermal baths and the Wine Road are at their best before the summer crowds.
- Summer (July – September)
High trails and alpine lakes
Cable cars open the high plateaux for hiking, via ferrata and summit lunches, and lakes such as Braies and Molveno glow turquoise. Long, warm evenings suit terrace dining at the chalet.
- Autumn (October – November)
Törggelen and golden larches
The harvest custom of Törggelen pairs new wine with roast chestnuts in farmhouse parlours, while larch forests turn gold beneath the pale peaks. The region's quietest, most local season.
The Area and Where to Stay
The region divides into Italian-speaking Trentino in the south and largely German-speaking Alto Adige, or Südtirol, in the north, with the Ladin valleys of the Dolomites keeping a language and culture all their own. In western Trentino, Madonna di Campiglio sits in a high basin beneath the Brenta Dolomites, an elegant resort whose lift network links into the wide Campiglio Dolomiti di Brenta ski area. To the north-east, Marebbe and San Vigilio di Marebbe give direct access to Kronplatz, one of the Alps' most modern ski mountains, and to the meadows of the Fanes-Senes-Braies nature park. Bolzano, Merano and the Alto Adige Wine Road suit those drawn to vineyards and spa towns. Chalets and mountain villas here pair timber-and-stone architecture with saunas, boot rooms and concierge support.
Things to Do
In winter the region is one vast playground: downhill skiing at Madonna di Campiglio and Kronplatz, the Sellaronda circuit within reach, plus cross-country trails, winter hiking and tobogganing for mixed-ability families. Summer belongs to the high country. Hike beneath the Brenta towers, ride cable cars to Kronplatz's summit and its Messner Mountain Museum, cycle the apple-orchard valleys or tackle legendary road passes such as the Sella and Gardena. Lago di Braies and Lake Molveno rank among the Alps' most photographed lakes, while via ferrata routes, first created in these mountains, give a taste of Dolomite climbing with a guide. Merano's thermal baths and Bolzano's Ötzi the Iceman museum round out rainy days, and your concierge can arrange guides, instructors and lift passes.
Food and Local Flavour
Trentino-Alto Adige eats better than almost any mountain region in Europe. Alpine and Italian traditions meet in canederli dumplings, speck ham, mountain cheeses and fresh pasta, while Alto Adige holds a remarkable concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants for its size. The vineyards along the Adige valley produce celebrated whites, Gewürztraminer among them, plus elegant Pinot Nero and Trentodoc, Trentino's traditional-method sparkling wine. Autumn brings Törggelen, the Südtirol custom of walking between farmhouses for new wine and roast chestnuts. Rifugi serve remarkable lunches on the pistes and trails, and a private chef in your chalet can bring the region's produce, from apples to alpine butter, to your own table.
When to Visit
The ski season runs from early December to mid-April, with Kronplatz and Madonna di Campiglio among the most snow-sure and well-groomed areas in Italy; Christmas, New Year and February half-term are the liveliest weeks. Summer, from late June to September, is glorious in the Dolomites, with wildflower meadows in July, settled hiking weather in August and September, and long alpine evenings. Autumn is harvest and Törggelen season, quiet and golden, while late spring suits spa towns and wine touring more than the high trails, where snow lingers. Book chalets well ahead for ski weeks and August; shoulder months offer the same landscapes at a gentler pace.
Getting There
Verona (VRN) and Innsbruck (INN) are the most practical gateways, each roughly two hours by road from the main valleys, with Bolzano (BZO) handling a small number of regional flights and Venice (VCE) and Milan offering wider intercontinental connections. The A22 Brenner motorway runs the length of the region, and trains along the Verona-Brenner line serve Trento, Bolzano and Brunico, the railhead for Kronplatz and Marebbe. A car is useful for exploring passes and vineyards, though resort villages are compact once you arrive. The concierge can arrange private transfers, equipment delivery and ski-in logistics for a seamless mountain arrival.