A giant adventure playground

Everyone from rock climbers to windsurfers will love it. But there’s plenty of scope for gentler pursuits too – whether it’s a round of golf, a spot of fishing, or an easy ride with your family on a traffic-free cycle path. Think of us as a giant adventure playground, which never shuts its gates. So whatever your objective – whether it’s testing your limits, trying something new, or simply regaining a sense of well-being – we’ve got the terrain, the climate, and the infrastructure to help.

Reliable winds for sailors and windsurfers

Long, broad and beautiful, Lake Garda is blessed by two extraordinarily consistent winds: the Pelèr, a morning wind that sweeps down from the mountains in the north, and the Òra, which blows almost every afternoon from the south. Together, they’ve helped to create one of the most vibrant sailing and windsurfing scenes in Italy – and at Riva del Garda and Torbole, you’ll find a highly-developed infrastructure of clubs, schools and rental centres.

The best white-water rafting in Europe

Wet and wild, and perfect for a warm summer’s day, white-water rafting will give you a watersports experience unlike any other. We’ve got two rivers that are perfect for it – the Avisio, which is fed by the Marmolada glacier, and the Noce, in the Val di Sole, rated by National Geographic as Europe’s best rafting river.

Not surprisingly, Trentino is also a hotspot for kayakers. Both the river Chiese in the Giudicarie and the Vanòi in San Martino di Castrozza-Primiero are popular with paddlers. Meanwhile, those in search of more a more extreme experience can head for the gorges formed by Rio Travignolo, a torrent in the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Nature Park. At this level (Grade III, IV & V rapids), the Noce – which hosted the World Championships in 1993 - is also an unmissable challenge.

Hydrospeeding is an increasingly popular sport on our rivers, too – and little in the way of expertise is required to enjoy it. Equipped with a wetsuit, helmet, buoyancy aid and rigid foam board, you’ll see the world from a new and thrilling perspective.

But not all our watersports are adrenaline-soaked. Canoeing can be practised on all our major lakes - Garda, Levico, Caldonazzo, Ledro and Molveno – and makes for a serene and family-friendly day out. Meanwhile, Stand-Up Paddle Boarding is a great way to a build fitness, and is popular on Lake Garda and on the lakes Levico and Caldonazzo.

World class rock-climbing

One glance at Trentino will tell you it’s a climber’s paradise. Our towering Dolomite cliffs are home to some of the longest and most exciting multi-pitch routes in the world. Meanwhile, for first-timers and rock gymnasts, you’ll find our lower crags are peppered with safe, bolted, sport-climbing routes.

There are several man-made climbing walls too: Boulder City of Pietramurata, the Sanbàpolis centre in Trento, and the Climbing Stadium at Arco – the setting for the famous Rock Master climbing festival.

Risk-free adrenaline: zorbing, canyoning and tarzaning

A safe adrenaline fix is never hard to find in Trentino, with its wealth of watercourses, woods, caves and towering peaks. For example visitors can try canyoning, a sport that combines climbing, abseiling and river sports, in rugged settings featuring canyons and waterfalls. Prime canyoning terrain can be found in the area of Lake Garda and Val di Ledro, in the Val di Sole, in Valsugana – at Sorgazza near Pieve Tesino, on the Grigno and Maso torrents near Scurelle – and in the Val Noana, a side-valley of Primiero.

There are several uncoventional adventure sports on offer too. Tarzaning involves swinging through forests with the help of “lianas”, and can be tried in in the Val di Sole. Zorbing, or globe-riding, entails rolling downhill inside a giant transparent plastic ball called a “zorb”, and is available at Dimaro and Molveno. Meanwhile, river trekking is a combination of trekking, diving, sliding, and swimming that’s popular on the Sarca.

Or how about paragliding? Launching yourself off a mountain on your first-ever flight – in tandem with an experienced instructor who will keep you safe – is an experience you won’t easily forget. Doing so amidst the spectacular peaks of the Dolomites is even more exhilarating. You can take off from Pradel, above Molveno; from Monte Gazza on the Paganella plateau; from the Cima Panarotta in Valsugana; from the Doss del Sabiòn in Val Rendena: and from the Col dei Rossi or Col Rodella in the Val di Fassa.

5,000 kilometres of hiking trails

If you laid out all our hiking trails from end to end, they’d stretch from London to Moscow, and back again. So if you’ve got a taste for trekking, you’ve come to the right place.

We offer several stunning multi-stage routes, including the “Dolomiti Brenta Trek”, “Dolomiti Panorama Trek”, “Lagorai Trek” and “Dolomiti Palaronda Trek”. Then there’s the 520km long “Sentiero della Pace” (Peace Trail), which runs from the Cevedale group to the Marmolada, touching the many extraordinary mountain battlefilelds of the Great War.

Wherever you wander, you’ll find plenty of beautiful places to stay the night. Alongside our mountain dairies (many of which have bedrooms), Trentino is also home to 146 mountain refuges, as well as the 18 hotels of the Dolomiti Walking Hotel club, which can help organize guided hikes up to the peaks.

Endless possibilities for both cyclists and mountain bikers

For both cyclists and mountain bikers, Trentino is a mouthwatering prospect. For mountain bikers, there are two big draws. First are our MTB grand tours – big, multi-stage mountain circuits which serve up scintillating trails and staggeringly beautiful scenery. The “Dolomiti Brenta Bike”, “Mountain&Garda Bike”, “Dolomiti Lagorai Bike” and the “100 km dei Forti” routes are among the most popular; well-mapped and signposted, each one is also served by biker-friendly accommodation and facilities. We’re home to several state-of-the-art bike parks, too - in the Val di Fassa, San Martino, the Val di Sole, Lavarone, on the Paganella and the Passo Tonale, and in the area of Garda Trentino.

Meanwhile, for cyclists, we offer a 407km network of gentle cycle paths. All our valleys are served by them, and each is home to no less than 13 “bici-grill” refreshment points. And let’s not forget the famous mountain climbs, inspired by Trentino’s cycling legends, Moser, Fondriest and Simoni.

Golfing and horse-riding

If you’re less adventurous, and prefer to keep your feet firmly planted on terra firma, you can head for one of our many golf courses. There are 9-hole courses in Tesino, Campo Carlo Magno and Caderzone in Val Rendena, as well as 18-hole courses at the Dolomiti Golf Clubs in Sarnonico and in Folgaria. Or, for a complete change of pace, how about touring the province on horseback? The 432 kilometre-long East Trentino horse trail is waiting for keen riders, as well as a network of local stables and horse riding associations for those in search of shorter adventures.

500 places to fish

Given how many rivers and lakes we have, it’s no surprise that Trentino is an excellent place to go fishing. We offer a wide range of habitats too – from mountain lakes and tarns to mighty rivers such as the Noce, Avisio, Sarca and Adige. In fact there are over 500 fishing spots in the province, operated by 33 fishing associations.

www.trentinofishing.it is the portal that will introduce you to the full range of fishing services in the province: from details of fishing areas and facilities to the online purchase of permits and accommodation. One of the most innovative aspects of the angling scene here is the new Trentino Fishing Guides service – offering visitors a network of experts with an intimate knowledge of local waters, and the species that inhabit them.

For further info:

www.visittrentino.info/lakes

www.visittrentino.info/mountains

www.visittrentino.info/hiking

www.visittrentino.info/biking