TRENTINO INVITES VISITORS TO HARNESS THE HEALING POWER OF NATURE AS A THERAPY FOR MIND, BODY & SOUL

28th May 2020 – The region of Trentino in northern Italy, which stretches from the northern tip of Lake Garda to the Dolomites mountain range, is inviting future visitors to find respite in its alpine lakes and wild forests once travel can resume. Home to 297 lakes and 1,000 trees per inhabitant, the region provides the perfect setting for those looking to reconnect with nature and harness its healing powers with a host of outdoor wellness experiences and spiritual trekking trails available. From outdoor yoga and barefoot walks, to forest bathing and tree hugging, the following therapies offered by Trentino’s wilderness spaces can help improve blood pressure, reduce anxiety, detox and re-energise…

Forest bathing

The latest natural wellness trend in Trentino is forest bathing, and in a vast beech forest at Fai della Paganella there is the first trail in Italy dedicated to this practice otherwise known as Forest Therapy. The "Bosco del Respiro" [Breathing Forest] consists of four itineraries and once visitors have crossed the portal along the "percorso di Acqua e Faggi" [water and beech tree trail], the remaining park area spans over a total area of around 36 hectares. The practice of forest bathing, known in Japan as ‘Shinrin Yoku’, consists of a walk in the woods while breathing in the natural scents released by the trees for invigoration and relaxation. These activities can strengthen the immune system, improve blood pressure and relieve anxiety thanks to the inhalation of natural essences (monoterpenes) composed of the essential oils produced by plants. It is recommended forest wellness trails should be traversed for around 10-12 hours over three days, with individual forest bathing sessions lasting at least two and a half hours.

Tree hugging and Kneipp courses

At Rabbi Terme in Stelvio National Park, tree hugging is one of the many outdoor activities offered by the spa. Tree hugging is one of the main remedies of silvotherapy, or ‘tree therapy’, indicated for those suffering from bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, high blood pressure, stress, anxiety, and insomnia. The detox is completed with traditional yoga and breath yoga practices in a forest of fir and larch for further benefits whilst in contact with fresh grass. In the woods of Alpe Cimbra visitors can also practise tree hugging along the "Il respiro degli alberi" [Breath of the trees] trail and embracing the majestic fir trees to absorb energy, or join an outdoor yoga session on the banks of Lake Lavarone.

Kneipp courses are also available and use the principles of hydrotherapy to stimulate blood circulation, the nervous system and muscles. At San Bernardo in Val di Rabbi you can walk the first outdoor Kneipp course in Trentino, dipping your feet in the pure waters of the Rio Valorz. At Soraga in Val di Fassa the "Sora l'Aga" route offers a barefoot trail where walkers come into contact with grass, moss, stones, bark and water to connect with the sensations transmitted by the earth and reap the benefits of terrestrial electromagnetism as well as passing from cold to hot temperatures.

Wellness trails

In Val Rendena, visitors can walk barefoot on the grass or rocks or follow natural wellness paths, embracing the trees and smelling the scents of resins and other essences in order to absorb their energy. There are eight itineraries created around Pinzolo in Adamello-Brenta Natural Park, which combine contact with natural elements and activities such as yoga, meditation and barefoot wellness trails. The restorative walks help to revive physical fitness, offer silence therapy through nature and are recommended to complete accompanied by a "wellness trainer". Some locations have a particular energy such as Comano Valle Salus which offers ‘perception walking’ or walking with closed eyes to increase the intensity of the other senses. Accompanied with a visit to the village of San Lorenzo in Banale this wellness method helps individuals to discover the deep strength of our senses through the simple acts of feeling and touching.

The sensory path of Bellamonte also awaits visitors with bare feet and eyes closed to improve blood circulation, strengthen the feet, and awaken of the senses. In addition, on the banks of Lake Nembia, Shiatsu exercises using the Iokai technique are available to help rebalance the energy paths of the body, stimulating self-healing abilities. Finally, another unique experience in the meadows of Sormeago, with the guidance of an expert naturopath. Here at the edge of the forest, Breuss treatments of Austrian tradition are offered, which allow realignment of the spine, along with Reiki treatments for energy rebalancing. For those who choose Val di Fiemme, the sensory path in the Bellamonte woods invites you to leave your shoes behind and reconnect with the earth. www.visittrentino.info/en/experience/into-the-wild

Spiritual trekking

Sentiero San Vili path - from Trento to Madonna di Campiglio

Length: 107km on the "low" path, 110km on the "high" path

Level: easy

Suitable for families? Yes on the "low" path

The Sentiero San Vili path connects Trento to Madonna di Campiglio and Valle dell'Adige to the Brenta Dolomites via a range of walking routes combining ancient paths and new bike and pedestrian trails) that lead from the town to the mountain, affirming the notion that the mountains are an alternative life dimension. The path runs alongside the Brenta Dolomites, alternating between cart tracks, fields, forest roads and paths along panoramic ledges passing through off-the-beaten-track hamlets offering an important insight into local mountain culture. The route is around 100km long and largely follows the ancient Roman road which, according to tradition, was followed by Vigilius the bishop of Trento in the 15th century and later by his followers after martyrdom in Val Rendena. This itinerary is proposed in two versions: one "high", the original route, and the other "low", which is easier and better connected to support points. The paths are partially separate, with the first divided into five stages and the second from five to seven.

The ideal starting point of the walk is Piazza Duomo in Trento, with its Romanesque cathedral that preserves the remains of the martyr Bishop and patron of the city. Walkers will then pass the bastion of Sorasass, entering Valle dei Laghi, and from there reach the southern slopes of the Brenta Dolomites, passing Vezzanese, Banale, the abandoned village of Iròn and Passo Daone, before traversing a section of Val Rendena. Then from Carisolo to Madonna di Campiglio, visitors will follow the path of the old road built in 1875. Thanks to Sarca River Park, San Vili is now the focus of a sustainable development project to enhance its potential. Hotels, B&Bs, camping sites, agriturismos, local administrations, Tourist Offices/Consortia and transport networks are all part of a collaboration established to guarantee support services for walkers. These services also include mountain guides who can enrich the experience thanks to their knowledge of the land, history and traditions of the places visited. All these resources are available at: www.camminosanvili.it

TRENTINO GUEST CARD

The Trentino Guest Card is issued by all accommodation facilities in the region at no additional cost. It allows free access, or considerable discounts, to more than 100 sites across Trentino including museums, castles, nature parks, thermal baths, Acroparks, wineries and much more. It also allows free travel on public transport within the provincial territory. The card can also be downloaded via the Guest Card App created for Android and iOS. And thanks to the app, it is now even easier and more convenient to use public transport by downloading a digital ticket directly to your device which simply needs to be validated once on board or at the station. An upgraded guest card is also available to visitors to add additional services for a specific territory such as ski lift access in the summer, weekly entertainment and guided excursions in the parks. www.visittrentino.info/en/experience/trentino-guest-card