Walking Holidays in Italy

There's a great selection of lakes around Madonna di Campiglio which are lovely to take a picnic to on a sunny day, or walk around. Lake Nambino has a lovely alpine hut where you can grab a drink and a bite to eat whilst gazing out over the crystal clear water. You can cycle here in about 20 minutes from the town or walk there in about an hour. Lake Montagnoli is also worth a visit if you want an easy lakeside walk or to take a dip surrounded by alpine forests. It's a great one for families and a natural sun trap; perfect for soaking up some rays and the water has an incredible aquamarine colour.

Head over to Lake Ritorto with its gentle mountain walls which you can walk or cycle to. There are some lovely walks which take you past several of the lakes around Madonna, for example the Five Lakes Tour. If you fancy checking out as many lakes as you can on your summer holiday it's worth doing a bit of research before you go.

You could also try out one of our multi-centre holidays where we've paired Madonna di Campiglio with Lake Garda and Lake Ledro!

Image copyright: Camilla Pizzini

The Brenta Dolomites is famous for its waterfalls. Walk along the Sentiero dell'Orso (Bear Path) to the Vallesinella Waterfalls, which are the most famous waterfalls in the Adamello-Brenta Natural Park. The trail starts by the Spinale Gondola station, and heads through forests all the way up to the highest of the waterfalls, the Malga Valesinella di Sopra. Or, you could spend the day enjoying a picnic in the stunning Val Nambrone, where you can scope out the Cascata Amola. You can walk to the falls from the Rifugio Val Nambrone which you can get to by heading to the next door town of Madonna di Campiglio, Pinzolo.

Image copyright: Paolo Bisti

There's no shortage of history in the Trentino region, and if you want to explore the history of the area and learn something new, why not head to one of the many museums in the area. The Museum of Campiglio Mountain Guides and People, will take you on an historical journey through the lives of alpine pioneers and mountaineers, who were some of the first people to discover the Brenta Dolomites. If war history is more up your street, you may want to check out the Adamello Front War Museum in Spiazza, which can be reached by bus in around 40 minutes. The museum houses a collection of artefacts found in the area from the First World War. The Trentino region played a big role in the fortification of Italy during the Great War, and as a result there's loads of history to lap up in the area.

Madonna di Campiglio prides itself on being a great destination for a family summer holiday, so it has loads of fun activities on offer to keep children and adults entertained on their summer holiday. From tennis to boules, golf, swimming, canyoning, padel, volleyball, vie ferrate, and even orienteering; children will never get bored! Spend some time in the outdoor playground which sits near the glacial river, it has a grassy area where you can take picnics whilst keeping an eye on the little ones. Cycling with young ones is also a great option as there are a few well kept cycle paths which you can hop on and off from Madonna; try out the Val Rendena Cycle Path or the floral cycle path which links the Brenta Dolomites to Lake Idro.

Image copyright: Claudio Lanzafame 

When the sun has gone in and the rain clouds have come out, there's still plenty to keep you and your children busy in Madonna. Indoor golf is always great fun and a great family bonding activity, head to the Campiglio Golf Academy and test out your golfing skills. If you head to Pinzolo there's an indoor Olympic sized ice-skating rink where you carve up the ice and have family races from one end of the rink to the other. The Palestra in Madonna di Campiglio offers tonnes of activities, from rock climbing walls, to volley ball, handball and basketball courts, where children can blow off some of that bad weather steam.

Image copyright: Kim S Nelson

Canazei has plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy, including lots of family friendly walks. If you're looking for an easier walk for younger children, the Aloch-Pozza route takes just 30 minutes with a spot to stop off and enjoy lunch; children can also enjoy spotting the wooden sculptures of Ladin legends along the way. Or, for an easier route which is slightly longer, check out the Vigo-Vallonga-Tamion-Vigo walk which is around 6.9 kilometres and takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. There are some uphill sections along the way but there's a playground and plenty of benches and tables for a pit stop or a summer picnic.

For families looking for a challenge, check out the Penia-Lorenx-Vera-Penia route which is a moderate walk. The walk takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes and is around 5 kilometres long. The walk is part of an educational trail where children can learn about the origins of water whilst crossing bridges, streams and meadows.

The Ladin Museum Fassa offers a modern and interactive museum, plus there are plenty of other museums in the area too. Head to Fora! - Escape Room Val di Fassa, if you're looking for a challenge (perfect for a rainy day, or a break from the summer sun). For another great rainy day activity, there's a bowling alley in Canazei town which can be enjoyed from the age of five and above.

If days spent swimming and relaxing in a spa are more up your street, then 4,000m² of family fun awaits you at Aquapark Vidor, a family and wellness resort. There are indoor and outdoor pools, slides and more. Adults will enjoy the spas and beauty treatments available too. This is a great place to come if you want to cool off from the summer heat, there's nothing better or more refreshing than splashing about in the water!

Plan de Corones sits below Mount Kronplatz. The unique flat top mountain is perfect for a family day out walking around the area. Keep an eye out for wildlife on the way up in the gondola; see if you can spot one of the Tibetan highland yaks posing for photos. A visit to the Messner Mountain Museum, designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid is a hidden gem in the Dolomites and a must visit on your summer holiday. At this space-like building which is carved into the rock-side you can learn all about Reinhold Messner, the extreme climber and mountaineer. Exhibits include the science of glaciers and the history of the local people.