Trentino's Hidden Gem Is A Beautiful Italian Valley With Pristine Lakes And Breathtaking Beaches

When you think of Italy, the first places that come to mind are more famous destinations, such as Rome — often considered the best place to kick off an Italian vacation. Perhaps a romantic vacation to Venice, revered for its canals and gondola rides, appeals to you. If you're a fan of Italian wine, you might be tempted to head on a road trip through Italy's Tuscan countryside.

However, what if you want to visit a place which lets you escape the Venice bustle like Mestre does, and helps you to enjoy a beautiful crowd-free vacation in Italy? If you enjoy clean, crystal-clear lakes, stunning scenery, endless outdoor activities, delectable cuisine, and a splash or two of wine or beer, then the off-the-beaten-path area of Valsugana (Sugana Valley) — just over an hour and a half from Venice's Marco Polo Airport — might just fit the bill. Located just 30 minutes from the city of Trento in the beautiful Italian Alps region of Trentino, it proclaims itself "your holiday for every season."

Families will easily find something to do in every season in Valsugana. Its two lakes, Levico and Caldonazzo, are Blue Flag awarded, which means they have achieved high standards for accessibility, safety, and purity, making them perfect for warm-weather beachgoing and leisurely scenic nature walks. Throughout the year, visitors can also enjoy mountain hikes, garden and park visits, snow skiing, festive holiday markets, and even bread and cheesemaking workshops. Arte Sella, an internationally recognized, open-air art experience, offers a variety of exhibits and events.

There's no shortage of ways to experience the great outdoors in Valsugana. During the warmer months of spring and summer, visitors can sunbathe and swim on lifeguarded lake beaches. Lakes Caldonazzo and Levico are the only lakes in Trentino where guests can water ski. Caldonazzo is popular due to its water sports, especially canoeing, paddleboarding, and sailing. Levico is the calmer of the two, and is known for its electric boat (e-boat) tours.

Road cycling and mountain biking throughout the Trentino countryside are popular. For cyclists, top choices are the Brenta Biking Route and the Valsugana Cycle Path, among the approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) of available routes. The best options for mountain biking include Giro d'Asta and your choice of 1000 kilometers (621 miles) of routes in the Dolomites Lagorai Bike Circuit. Whichever suits your fancy, you'll be all set with accommodations, repair services, rest stops, events, and races available along the way.

If foot travel is more your style, look no further than the Lagorai and Cima d'Asta Mountains, where you can choose easy, medium, and difficult trails such as biotopes (leisurely nature walks), "low-mountain" walks, and long-distance hikes. The area is also home to the first WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Oasis in the Alps, The Nature Trail of Valtrigona WWF Oasis. If you decide on a long-distance hike, rest assured there are accommodations available throughout these routes.

In addition to its plethora of outdoor activities and experiences, Valsugana also provides visitors the opportunity to stay and indulge in local wines and cuisine. Not to be missed is a visit to Castel Pergine, Trentino's castle and hotel. Castel Pergine, recognized for its Gothic architecture, art, and events, is surrounded by natural beauty. It offers historic as well as modern accommodations. Known for what it calls "culinary art", it serves seasonal, modern dishes in its restaurant and bistro. The restaurant, Palazzo Baronale, features a five-course tasting menu, with expertly selected pairings of local Italian cuisine and wines from its 300-bottle cellar. At Bistrot Ca' Stalla, guests can enjoy coffee, casual lunches, aperitifs, and a weekly four-course vegetarian dinner. 

Another top-shelf experience is Cantina Romanese, which describes itself as "the first underwater Trentodoc Winery." Launched in 2009 by brothers Giorgio and Andrea Romanese, they make both still and sparkling wines. Their Lagorai Riserva Trentodoc, a Classic Method Riserva sparkling wine made with 100% chardonnay, is aged for over two years underwater in Lake Levico. It's zero dosage, which means no "dose" of wine or spirit is added before bottling, resulting in a bone-dry wine. Tastings of the winery's four still wines (white and red) and a local food platter, or six wines and a platter, are available to visitors by advance reservation. The winery also has overnight accommodations: a suite and an apartment.

If you have a hankering for beer instead of wine, there's the Tripadvisor top-rated Biergarten Mönchshof Ristorante Pizzeria. The restaurant serves a variety of authentic pizzas (gluten-free and lactose-free also available), traditional Trentino and Tyrolean fare, and Bavarian sausage dishes. Its Bavarian beer selection includes Mönchshof Schwarzbier, Mönchshof Heller Bock, and Kapuziner Weissbier.