When the first snow falls, Trentino changes pace and fills with silence. Snowshoes are the easiest way to enjoy it: they are racquets that strap under your mountain boots and let you walk on the snow without sinking, even if you have never skied in your life. All you need is one step after another and a little wish to be outdoors. In this guide we take you to discover some of the best places to go snowshoeing in Trentino, from the comfortable, family-friendly plateaus to the most enchanting woods, telling you honestly how easy they are and what to watch out for on the snow. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests to this land for a long time, and these are the snow walks we would recommend to those arriving in winter. For more ideas, take a look at what to do in Trentino in winter.

1. Le Viote on Monte Bondone

A few minutes from Trento you climb up to Monte Bondone, the city's mountain, and reach Le Viote, a large flat basin at about 1,568 metres that in winter becomes an open expanse of snow between the peaks. It is one of the most comfortable spots in Trentino to try snowshoes for the first time: the ground is wide and not very steep, and there are marked routes designed precisely for beginners and families. Guided outings on the snow are also organised, including some moonlit walks among the firs.

It is an easy, accessible destination, ideal for a quiet day without big climbs. Sticking to the beaten, marked routes the walk is simple, but in the mountains in winter the weather and snow conditions change fast: dress in layers, set off in good light and, if you want to leave the busier tracks, check the avalanche bulletin first or rely on a guide. From our area in Valsugana, Monte Bondone is reached in a little over an hour by car, passing through Trento.

2. Alpe Cimbra and the Millegrobbe plateau

Alpe Cimbra is the large plateau that joins Folgaria, Lavarone, Luserna and the Vigolana, made of meadows, woods and gentle ups and downs. It is one of the areas best suited to snowshoeing in all of Trentino, because the landscape is soft and open, with no steep slopes. In the Millegrobbe area, in Lavarone, and at Passo Coe you will find beaten, marked snowshoe routes suitable for walkers of every level, and here too there is no shortage of enchanting evening outings on the snow.

It is a place where you walk in complete calm, perfect for those who want to start gently and for those bringing children along. Precisely because it is so welcoming, it is easy to be tempted to stray off the tracks: stay on the marked routes, which are the safest choice, and if you fancy exploring less-trodden areas do so with a guide and after checking the snow bulletin. From our area in Valsugana, the plateau is reached in about half an hour by car.

3. Lago di Lavarone in winter

On the same plateau, at about 1,070 metres, lies Lago di Lavarone, a small mountain lake with clear waters surrounded by woods. In summer you can swim here, but in winter the snow turns it into a quiet, sheltered place, where a gentle loop on snowshoes among the trees becomes a little outing perfect for the whole family. The loop around the lake is short and largely flat.

It is a simple walk suitable for anyone, even those who have never put on snowshoes. It should be remembered, though, that in winter the path can be icy in places, and the lake, however solid it may look, must never be crossed: you always walk along the shores and on the marked routes. From our area in Valsugana, the lake is reached in about half an hour by car, climbing up to Alpe Cimbra, and it pairs well with a day on the plateau.

4. The Paneveggio forest

The Parco Naturale Paneveggio Pale di San Martino guards the famous Paneveggio forest, known as the forest of violins because its centuries-old red firs provide the wood to build musical instruments. In winter the snow wraps the trees, and walking through these woods on snowshoes, in a silence broken only by your own steps, is an experience that stays with you. Snowshoes are quick to learn and can be hired locally, so you can set off even if it is your first time.

The routes through the woods and over the upland clearings are mostly gentle and suitable for beginners too, but we are in a high-mountain Dolomite environment, where snow conditions change rapidly. For this reason it is best to stay on the marked trails, always check the avalanche bulletin before setting off and, for longer routes or those away from the tracks, choose a mountain guide. From our area in Valsugana, the park is reached in about an hour and a half by car, towards Primiero and Val di Fiemme.

5. Passo Rolle and Val Venegia

Climbing towards the Dolomites of Primiero you reach Passo Rolle, a panoramic pass at almost 2,000 metres at the foot of the Pale di San Martino, with views of the unmistakable Cimon della Pala. From here open some of the most beautiful snowshoe routes in Trentino, such as the one towards Val Venegia, a valley that in winter looks like cotton wool, with the frozen stream and the trees laden with snow. It is a breathtaking landscape.

Here, though, honesty is needed: many of these itineraries, like the climb to Baita Segantini, are long and of medium difficulty, not simple walks. We are at altitude and away from the more protected tracks, in an area where avalanche danger must be taken seriously. If you have no winter mountain experience, the right choice is to rely on a mountain guide, who knows the snow conditions and the safe routes, and always to check the bulletin before moving. From our area it is reached in about two hours by car: a full-day destination.

6. Val di Sole and the Stelvio Park

Further to the north-west opens Val di Sole, a large alpine valley enclosed in the Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio, between the Brenta and Adamello groups. It is an area where snowshoes take you far from the noise, along trails among firs and larches, up to mountain huts and clearings where you can read the animal tracks in the snow. There are marked, beaten routes, and guided outings suitable for beginners too are organised locally.

It is a valley that offers many possibilities, from short, quiet walks to more demanding itineraries. For this very reason it is best to choose a route suited to your legs, because walking on snowshoes is more tiring than a normal stroll. As always in the high mountains, check the weather, the snow conditions and the avalanche bulletin before setting off, and for itineraries in the heart of the park rely on a guide. From our area, Val di Sole is reached in about two hours by car. If you like the idea of a holiday on the snow, you will find more ideas among the easy trails that can also be walked in the milder seasons.

Where to stay for your snowshoeing in Trentino

If you look at the map of these snowshoe walks, you notice one thing: many are within easy reach of Valsugana. Alpe Cimbra with Millegrobbe and Lago di Lavarone are reached in about half an hour, Monte Bondone with Le Viote in a little over an hour, while Paneveggio, Passo Rolle and Val di Sole remain lovely full-day destinations, further away but reachable.

This is why the Valsugana lake area, around Caldonazzo, Levico and Calceranica, is a handy base also for a winter holiday made of snow and walks. In the morning you set off towards the plateau and in the evening you return to a warm home, with the mountains all around. Trento, Rovereto and the Altopiano della Vigolana are also excellent bases, and for those who dream of the higher valleys there are Val di Sole, Val di Fiemme and Val Rendena.

We at Italy Holiday welcome guests right in this area, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment, perfect for warming up after a day on the snow. If you dream of a holiday made of quiet snowshoe walks, with snow-covered woods and silent plateaus, find out where to stay nearby and pack your bag: Trentino in winter is waiting for you.

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