Autumn in Trentino is the season of colours and flavours. The larches turn to gold, the apple orchards fill with fruit, the vineyards give their harvest and the air becomes clear and fresh, perfect for walking. It is the moment when the forests change their dress and the lakes reflect the copper and yellow of the leaves. In this guide we tell you what to do in Trentino in autumn, from the foliage of the forests to the lakes in the colours of the season, from the Val di Non of the apples to the terraced vineyards, all the way to easy walks among the leaves. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests to this land for a long time, and these are the places we would recommend to a friend on the way for the autumn.

1. Parco Naturale Paneveggio, the forest that turns to gold

If you are looking for the most spectacular foliage in Trentino, start here. The Parco Naturale Paneveggio Pale di San Martino is home to the famous Paneveggio forest, known as the "violin forest" because its spruce wood, with its particular capacity for resonance, has always been used by violin makers to build the sound boxes of instruments. It is said that Stradivari himself came here to look for the best trees.

In autumn the forest puts on its show: higher up, on the slopes, the larches turn from bright green to golden yellow, while the spruces keep their dark green, and together they create a mosaic of colours. It is also the season of the deer rut, when in this period they make themselves heard and show themselves in the clearings. The park's trails are easy and free, perfect for a walk in the colours of the season. You reach it by going up towards the Passo Rolle, between the Val di Fiemme and San Martino di Castrozza.

2. Lago di Tenno, the turquoise that turns to copper

Just above Riva del Garda one of the most beautiful lakes in Trentino is hidden, and it is lovely precisely in autumn. The Lago di Tenno is a small alpine lake at around 570 metres, famous for the intense turquoise colour of its water and for being one of the cleanest lakes in Italy. When the woods around it turn gold and copper, the clear water reflects the colours of the season and gives views you will remember.

An almost flat path of about 3 kilometres loops around it in a little over half an hour, and on the cool, clear days of autumn it is a perfect walk for everyone. Nearby is Canale di Tenno, a medieval village among the most beautiful in Italy, with narrow lanes and stone houses: a lovely stop to combine with the walk by the lake, even more striking with the foliage. Spring and the start of autumn are the ideal seasons for walks around its shores.

3. The Val di Non, the valley of apples in autumn

Autumn is the right time to discover the Val di Non, the apple valley of Trentino. It is a gentle valley of apple orchards as far as the eye can see, dotted with medieval castles, with the turquoise Lake Tovel and the cliff of the San Romedio sanctuary, all framed by the Brenta Dolomites. In autumn the orchards fill with fruit and the woods around them change colour, while the apples are harvested between September and October, depending on the variety.

It is a valley made for families, with easy trails among the laden trees and many castles to visit. Its apples are known all over the world, and in autumn the valley lives the time of the harvest. If you want to get to know it better, we have devoted a guide to the apples of the Val di Non.

4. Castel Thun, the castle among the apple orchards

Above Vigo di Ton, on a hill that overlooks the Val di Non, stands one of the most beautiful and best-preserved castles in Trentino. Castel Thun dates back to the 13th century and was for centuries, from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, the home of the powerful Thun family. Today it keeps its original furnishings and precious art collections, and is a rare example of a noble residence that is still furnished, with walls, towers and a moat.

The road that leads to the castle crosses the apple orchards, and autumn is the most beautiful time to arrive: in October the trees are laden with red, yellow and green apples, and the castle stands above the valley of the harvest. Among its most striking rooms is the Bishop's Room, lined with Swiss stone pine wood. It is a visit that combines history, art and the colours of the apple orchards in autumn.

5. Santuario di San Romedio, the hermitage on the rock among the apple orchards

Still in the Val di Non, one of the most surprising places in Trentino awaits you. The Santuario di San Romedio is a hermitage perched on a spur of rock, made of five small churches stacked on top of one another and linked by a staircase of 131 steps. It is a place of thousand-year-old pilgrimage that weaves together history, art from the Romanesque to the Baroque and the legend of San Romedio and his bear.

You reach it with a walk of about 3 kilometres that starts from Sanzeno, crosses the apple orchards and slips into the gorge carved into the rock: a striking route, even more beautiful in autumn when the orchards and woods change colour. Below the sanctuary there is a faunal area with a brown bear, which recalls the legend of the saint. Access to the sanctuary is free. It is a destination that brings together young and old, between nature, faith and the atmosphere of autumn.

6. Val di Cembra, the terraced vineyards at harvest time

For those who love the flavours of autumn, the Val di Cembra is a stop not to be missed. It is a scenic valley of terraced vineyards, woods and villages on the slopes, supported by hundreds of kilometres of dry-stone walls that draw a unique landscape. It is known above all for the Muller Thurgau, a fresh and fragrant white wine that has found its ideal land right here, on the terraces at altitude.

Autumn is the season of the harvest, the perfect moment to discover the valley in the colours of the vintage and to learn how the wine is made. The vineyards take on the tones of the season and the villages on the slopes invite you to a slow journey, between nature and tradition. It is a quiet corner of Trentino, ideal for those looking for the authentic flavours of autumn.

7. Piramidi di Segonzano, a walk among the leaves and the rock

In the same Val di Cembra one of the most curious natural wonders of Trentino is hidden. The Piramidi di Segonzano are a cluster of clay towers and pinnacles up to 20 metres high, each crowned by a balanced porphyry boulder, sculpted by the rain in the moraine left by the glaciers. They look like an open-air sculpture park, shaped by time and water.

You reach them on a scenic, family-friendly trail that in autumn becomes even more beautiful: the woods around them turn colour and the pyramids emerge among the golden leaves. It is an easy walk and different from the usual, perfect for a fresh, clear day of the season, to combine perhaps with a stop among the valley's vineyards.

8. Bosco della Citta, the foliage a short walk from Trento

You do not need to go far to enjoy the colours of autumn. Above Trento, on the hill of the Dosso di San Rocco, the Bosco della Citta is a park of 17 hectares of woodland of oaks, ash and hornbeam, with viewpoints, rest areas and an arboretum of exotic trees. It is a green oasis a few minutes from the centre, where autumn arrives with all its tones.

The trails are easy and gentle, with benches and drinking fountains along the way, perfect for a quiet walk among the leaves, with children or with the dog. It is the right idea for an autumn morning without travelling too far, perhaps before discovering the city. If you like walks by the water, you will find more ideas in our guide to the waterfalls of Trentino on foot.

Where to stay for an autumn in Trentino

If you look at the map of these places, you notice one thing: much of what makes an autumn in Trentino special can be reached as day trips from a good base. The forests that turn to gold, the lakes in the colours of the season, the Val di Non of the apples with its castles, the vineyards at harvest time and the easy walks through the foliage are all within reach for those who stay in the heart of the region.

Autumn is the right season to experience Trentino at a slow pace: the trails are cool and clear, the flavours of the harvest fill the valleys and the colours of the leaves accompany every walk. It is a perfect moment for those looking for nature, quiet and good food, far from the summer crowds. If you like seasonal cooking, you will find plenty of ideas in our guide to the festivals and markets of Trentino.

We at Italy Holiday welcome guests in this very land, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment. If you dream of an autumn among golden woods, apples and lakes in the colours of the season, find out where to stay nearby and pack your bags: Trentino in autumn awaits you.