Trentino does not have just one thermal water, it has several, and each one is different. Some are rich in iron and very mineral, others are light and gentle on the skin, others again are naturally sparkling. So choosing where to go is not only about distance: it helps to understand what kind of water you will find and what kind of rest it suits. In this guide we compare the main thermal spas of Trentino, one by one, telling you what water flows at each, who it suits in general and what setting it sits in. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests in this land for a long time, and these are the differences we explain to those who ask us which spa is right for them.

1. Terme di Levico e Vetriolo, the strong, mineral water

The water of the Terme di Levico e Vetriolo is one of the most unusual in the Alps. It is a very mineral, iron-rich water, of the sulphate-arsenical-ferruginous type, known for centuries as the strong water. It flows clear up high, at Vetriolo, and on contact with the air it tends to take on colour because of the iron it contains. It is an intense water, far from the light and delicate ones: those who choose it are after a firm wellness experience.

Because of its highly mineral nature it has long been associated with general wellbeing and with moments of personal care, from the skin to breathing and to stress-related relaxation. It sits above Levico Terme, in the heart of the Valsugana valley, one of the areas in all of Trentino most suited to relaxation, with the lake, the historic park and the trails just minutes away. It is the natural choice if you want to combine the spa with a calm holiday between water and greenery.

2. Terme di Comano, the light water that is gentle on the skin

The Terme di Comano are the gentle opposite of Levico. Their water is of the bicarbonate-calcium-magnesium type, lightly mineralized, odourless and with a pH close to neutral. It flows at a constant temperature of around 27 degrees and is known above all for being gentle on the skin. It is the right water for those looking for soft wellness, made of calm baths and skin care.

For this reason Comano is often the choice of those who want to give attention to their skin and find a sense of freshness again. The centre sits in a fourteen-hectare park, among meadows, trails and a Kneipp path among the trees, in the Giudicarie area, west of Trento. It is a place designed for slow wellness, where baths come together with walks in the green.

3. Terme di Pejo, the waters known since the 1600s

The Terme di Pejo hold waters that have been known for a very long time: the first written records of their qualities date back to the 1600s, around 1650. The historic source, called Antica Fonte, gives a bicarbonate-ferruginous water naturally rich in carbon dioxide, while other springs in the valley have different characteristics, up to a lighter water. The iron present is in a form the body absorbs easily.

It is the right water for those looking for wellness tied to tradition, in a high alpine setting. The spa sits in the Val di Pejo, inside the Stelvio National Park, among the 3,000-metre peaks, the glaciers, the lakes and the trails. It is the ideal destination for those who want to combine the spa with the most genuine mountains, far from the crowds.

4. Terme di Rabbi, the sparkling, iron-rich water

The Terme di Rabbi have a truly original water: it is a bicarbonate-alkaline and ferruginous water, naturally rich in carbon dioxide, so much so that it is sparkling at the source. Here too the iron is in a form the body absorbs well. It is the right water for those curious to try a lively, sparkling water, different from all the others in Trentino.

Used since the 1600s, the Antica Fonte of Rabbi is tied to a long tradition of mountain wellness. The spa sits in the Val di Rabbi, a still-intact valley inside the Stelvio National Park, among conifer woods, pastures, the Saent waterfalls and the barefoot trails in the forest. It is the right place if you are after true quiet and unspoiled nature together with the spa.

5. Terme di Merano, the big pools just over the border

Just beyond the border of Trentino, in South Tyrol, in Merano you will find one of the largest thermal centres in the Alps. Its water is of the oligomineral type, light, and comes from Monte San Vigilio above Lana, where rainwater passes through the rock and is naturally enriched with minerals. It is a water different from the others in Trentino, chosen above all by those looking for broad wellness, made of many pools and of space.

More than a single source to discover, Merano is an experience of big numbers: around twenty-five indoor and outdoor pools, a large sauna area and a big thermal park next to the old town. It is the ideal place to dedicate a few hours, or a whole day, to swimming, moving from the sauna to the open air and resting. From Trento you get there in a little over an hour, so it stays a nice day trip even starting from the Valsugana.

Where to stay for a spa holiday in Trentino

If you compare these waters, you notice at once that each has its own character: the strong, mineral water of Levico and Vetriolo, the delicate water of Comano, the historic waters of Pejo, the sparkling water of Rabbi and the big pools of Merano. The handy thing is that, from the right area, you can reach almost all of them in a day.

The heart of a spa holiday in Trentino beats around the Valsugana, near Levico Terme. Here you have the historic spa of Levico and Vetriolo within reach, and around you the Lago di Levico, the Lago di Caldonazzo, a large old park and many trails to walk. In the morning you wake up minutes from the spa and the water, you spend the day between baths, park and walks, and when you want to change scenery you have the other spas within day-trip distance. Comano is reached in about an hour and a quarter, Merano in a little over an hour from Trento, while Pejo and Rabbi are perfect if you love the more genuine mountains of the Val di Sole and the Val di Pejo.

We at Italy Holiday welcome guests right in the area of the Valsugana lakes, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment. If you dream of a holiday made of water, quiet parks and time for yourself, discover where to stay near Levico Terme and the Valsugana lakes and pack your bags: the Trentino of the thermal spas is waiting for you.

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