Trentino is not just about mountains. Hidden among the valleys are lakes large and small, and on many of them you can spend the day on the water with a sail, a SUP board, a canoe or, where the wind is reliable, a windsurf board. Each lake has its own character: the warm, fully equipped one for every sport, the wind-swept one perfect for those chasing the waves, and the alpine one where you can paddle in silence among the peaks. In this guide we tell you where to do each water sport and which lake suits it best. We at Italy Holiday have been welcoming guests among these lakes for a long time, and these are the places we would recommend to a friend looking for water and activity.
1. Lago di Caldonazzo, the lake for every sport
Lago di Caldonazzo is the starting point for anyone who wants water sports in Valsugana. It is a large warm lake, one of the warmest in Southern Europe, with Blue Flag beaches and several sports centres on its shores where you can rent equipment and take lessons. Here you can sail, SUP, canoe and windsurf, and there is one thing that makes it unique: it is the only place in Trentino where you can water-ski.
In the morning the water is often calm, ideal for learning SUP or paddling a canoe. In the afternoon a steady breeze picks up, to the delight of sailors and windsurfers. The season runs from May to the end of September. It is reached in about twenty minutes by car from Trento on the SS47 state road towards Levico, or by train on the Trento-Bassano line, which stops a few steps from the shore.
2. Lago di Levico, sports on calm waters
Just a few minutes from Caldonazzo, near Levico Terme, you will find Lago di Levico. It has an elongated shape that recalls a fjord and it is one of the Trentino lakes with the Blue Flag. Its mild, calm waters make it ideal for those who want to approach water sports gently: here you can SUP, canoe, sail and windsurf, and the lake is also used for dragon boating, the large rowing boat with many paddlers moving together.
The sports centres on the shores rent boards, canoes and sailing boats and organise courses for all levels. The ideal season runs from May to September, when the water is warmer. It is reached on foot from the centre of Levico Terme, by car on the SS47 or by train on the Valsugana line.
3. Lago di Garda at Torbole, the kingdom of the wind
Where the mountains end and the great lake begins, about 40 minutes from Trento, is Torbole, on the northern tip of Lago di Garda. Here the walls of Monte Baldo drop into turquoise water and the town has a pretty little harbour and a lakeside promenade. Torbole is one of Italy's most loved destinations for windsurfing and sailing, and it is on these two sports that everything is focused.
The reason is the wind, steady and reliable. In the morning the Pelèr blows, coming down from the north, while in the early afternoon the Ora rises, the thermal breeze that arrives from the south and carries the sails until evening. It is a wind that, from March to October, makes this corner of the lake one of the most famous windsurfing and sailing grounds in Europe. From our area it is about a 50-minute drive.
4. Lago di Molveno, paddling at the foot of the Dolomites
Lago di Molveno is an alpine lake with crystal-clear water, at the foot of the UNESCO Brenta Dolomites. Its large grassy beach is so well kept that the lake has been named the most beautiful in Italy several times. Here there are no great Garda winds, but it is precisely the calm that makes it perfect for quiet sports: kayaking, canoeing, SUP and pedal boats.
Motorboats are limited, so the water stays quiet and suited to those who want to paddle with the peaks all around. On the shores you will find rental points open in summer, and after a day on the water you can take the cable car up to enjoy the view over the Brenta from above. The best season runs from late spring to early autumn. It is reached in about 25 kilometres from Trento, towards Andalo, just over an hour from our area.
5. Lago di Ledro, sailing and windsurfing with the afternoon breeze
Between Lago di Garda and the Val di Ledro, at about 655 metres of altitude, lies Lago di Ledro, an alpine lake with turquoise, clean waters, safe for swimming and among the clearest in the area. It is a lake where many water sports are practised: sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and SUP, thanks to a steady breeze that rises during the central hours of the day.
The lake has a sailing school, the only one in Ledro, perfect for those who want to learn or improve. Along the four beaches you will find rentals for canoes, SUP boards, pedal boats and windsurfing equipment. The season runs from summer to early autumn. From our area it is reached in just over an hour by car, and it makes a lovely destination to pair with nearby Lago di Garda.
6. Lago di Serraia, sports on the Piné Plateau
On the Piné Plateau, at about 1,000 metres of altitude, Lago di Serraia is the swimming lake of Baselga di Piné, surrounded by woods, reeds and meadows. It has the Blue Flag and a flat shoreline with a path that follows it. It is a calm, family-friendly lake where you can SUP, canoe and try dragon boating in company.
A short distance away is Lago delle Piazze, connected to Serraia by an easy walk, where canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing and, on dedicated days, dragon boating are practised. Together the two lakes offer a full day between water and walks, in a cooler, quieter setting than the large lakes of the valley. It is reached in about half an hour by car from Trento.
7. Lago di Lavarone, calm water to start out
Climbing up to the Lavarone Plateau, at about 1,070 metres of altitude, you find a small lake with clear water, of karstic origin, surrounded by woods. Lago di Lavarone too has the Blue Flag and in summer its waters are safe for swimming. Here there is no sailing or water-skiing, but it is the ideal place for those who want to be on the water in a relaxed way: rent a pedal boat, try SUP on the calm waters or take a canoe out.
On the lake there are equipped beaches and a path that follows the shores. The fresh mountain air and relaxed atmosphere make it perfect for a family day or for those taking their first steps on the boards before moving on to the larger lakes. It is reached in a few minutes by car from the village of Lavarone.
Where to stay for a sporty lake holiday
If you put these lakes on a map, you notice one thing: the best equipped for water sports are within easy reach of Valsugana, the valley of Trentino's warm lakes. Caldonazzo and Levico, with their sports centres and waters ideal for sailing, SUP, canoeing and windsurfing, are practically on your doorstep. From here, the Piné Plateau, the Lavarone Plateau and the great wind lakes such as Garda at Torbole and Ledro all make a lovely day trip.
This is why the Valsugana lakes area, around Caldonazzo, Levico and Calceranica, is an ideal base for a sporty holiday. In the morning you wake up a few minutes from the water, you spend the day between sailing, paddling and boards, and when you want a change you have the other lakes a short distance away. It is the best way to experience Trentino with the water always in front of you.
We at Italy Holiday welcome guests right in this area, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment. If you dream of a holiday made of sport on the water with mountains all around, find out where to stay near the Valsugana lakes and pack your bags: Trentino's lakes are waiting for you.
