Trentino-Alto Adige: 7-Day Itinerary
Explore northern Lake Garda, alpine lakes, historic towns and the Dolomites over seven full days. This route brings together Trentino and South Tyrol, with three practical bases and stops from our regional hidden gems guide.
Day 1.
Riva del Garda → Canale di Tenno
Driving: Approximately 45–75 minutes locally, excluding parking and visits
Begin with a full day at the northern end of Lake Garda. Walk through Riva del Garda’s historic centre and along the waterfront, leaving time for the harbour and mountain views. This route assumes arrival the previous evening, or an extra arrival day if your journey is long.
After lunch, head into the hills to Canale di Tenno. Explore its stone lanes and covered passages before continuing to nearby Lake Tenno. Follow the signed approach from the designated parking area; paths and steps mean access is not uniformly step-free.
Enjoy a lakeside walk, then return to your Riva or Arco base. In warm weather, swim only where permitted and follow the nature reserve’s local notices. Keep this first day unhurried rather than adding distant Dolomite stops.
Stay: Riva del Garda or Arco
Day 2.
Lake Ledro
Driving: Approximately 1–1½ hours return from Riva or Arco, plus local stops
Spend the day at Lake Ledro, reached by road through the valley above Riva del Garda. Start near Molina di Ledro with the pile-dwelling museum, checking its opening days before visiting. The archaeological site is part of UNESCO’s Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps; the reconstructed huts help explain life beside the lake.
Continue to Pieve or Mezzolago for lakeside paths, a relaxed lunch and time by the water. Choose a short section of the shore walk to suit your pace. The full circuit includes a road section between Molina and Pur without a pavement, so it is not entirely a traffic-free promenade.
Return to the same base. If you want to include Bondone and Lake Idro, allow an extra day or substitute them for Ledro rather than squeezing everything into one outing.
Stay: Riva del Garda or Arco
Day 3.
Riva or Arco → Trento
Driving: Approximately 1–1¼ hours, depending on your base and traffic
Leave northern Garda for Trento and settle into your second base for two nights. Park outside restricted streets and explore the centre on foot. Piazza Duomo, the Fountain of Neptune and the frescoed façades along Via Belenzani make a rewarding introduction to the city.
Choose either Castello del Buonconsiglio for art and regional history or MUSE for science and nature. Check museum opening days and any timed tickets; visiting both thoroughly would leave less time for the old town.
Keep the late afternoon free for a walk and dinner in Trento. This city day also gives the itinerary a useful weather buffer: you can exchange it with tomorrow’s lake outing if conditions and your bookings allow.
Stay: Trento
Day 4.
Trento → Lake Tovel → Trento
Driving: Approximately 2½–3 hours return, before parking, shuttles and delays
Travel through Val di Non towards Lake Tovel in Adamello Brenta Nature Park. This is a full-day excursion, with time for the approach, parking arrangements and an unhurried walk beside the lake.
Check the official Tovel access and parking information before setting off. Seasonal traffic controls, parking reservations, shuttle services and road works can affect both arrival and departure. A reserved parking space does not override a road closure.
The lakeside circuit includes narrow sections and rocky steps, so wear suitable footwear and do not treat it as a fully accessible paved walk. Stay on marked paths, respect park rules and return to Trento. If access or weather is unsuitable, use the day for lower-altitude villages and cultural sights in Val di Non instead.
Stay: Trento
Day 5.
Trento → Bolzano → Chiusa
Driving: Approximately 1½–2 hours total, excluding stops and parking
Head north into South Tyrol, also called Alto Adige. Stop in Bolzano/Bozen for Piazza Walther, the arcaded Portici streets and the old town. Italian and German place names appear together across much of this part of the region.
If you want to see Ötzi at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, check opening days and book ahead where possible. Give the museum proper time instead of treating it as a brief stop between drives.
Continue to Chiusa/Klausen and settle into your final base. Explore its compact medieval centre. The walk up towards Sabiona/Säben is an optional uphill outing; the hilltop is reached on foot and individual churches have their own opening times. Save it for another morning if the Bolzano visit runs long.
Stay: Chiusa or the surrounding Isarco Valley
Day 6.
Val di Funes
Driving: Approximately 1–1½ hours return from Chiusa, depending on your stops
Spend the day in Val di Funes/Villnöss, known for its meadows, villages and views of the Odle/Geisler peaks. Start around Santa Maddalena/St. Magdalena and choose a signed valley walk suited to the weather and your fitness.
Use designated car parks or local buses. Follow signs for permitted viewpoints, keep off private meadows and respect access rules around churches and farms. The well-known views can be busy even though this valley features in our hidden gems guide.
For a more active day, continue towards Zannes/Zans and choose an appropriate marked trail using current local advice. Longer mountain routes, including the Adolf Munkel trail, need more time, suitable equipment and stable conditions; they are alternatives to the gentle village outing. Return to your Chiusa-area base and keep tomorrow flexible if mountain weather changes.
Stay: Chiusa or the surrounding Isarco Valley
Day 7.
Ortisei → Alpe di Siusi
Driving: Approximately 1–1½ hours return from Chiusa to Ortisei, plus cable-car time
Finish with a Dolomite day above Ortisei/St. Ulrich. When operating, the Ortisei–Alpe di Siusi cable car takes you onto the high plateau for meadows and views towards the surrounding peaks. Choose a marked walk that fits the conditions and your ability, leaving a comfortable margin for the last descent.
Check the official lift timetable before travelling. Lift seasons differ, and wind or bad weather can interrupt operations. The road onto Alpe di Siusi has separate access restrictions; parking in Ortisei and taking the lift avoids relying on private-car access to the plateau.
Return to Ortisei for its village centre, then to your base. If the mountains are unsuitable, stay at lower altitude and consider a town visit such as Vipiteno/Sterzing. The route ends in South Tyrol: allow separate time for your airport transfer or drive home, especially after a full mountain day.
Stay: Chiusa area; add a final night for an unhurried departure
Plan your Trentino-Alto Adige trip
Allow seven full sightseeing days, plus arrival and departure travel. Book an arrival night around Riva or Arco, then two further nights there during the route, two in Trento and two or three near Chiusa, depending on when you leave. The route covers both Trentino and Alto Adige/South Tyrol; it is a focused introduction rather than a tour of every valley.
Mid-June to September is the most practical planning window for this mix of towns, lakes and high-altitude walks, subject to snow, weather and lift operations. The itinerary is not designed as a winter road trip. Keep mountain days flexible and use town visits when conditions are poor. Driving times are estimates excluding sightseeing, queues, parking and local transfers.
A car is useful for this route, while trains and buses can work with adjusted bases and current timetables. Check ZTL restrictions in towns, seasonal parking rules and access notices before travelling. Verona is a useful arrival gateway for northern Garda; the final base is farther north, so check one-way car rental and departure logistics before booking.
For a longer visit, add Mezzano in Primiero, or combine Glorenza with Lake Resia in Val Venosta. These are separate extensions. Explore all ten places in our Trentino-Alto Adige travel guide, or continue south with our Lombardia itinerary.
Trentino-Alto Adige Travel Guide
Discover alpine villages, lakes and mountain valleys, with ten regional hidden gems and practical advice for a longer stay.
Lombardia: 7-Day Itinerary
Continue your northern Italy trip with Milan, Lake Como, Bergamo, Lake Iseo and the Lombard shores of Lake Garda.