Molveno holidays

Popular holidays

For an Italian break mixing picture-perfect Brenta Dolomite scenery with a bucket-load of outdoor activities, pick a holiday to Molveno.

Traditional town

The small town is pretty as a postcard, with its twisty cobbled streets, 13^th-century church and brightly painted buildings huddled on the hillside. Spend those long summer days browsing independent food and craft shops, people-watching outside cafés and learning a thing or two about local history at the Museum of Costumes and Traditions.

Adamello-Brenta National Park

Of course, the scenery is one of the real stars here. The town is the only one on the edge of the bright blue Lake Molveno, which is surrounded by the meadows and forest-covered peaks of the Brenta Dolomites. Take a boat trip across the water for 360-degree views, or follow your feet along waking paths around the shore. You can also hop on the cable car in town to get up to the Pradel Plateau at 1,367m, where you can begin hiking and mountain biking routes and get a closer look at the national park's imposing rocky spires.

What shall we do today?

You can be as relaxed or active as you like on your trip here. While away your time with gentle strolls or breathtaking hikes, long lunches in mountain huts or afternoons on the beach. Why not try something new and get stuck into watersports like canoeing or stand-up paddle-boarding, or soar through the sky on an epic tandem paragliding flight. Families can have great fun at the Forest Park high ropes course and Educational Farm up on the Pradel Plateau. Or for a little culture, there are historic sites to visit like Stenico Castle.

Out and about

Here are some ideas of things to do when staying in Molveno:

• Lakeside path with cycle route
• Lake bathing and watersports
• Rowing and sailing boats
• Sports centre
• Alpine flower garden and botanical garden
• Castles and Roman ruins
• An array of museums
• Horse riding
• Outdoor pool
• Wine tasting

Popular hotels in Molveno

Top things to see and do in Molveno

Beaches

Molveno Beach

Molveno Beach is on the edge of town. It's surrounded by 10 acres of fields where you'll find playgrounds, beach volleyball courts and even minigolf – all with a dramatic mountain backdrop.

Acquapark Molveno

The Acquapark boasts both an Olympic-sized pool and a kids' pool, with waterslides and more.

Pebble bay

As its name suggests, the beach here is pebbly rather than sandy. It's a good idea to bring a pair of beach shoes or flip-flops.

Shopping

Mid-range buys

There's a cluster of independent shops around Via Roma and Piazza Scuole. You can browse through traditional craft ware and souvenirs, or pick up some local wine and cakes.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

Evenings are refreshingly laidback here, made for unhurried strolls through the village or down to the lake, where cafés and bars are perfect for a relaxed drink as dusk sets in. One night worth planning is Wednesday, when the chairlift runs later than usual – ride up the mountain to soak up sweeping views and watch the sun dip behind the Brenta Dolomites before gliding back down.

Lively evenings

While evenings are generally quiet around Molveno, you'll still find a few bars which stay open late, so you can stop for an aperitivo before dinner or a nightcap later on.

Food & drink

Eating out in town

Visit a restaurant in town and you'll be able to try some of the traditional regional dishes. Canederli is a kind of bread dumpling, while carne salada is thinly sliced cured beef. And of course, there are plenty of fresh pasta and risotto dishes too.

Mountaintop dining

At the top of the Pradel-Palon chairlift, you'll be able to sample mountain hut dining, such as at the popular Rifugio La Montanara Tovre Plateau Molveno. Sit out on the terrace and dive into platefuls of fresh pasta, cured meats, Trentino cheeses and polenta.

Getting about

Buses

Free local buses run around the town every 30 minutes, with stops including the lakeside Acquapark. You can also pay for a bus trip to the ancient town of Mezzocorona, which takes around an hour, or the city of Trento, which takes around 90 minutes. Make sure to pick up your Trentino and Dolomiti Pagenella Guest Cards at your accommodation, as they'll give you free or discounted travel around much of the province.

Passenger ferries

There aren’t any ferries on Lake Molveno, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy time on the water. You can hire motorboats if you’re after a bit of speed, or slow things right down with rowing boats and canoes, exploring the lake one oar stroke at a time.

Summer lifts

From the centre of town, take the Panoramica cable car up to the 1,350m-high Pradel Plateau for amazing views and walking paths – don't forget to take your Dolomiti Pagenella Guest Card for a discount on your lift ticket. To venture even higher, hop on the Pradel-Palon chairlift that goes up to 1,530m.

On foot

When you wander the little alleys and squares in town, be sure to watch your step. Some areas are cobbled or hilly. Around the lake and up into the mountains there's a huge network of walking paths, with a number of mountain huts.