Paganella Dolomites, skiing and beautiful landscapes half an hour from Trento
Andalo, Fai della Paganella and Molveno are the centres around which revolves an area that last year recorded two million presences. In summer, the success of the bike area
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Key points
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Almost two million certified presences in the last year. And a summer/winter alternation that works, thanks to the mix of experiences and scenic beauty that the Paganella Dolomite area offers. Just under half an hour from Trento, with the striking rocks of the Brenta Dolomites as a backdrop, this slice of Trentino has grown considerably - in terms of tourism - in recent years. Everything revolves around three centres: Fai della Paganella, Andalo and Molveno, with its picturesque lake. And (in winter) to a very well maintained and multi-purpose Ski Area, where for two evenings a week it is also possible to ski at night.
Skiing lake view
.The view of Lake Garda from Cima Paganella is one of the sceneries that are worth the price of the ticket (or ski pass, if you prefer). Some of the best slopes include the Olimpionica I, recently widened to 40 metres; the Olimpionica II, a black slope almost 1.5 km long and 55 metres wide on average, which is now the official training site of the Norwegian National Alpine Ski Team and the venue for the European Cup Giant Slalom races; the Jana Granda, a panoramic and adrenalin-filled ski slope; and the Panoramica, from which there is a unique view of the Dolomites and the Adige Valley.
For the little ones, on the other hand, (in addition to the six baby parks scattered around the area) there are five dedicated ski school camps, two of which are in Andalo: Laghet, equipped with a two-seater chairlift, two treadmills and a new 'Baby Express' gondola to serve the new segment of the 'azzurra' slope; and Rindole, equipped with a four-seater chairlift and two treadmills serving two 'azzurra' slopes. At higher altitudes, on the other hand, there is the Campo Scuola Rolly Marchi (on the Fai della Paganella side), which can be accessed by the Santel-Meriz chairlift; the Polo Primi Passi Eskimo (on the Andalo side), which can be accessed by the Laghet-Prati di Gaggia gondola; and Pradel, in Molveno.
Not only downhill
.In addition to downhill skiing, cross-country skiing is also possible in Paganella: at the Andalo Life cross-country skiing centre, with four tracks with different levels of difficulty. Not forgetting ski mountaineering and snowshoeing (one of the most suggestive routes to experience at altitude is the one that leads to Cima Canfedin, over 2,000 metres above sea level). And there is no lack of tobogganing: the Meriz slope, easily reached by chairlift from Fai della Paganella, runs for almost a kilometre in the middle of the forest with an average gradient of 10%. The Scoiattolo slope and the Bambi slope, on the other hand, can be reached from Molveno: the former runs for one and a half kilometres to Pradel, following a scenic route with a view of the Brenta Dolomites and Lake Molveno; the latter descends for two and a half kilometres into the woods to Pian dei Sarnacli, from where it is possible to return to Andalo or Molveno thanks to the convenient shuttle bus service.
The beautiful season
.The Paganella ski area has an all-round tourist offer, which also works in summer. Especially thanks to one of the best equipped bike parks. There are about 400km of bike trails in the heart of the Dolomites: 3 bike parks and 80km of single trails for gravity lovers, 300km of MTB and eBike itineraries, from easy forest trails for families to hard climbs for the more trained. The ski lifts, which in winter bring thousands of skiers to the top, are used in summer to transport cycling enthusiasts. This year, the lifts were open until November
