Bolbeno: Ski Slopes, Trails and Village History

Bolbeno lies on a green plateau at the foot of Monte Piza. Winter sports and snowshoe hikes are just as much a part of the area as the historic layout of the centre and the Church of San Zeno. If you are looking for a hotel in Bolbeno, these different highlights can help you tailor your stay to your interests.

Winter on the Slopes and in the Snow

Night skiing is available in the Bolbeno ski area. The Centro Sci in Borgo Lares offers an easy blue ski run and an intermediate red one. The slopes are accessible via the Pianezze four-seat chairlift and the Coste ski lift; the different difficulty levels give you a practical guide when choosing winter sports activities.

Bolbenolandia is a winter play park with two conveyor belts that help children take their first steps on skis. There are also activities with bobsleds and sleds. Downhill skis and ski boots, snowshoes, sleds and tubes can also be rented in the ski area.

Another way to enjoy winter activities is CiaspoLares, a recurring nighttime snowshoe hike in the woods above Bolbeno. The route passes the Santuario Madonna del Lares. This gives you a choice of different activities for planning a winter trip, from ski slopes to a snowshoe hike.

Trails from Bolbeno and Routes in the Surrounding Area

A walk leads from the town centre to the Santuario Madonna del Lares. It takes about 30 minutes and climbs through the woods; after roughly two kilometres, you reach the wayside shrine at Canzane. From the wayside cross at Canzane, a three-kilometre forest road leads to Malga Splaz, also known as Malga Bassa, at an altitude of 1,200 metres, in about 50 minutes.

Beyond Malga Splaz, at the end of the forest road, a comfortable trail begins through Val Larga. It takes about an hour to reach the higher-lying Malga Meda. The times and distances refer to different sections: from the walk starting in the town centre, along the forest road, to the trail through the valley. This makes it possible to distinguish the routes described according to the time required for each, without combining them into a single walking time.

A mountain biking route also passes through Bolbeno. After the Santuario Madonna del Làres, the Tione–Le Sole–M.ga Cengledino–M.ga Lodranega–Val di Breguzzo–Bondo–Madonna del Làres–Bolbeno–Tione route continues through the village. For your planning, this offers a different perspective on Bolbeno from the walks and hikes described for exploring on foot.

Carère, San Zeno and the Village Landscape

Bolbeno’s historic centre is called Carère. It forms a square with symmetrical streets, gardens, passageways and lanes leading to squares with granite fountains, typical of the Giudicarie. Historic houses in Bolbeno also preserve wooden arcades and portals, windows with granite surrounds, and arched gateways between old walls. Traces of earlier use include faded sacred murals and signs from former inns.

From 1857, it was completely rebuilt in the Neoclassical style and solemnly consecrated in 1862. Its interior has three naves, shallow side chapels and a slightly raised presbytery.

The landscape includes an almost complete panoramic view of the Busa di Tione. There is also a beech tree at the Dos Borel viewpoint that is at least 500 years old. These landscape features add further distinct topics to explore during a stay in Bolbeno, alongside the lanes of Carère and the architecture of San Zeno.

Capùs and the August Event Not(t)e di Note

Not(t)e di Note has been held in Bolbeno for more than twenty years on the Saturday before Ferragosto, in mid-August. At the event, dozens of women prepare large quantities of Capùs according to an old recipe. Capùs de Bolben are a speciality from Trentino: small balls wrapped in leaves of the strawberry grape. The event thus combines a specific date in August with a local culinary tradition.

Discover more destinations: Cavizzana, Peio Terme, Sant'Orsola, Baselga di Piné, Castellano, San Michele All'adige, Paneveggio, Steinegg.

Go to the main travel overview: Trentino.