Experience the Val di Sole

Val di Sole is made up of 13 villages and many small hamlets, distributed along the axis drawn by the Noce river. Some villages are located in the valley floor, others on the slopes of the surrounding mountains.

The municipalities of Val di Sole are small pearls, enchanting places to be discovered and known. They are places rich in history and tradition: you can walk in the streets of the historic centres, admire the historic shops and let yourself be pampered by the people who work and live there.

The villages to discover are: Caldes, Cavizzana, Commezzadura, Croviana, Dimaro Folgarida, Folgarida, Malè, Mezzana Marilleva, Ossana, Passo Tonale, Peio, Pellizzano, Rabbi, Terzolas, Vermiglio.

Val di Sole is particularly suited to outdoor activities: you can practice so many from the bike, at rafting, at trekking up to ski and snowshoes in the winter season .

The reference ski district is that of Folgarida-Marilleva with 3 ski-areas, 270 km of slopes and 93 lifts. Here you can find the instructors of five ski and snowboard schools for private or group lessons, as well as three snow playgrounds.

Folgarida is a modern and very well integrated locality in Val di Sole, 9 kilometers from Madonna di Campiglio. Marilleva is spread over two levels connected by a cable car: Marilleva 900 and Marilleva 1400, from which the ski resorts depart.

The Dolomiti Express is the train that connects the railway stations of Trento with Malè, Daolasa, Dimaro and Marilleva, therefore up to the ski lifts: it is the only example in Italy of direct interchange between rail and cable.

But in winter, in addition to alpine skiing, you can also plan walks in the snow, snowshoe hikes and ski touring trips. The holiday is not only made of skiing, but also of music and fun during the Après – ski with friends.

In summer, the valley is an authentic paradise for two-wheel lovers. A truly complete offer, including mtb routes, bike parks and the 35 km long cycle path that goes from Cogolo di Peio to Mostizzolo and runs alongside the Noce stream.

Noce itself is famous for being the longest river in Europe, on which various activities are practiced: the most famous, adrenaline-pumping and suitable for everyone is rafting.

Glaciers, peaks over 3,000 metres, waterfalls, lakes, old farmhouses and gentle slopes. There are so many things to see in Val di Sole that a single holiday would not be enough. Surely we must mention the Presanella glacier and the Denza refuge, at an altitude of 2298 meters, which is located right at the foot of the glacier: from here you have a truly suggestive and highly panoramic first taste of the beauties that the valley offers.

The second stage to put on the agenda is certainly the one in Val di Pejo, a side valley of the Val di Sole. Here too there are various excursions to do, the most famous being that of the Pian Palù lake. Another natural attraction of the valley is the Caprioli lake. Leave the car in Pelizzano and you will reach this body of water with a walk of about an hour! You can go around the lake and then go up to Malga Alta, a reality with many animals and with splendid views over the Val di Sole.

We also recommend the small lakes of San Leonardo, bodies of water of suggestive beauty, ideal if you want to rest in nature after a long walk. They can be reached from the center of Vermiglio.

For the cultural part, we suggest you visit the Castle of San Michele, in Ossana: a medieval fortification, built on a spur of rock and recently restructured. Val di Sole is, in fact, rich in historical and artistic testimonies that can be found in the many castles in the valley.

Obviously, we can only suggest the rafting, which you can do with us at Ursus Adventures , on the Noce. This river is the best place for rafting in Italy, it has been nominated by National Geographic as the best river in Europe for the practice of river sports. A rafting experience in Trentino is an adventure for everyone, full of fun and adrenaline.

Soland cuisine is made up of simple and nutritious dishes, made up of genuine ingredients from agriculture, livestock and dairy production. Once upon a time, these activities were the basis of the economy of the Val di Sole. In the past, polenta was the basic dish of every Solander’s lunch and was prepared with buckwheat or spelled, today corn is used. It is proposed as “polenta rostida”: cut into slices and heated in lard with potatoes and cheese.

Other traditional dishes are the “canederli”, the “strangolapreti”, the “barley soup” and the “potato cakes”: very tasty and tasty dishes, especially characteristic of Trentino cuisine.

Val di Sole is in an ideal place for the production of apples, berries and potatoes, thanks to the particular combination of soil and climate.

Another typical feature and basis of Val di Sole cuisine is milk and its derivatives, produced by mountain pasture cows. In the huts butter, ricotta and tasty cheeses are produced. The best cheeses are Trentino Grana and Cosolèt, to be combined with cured meats and rye bread. Ricotta, called “poìna” in dialect, can be eaten fresh or used as a filling for large ravioli called “capelàzi”, for gnocchi or for the exquisite “de poìna” biscuits.

Even the cured meats are still prepared today according to ancient traditional recipes, and are then smoked with aromatic woods. Also typical is the “Mortadela” which is obtained by bagging mixtures of pork, left to dry on wood and dusted with cornmeal.

Another peculiarity is the trout, bred in the clear waters of the Val di Sole fish farms. Without forgetting the game which is often prepared with the use of wild berries and wild herbs. And the dessert? Surely the strudel, typical above all of the Val di Non, but widespread in every corner of Trentino Alto Adige, together with the delicious apple pies and “fregoloti”.

In the numerous restaurants and farmhouses, you can find all these delicacies, tasty traditional dishes expertly prepared with local products.

If you are not a sports enthusiast, but simply a lover of relaxation, Val di Sole certainly has what you need. In fact, you will be able to treat yourself to moments of well-being both at the Terme di Pejo and at the Terme di Rabbi. The two spas, in addition to being curative, also offer wellness programs for mind and body with packages designed for your needs. You can regenerate yourself with specific treatments that will immediately give you a relaxing, regenerating and invigorating effect, perhaps after a day spent immersed in nature, in the splendid setting of the Val di Sole landscape.