Garda Trentino region – TOP10 attractions for children and adults

The Garda Trentino region is the perfect place for a mountain holiday. What's not here! A friendly, mild climate, dozens of charming lakes, hiking and cycling paths, climbing walls, as well as numerous campsites that are an excellent base for visiting nearby attractions - doesn't this sound like a holiday paradise? Especially since there is no shortage of interesting places to visit in the immediate and distant surroundings - including those that will delight the youngest participants of holiday trips. Especially for you, we have prepared the 10 most interesting attractions for families with children in the Garda Trentino region.

A trip with children requires special planning, also in terms of providing children with entertainment and experiences. Therefore, before choosing a holiday destination, it is so important to check what a given area has to offer to families - not only in terms of camping facilities, but also attractions that will interest the youngest.

Fortunately, the Garda Trentino region works perfectly in this respect, offering not only an extensive accommodation and recreation base (check here the best campsites in the Garda Trentino region ), but also plenty of places worth visiting where no one will be bored - regardless of age! So, what is worth visiting when planning a holiday with children in Garda or the surrounding lakes?

1. Busatte Adventure Park

A trip to the Busatte Adventure rope park, located a stone's throw from Garda and Torbole, is an incredible treetop adventure that combines outdoor activities, adrenaline and fantastic views of the lake and mountains. Over 50 routes varying in terms of difficulty level and age of participants, providing fun at heights from two to ten meters. Ropes, ladders, hanging bridges and treetop platforms will provide you with delicious entertainment for many hours. Of course, the safety of participants is a priority for the staff, who provide training and operating instructions for all attractions and ensure compliance with the rules in force in the park.

And if that wasn't enough for your children to have fun at heights, the Busatte Adventure park also has a professional BMX bike track with a mountain bike riding school, as well as volleyball and basketball courts and boccia tracks. After a day full of adventures and impressions in the park, you can also take a walk along the charming scenic paths, eat lunch in a restaurant or have a picnic in a specially designated area.

2. Marocche di Dro – a trip in the footsteps of dinosaurs

The largest post-glacial rockslide in the entire Alps, which is a real paradise for all lovers of archeology and... dinosaurs. In the landslide area, traces of these long-extinct reptiles were found - a large herbivore and a carnivore - dating back a mere 190 million years! The path that leads us in the footsteps of dinosaurs winds among lunar landscapes made of sedimentary rocks, sparsely covered with vegetation, providing an amazing experience.

The path is located next to Lago di Cavedine and we start it on the road from Dro to Drena, heading towards the lake. During the hike, we can learn about the history of the area and the geological structure of the Marocche di Dro biotope by reading the information on numerous information boards, and on the way to the lake we can also see the picturesque building of an old hydroelectric power plant.

3. Medieval castle in Arco

The picturesque spa town of Arco itself offers many ways to spend quality time with the family, but if you are looking for something unique, it is certainly worth visiting the medieval castle of Castello di Arco, built in the 12th century and subsequently enlarged, towering over the town. If you are camping in one of the campsites on the Garda River , you can get to Arco without any problems, for example by using the picturesque bicycle path along the Sarca River - the distance from the lake to the town is only 7 km. From Arco itself to the castle there is a well-marked street called Via Stranforia, which can be found in the northern part of the city. It is worth knowing that entry to the castle is free with a Garda Guest Card.

The ruins of the castle, destroyed by the French army at the beginning of the 18th century, have been partially restored and are open to the public. From the hill there is a fantastic view of the surrounding area, and if you get tired of visiting other parts, there is plenty of space to rest and a nice cafe with ice cream. Since the castle is often chosen to organize important events and celebrations, it is possible that you will manage to get married in this picturesque setting!

4. Arboretum in Arco

While visiting the ruins of the castle in Arco, it is also worth visiting the Arboretum, a picturesque botanical garden founded in 1872 by the Austrian Archduke Albert VII. The impressive park extends around his winter residence Villa Arciducale at Viale delle Palme 1 and is open every day, and entry to the garden is free. If you went to Arco by bicycle, you can leave them on the rack in front of the entrance to the park.

A walk around the Arboretum is a fantastic relaxation among the calming greenery and a real paradise for people interested in botany. There are many specimens of exotic and Mediterranean plants in the park, including approximately 150 trees from, among others: from Africa, Asia and America. Each of them is marked, so the trip may have educational value, especially since you will find several rare and interesting specimens there. There are benches and tables in the park where you can have a family picnic.

5. Grotto with waterfall Parco Grotta cascata Varone

An unforgettable adventure for children and adults! A short trip, lasting only half an hour, but full of delights and fun, allowing you to admire the unbridled power of nature, which, over thousands of years, has carved the Grotta Inferiore and Grotta Superiore caves and the gorge connecting them with the power of flowing water. You can admire the waterfall by walking along a winding metal footbridge that winds along the walls of the gorge and two viewing platforms located in the upper and lower parts of the waterfall. The water mist floating in the air, illuminated by colorful lights and sun rays, is particularly impressive.

The Varone Waterfall is located approximately 3 km from Lake Garda and Riva del Garda, in a picturesque geological park on the mountainside. When going on a trip there, remember to take raincoats, because the water falling from the height and bouncing off the rocks will certainly give you a good shower. Comfortable shoes with non-slip soles are also a good idea, as it's easy to fall on the wet metal platforms winding along the gorge and viewing platforms.

6. A sightseeing boat trip on Lake Garda

Another interesting idea for spending time with the family in the Garda Trentino region is a boat trip on Lake Garda. You can, for example, start such a trip in the picturesque town of Castelletto di Brenzone, located on the eastern shore of the lake and surrounded by an olive grove, where there is a charming historic port. You can also rent a boat, for example, in Sirmione, which is located on a narrow peninsula in the southern part of the lake. There are many options - it all depends on which part of the lake your campsite is located.

Visiting interesting places on the shores of Garda by boat is also a great idea due to the fact that on the roads around the lake you have to take into account traffic jams, which happen quite often. So if you plan to visit several towns in one day, it may turn out that you will spend more time in the car than you planned. By going on a boat trip, you will avoid this problem, and the large number of possible stops will allow you to plan the optimal route and visit the places you want to visit that day.

7. Bicycle trip along the Sarca River

A great idea for spending time actively. There is a gentle, asphalt walking and cycling path winding along the picturesque Sarca River, which can take you from Riva del Garda to, for example, the already mentioned Arco, where it is worth seeing the ruins of a medieval castle on a hill and the Arboretum. This route is approximately 7 km long, and the path is mostly flat and without major slopes, so even younger children can easily follow it.

The path is separated from the road on which cars travel, and along the entire length of the route there are benches and places to rest, which can be combined with contemplating the surrounding nature. An alternative to a bicycle trip is a walk to Arco, from where you can return to the campsite on the Garda by bus.

8. Via ferrata "Rio Sallagoni Ferrata"

A climbing path of moderate difficulty, which you can climb with older children without much effort (in the case of younger children, the railing rope may be mounted too high in some parts of the route). It does not require great skills or advanced equipment - all you need is basic ferrata equipment, i.e. a helmet, lanyard, harness, gloves and appropriate shoes. It is a perfect destination for trips on hot days, offering a pleasant shade of rocks and the coolness of the Sallagoni River flowing at the bottom of the canyon. You can start the ferrata at the top of the hill where the Castello di Drena castle is located or at the mouth of the river below and follow the canyon towards the castle. It will take you about three hours to complete the entire route, including the ascent and descent.

Via ferrata along the Sallagoni River will provide you not only with a healthy dose of exercise and adrenaline, but also with wonderful views. A picturesquely winding, shaded canyon full of greenery and the sound of the river flowing below create a wild, fascinating scenery. Two rope bridges over the waterfalls and the need to walk on metal clamps stretched along the wall of the gorge over the water will certainly be an attraction and a challenge that will make this trip you will remember for a long time!

9. Stargazing at Tremalzo

A nighttime adventure that only seems boring and trivial. The "Stargazing experience" is organized by astronomy enthusiasts on the top of the Tremalzo hill on selected Fridays of the month, and participation in the event must be booked at www.gardatrentino.it. You can go to the summit shelter at the appointed time, which is a meeting place before observing the night sky, or you can go there earlier - you will find plenty of hiking and cycling paths there.

In the clearing intended for observations, you will find a tarp spread on the grass (but it is also worth taking a blanket with you) and telescopes for observing the sky. The observation is combined with conversations about astronomy and individual celestial bodies that we will see in telescopes, and the presenters have extensive knowledge on this subject, which they share willingly and enthusiastically. You can admire the stars and the moon from about 9:30 p.m. until midnight, so remember to take warm clothes so as not to get cold on the way down to the campsite at night.

10. Ledro Land Art Walk

A fascinating artistic route on Lake Ledro, combining art and nature. A charming path among greenery leads from the Pur pine forest along the Assat River to the Malga Cita shelter, and during the walk we can admire works of local artists, designed with the natural environment in mind and made of ecological materials. There are approximately 20 sculptures located in the park, including: made of wood, stone, metal and their combinations.

The entire route is very short (approx. 2.5 km long), so you can easily complete it with a stroller or with small children. Entrance to the park is free, and a walk among the trees provides pleasant coolness and rest, even on very warm days. It is worth knowing that many events are organized at Ledro Land Art - workshops, exhibitions, cultural events and festivals, focused on discovering the history, culture and nature of the region.

Attractions for families with children in Garda Trentino

These are, of course, just a few of the many family attractions you will find in the Garda Trentino region. Depending on the location of your campsite and the age of your children, you can choose between numerous activities of various types, even in the immediate vicinity: walking, climbing, bicycle trips, kayaking, SUPs, getting to know local flavors and visiting local attractions - the choice is really huge. One thing is certain - it is impossible to get bored in Garda Trentino and everyone will find something for themselves here!