EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

The major village in the Valle Rendena is MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO , an upmarket ski resort with plenty of chair lifts and runs for all levels of skiing. About eight buses a day run from Trento to the main square, not far from the tourist office on Via Pradalago 4 (Mon-Sat 9am-noon & 3-6.30pm, Sun 9am-noon; tel 0465.442.000). Another service runs at about the same frequency to Malé, 23km north, from where you can pick up trains back to Trento. In summer, the climbing and walking in the Dolomiti di Brenta are superb, and you may want to stay at Madonna, if only to reach the trailheads. Luckily, out of the skiing season, the village tends to be deserted except for a sprinkling of walkers, and there are often good off-season deals to be had in three-star hotels . A good, central place is La Montanara (tel 0465.441.105; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47), though the least expensive places in town are a few minutes' walk down via Vallesina - follow the yellow signs for the Rifugio Vallesinella ; try the Garni Bucaneve (tel 0465.441.271; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47), the Garni dei Fiori (tel 0465.442.310; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47) and the Norma (tel 0465.441.110; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47).

The best way to approach the trailheads is by cable car from Carlo Magno , 3km north of the village centre, to Grostè (mid-June to mid-Sept daily 8.30am-12.30pm & 2-5pm; L19,000/¬9.81 one way, L26,000/¬13.43 return) - . Another possibility is to head west, taking Funivia Cinque Laghi (July to mid-Sept, same times and prices as above) from the centre of town to Rifugio Pancugolo (tel 0465.443.270) at 2064m, in the Presanella group. From the refuge, paths include a five-hour route via Lago Ritorto and Lago Gelato back down to the valley.