Brentonico
Brentonico is the main town of the Brentonico Plateau (Altopiano di Brentonico), a broad grassy tableland resting on the Trentino...
Updated 17 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Brentonico now
The story
The story of Brentonico
The Brentonico Plateau on Monte Baldo
The Brentonico Plateau occupies the Trentino side of Monte Baldo, the massif separating the Vallagarina valley from the Lake Garda basin, in the province of Trento. Brentonico, the plateau's main town, sits at an altitude that keeps it cool even in summer, and is surrounded by numerous hamlets set within a landscape of high-altitude meadows, beech and conifer woods, and vast pastures once linked to seasonal transhumance. This geographical position, suspended between two worlds, makes the plateau a natural balcony opening north towards the Brenta Dolomites and south over the Vallagarina plain, as far as glimpses of Lake Garda. This setting has long made Brentonico a popular summer holiday destination thanks to its mild climate and scenic beauty, while preserving a rural identity made of alpine huts, trails and small hamlets scattered across the tableland.
The Monte Baldo Local Nature Park and the Hortus Europae
Much of the Brentonico Plateau lies within the Monte Baldo Local Nature Park, a protected area established to safeguard one of the most extraordinary botanical environments in the Alps. Monte Baldo is in fact known among naturalists as the 'Hortus Europae', the Garden of Europe, a nickname stemming from centuries of botanical studies drawn to the richness and variety of its flora. On the massif, alpine, Mediterranean and several endemic species exclusive to this territory coexist, favoured by its particular position between a continental climate and the influence of nearby Lake Garda. The local park promotes the conservation of this heritage through educational trails, nature observation points and outreach initiatives aimed at visitors and schools. Walking through the plateau's meadows and woods therefore means crossing a true open-air botanical laboratory, where every season brings different blooms and constantly changing landscapes.
Views over Lake Garda and natural landscapes
One of the reasons the Brentonico Plateau is a beloved destination is its privileged relationship with Lake Garda, visible in the distance from the massif's higher panoramic points. From the natural viewpoints opening along the ridges of Monte Baldo, the eye can range from the waters of the lake to the mountain chains closing the horizon to the north, in a contrast that unites lakeside scenery and alpine environment in a single glance. This closeness to Lake Garda, combined with the plateau's elevation, also creates a distinctive microclimate, with cool, breezy summers offering relief from the heat of the plain below. Flowering meadows, shady woods and high-altitude pastures complete a natural landscape that changes character with every season, offering photogenic views and moments of quiet far from the tourist traffic of the lakeside towns.
Skiing at Polsa-San Valentino
In winter, the Brentonico Plateau becomes a destination for winter sports thanks to the Polsa-San Valentino ski resort, located on the slopes of Monte Baldo and connected to the Prealpine ski area. The slopes, suited to both beginner skiers and those seeking more challenging descents, are flanked by cross-country ski trails and areas designed for families with children, making the area accessible to a broad and varied public. The plateau's altitude and exposure generally favour reliable snow conditions, while the atmosphere remains that of a human-scale destination, less crowded than the major alpine resorts, yet still offering views stretching as far as Lake Garda even in the cold season. In the summer months the same facilities become a starting point for walks and hikes, ensuring a year-round tourist vocation.
History, traditions and hiking
Brentonico preserves traces of an ancient history visible in its historic buildings, among which Palazzo Baisi stands out, a noble residence that today houses an eco-museum dedicated to the memory and traditions of the plateau, from rural life to trades of the past. Among the area's most deeply rooted customs is the one linked to dandelion, a wild plant harvested in the plateau's meadows and the star of a culinary and convivial tradition renewed every year. Alongside its historical and cultural heritage, the plateau offers a dense network of hiking trails crossing woods, alpine huts and panoramic ridges of Monte Baldo, suited to both family walks and longer routes for experienced hikers. Following these trails means discovering a territory where nature, history and rural traditions coexist in a balance that continues to define the identity of the Brentonico Plateau.
Not to be missed
- Walk among the meadows and viewpoints of the Brentonico Plateau with views over Lake Garda
- Explore the botanical trails of the Monte Baldo Local Nature Park, the Hortus Europae
- Visit Palazzo Baisi and its eco-museum dedicated to the plateau's traditions
- Ski or walk in the snow at the Polsa-San Valentino resort
- Discover the local dandelion tradition among the plateau's meadows
To see
What to see in Brentonico
Routes · Trovido Route
