Levico Terme
Levico Terme is one of the most elegant small towns in Valsugana, Trentino, renowned for over a century as a spa destination thank...
Updated 17 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
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The story
The story of Levico Terme
The spa town of Valsugana
Levico Terme lies in the eastern part of Valsugana, the valley carved by the Brenta river that links Trento to the Asiago plateau and the Veneto region. The historic centre retains the orderly, refined character the town took on between the 19th and 20th centuries, when the fame of its curative waters turned it into one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in the Alpine arc. Tree-lined streets, well-kept squares and period buildings coexist with a lively commercial fabric geared towards tourism, without losing the feel of a provincial town. Its geographical position, sheltered by the surrounding mountains and facing a mild valley floor, has long favoured a particularly benign microclimate, an element that, together with the properties of the waters, helped build the town's spa reputation. Levico Terme still stands today, together with nearby Vetriolo, as one of the main references for wellness tourism in Trentino.
The Terme di Levico and the arsenical-ferruginous waters
At the heart of Levico Terme's identity are its spa waters, fed by springs of arsenical-ferruginous water among the best known in Italy. The properties of these waters, rich in iron and arsenic in therapeutic doses, were studied and promoted from the second half of the 19th century onwards, when the spa establishment began attracting patients and holidaymakers from across Europe seeking treatment for dermatological, respiratory and circulatory conditions. The use of these waters, exploited according to medical protocols codified as early as the Habsburg period, has made Levico a case of long continuity in Alpine spa culture, maintaining over time a range of treatments that combines tradition with scientific updating. The Terme di Levico still constitute the main engine of the local tourism economy today, offering treatment, wellness and prevention programmes alongside the natural and historical beauty of the area, in a health tourism model that continues to renew itself.
Lake Levico and swimming
A few minutes from the centre lies Lake Levico, a body of water of glacial origin considered one of the warmest swimmable lakes in Trentino, thanks to its moderate depth and favourable exposure. Its shores host equipped beaches, green relaxation areas and pedestrian and cycle paths that allow it to be circled almost entirely, making it a popular destination both for those staying for spa treatments and for those seeking outdoor days of swimming, non-motorised water sports and walks. The quality of the water and the mountain backdrop surrounding the basin help make Lake Levico a central feature of Valsugana's summer tourism offer, complementing the town's spa vocation. Not far away, neighbouring Lake Caldonazzo further extends the possibilities for swimming and water sports in this stretch of the valley, particularly suited to lake-based tourism.
The secular Habsburg Park and Habsburg-era holidays
A symbol of Levico Terme's golden age is the large secular Habsburg Park, also known as the Spa Park, a historic garden of considerable size embellished with monumental trees, some of which were planted over a century ago as part of the 19th-century landscaping of the spa establishment. The park was designed as a place for open-air walks and treatment for Belle Époque guests, at a time when Levico had become one of the favourite holiday destinations of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy, including leading figures of the imperial court. The Art Nouveau and Belle Époque villas that still line some of the town's streets bear witness to that era, when residential architecture reflected the taste and habits of Central European society on holiday. Strolling today along the park's avenues, among fountains, flowerbeds and centuries-old trees, means physically retracing this history, which has left a distinctive mark still clearly recognisable in Levico's urban fabric.
Forts, the Great War and the surrounding area
Levico Terme's tourism and spa vocation coexists with a past shaped by the military history of Valsugana, which during the First World War formed a strategic border section of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. On the heights overlooking the town, the remains of an Austro-Hungarian fort are still visible, part of the defensive system built to control access to the valley, now a destination for historical excursions and panoramic viewpoints over the entire Levico and Caldonazzo basin. These paths form part of a wider network of memory trails found throughout Valsugana. The town is also the starting point of the Valsugana cycle path, one of Trentino's most popular cycle-tourism routes, which allows cyclists to reach both Trento and the border with Veneto along a flat, well-equipped route. Not far away, the Vezzena plateau offers a higher, wilder perspective on the same area, among pastures, mountain huts and further traces of the Great War, completing a tourism offer that ranges from spa wellness to historic mountain landscapes.
Not to be missed
- The Terme di Levico spa and its arsenical-ferruginous water treatments
- Lake Levico and its swimming beaches
- The secular Habsburg Park (Spa Park) with its monumental trees
- The Belle Époque villas of the historic centre, a legacy of Habsburg-era holidays
- The remains of the Austro-Hungarian fort and the Valsugana cycle path towards the Vezzena plateau
To see
What to see in Levico Terme
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