Andalo

Updated October 2026 · Sources: Paganella Ski, Visit Trentino, Andalo Vacanze, Province of Trento

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Andalo is a mountain village in Trentino, northern Italy, in the province of Trento. It sits at about 1,040 metres on the Paganella plateau, a wide grassy saddle between Monte Paganella to the east and the Brenta Dolomites to the west. Trento is about 40 km away, roughly 40 minutes by car. Verona and its airport are 130 km away, Milan 250 km, about three hours. From the Brenner motorway (A22) it takes 20 to 30 minutes to drive up.

Andalo is not in a valley but on a high plateau, between the Val di Non to the north, the Adige Valley to the east and Lake Molveno to the south. About 1,240 people live here, and it is the main village of the Paganella community, together with Fai della Paganella, Molveno, Cavedago and Spormaggiore. Part of its land lies inside the Adamello Brenta Nature Park.

In winter you come to ski: the Paganella slopes start in the village and climb to 2,125 metres. In summer Andalo is a base for hiking under the Brenta, riding the bike park, swimming at Lake Molveno and day trips to the Val di Non. It works well for families: everything is walkable, there is a big sports centre with pools, and young children ski for free.

Andalo has no historic old town. It is a modern resort that grew from the 1950s with the Paganella lifts. What matters is around it: the karst lake, the summit of the Paganella, the views of the Brenta and the nearby lakes.

The village and Piazza Dolomiti

Andalo began in the Middle Ages as 14 “masi”, small farming hamlets scattered across the saddle. Today the centre is one long street of shops, bars and hotels, with Piazza Dolomiti as the meeting point. The lifts, the Andalo Life park and the lake are all within walking distance. The patron saints’ day is 15 June. The Giro d’Italia finished a stage here in 1973 and 2016.

Lake Andalo

Lake Andalo is a few minutes’ walk from the centre, just under 1,000 metres. It is a karst lake with no visible inflow or outflow: the water rises from underground. It is usually full from April to mid-June, then drops and can almost disappear in summer. It comes back with the autumn rain.

The loop around the lake is flat and pushchair-friendly, with views of the Brenta. In winter the cross-country track runs around the lake and is lit in the evening. If you find a meadow instead of water in August, that is simply the lake’s natural cycle.

Cima Paganella (2,125 m)

From the village centre a gondola climbs to Doss Pelà (1,782 m), then a chairlift reaches the summit at 2,125 metres, with the Rifugio La Roda hut. The view is the reason to go: the Brenta group on one side, the Adige Valley and Trento on the other, and Lake Garda to the south.

The lifts run in winter and summer, including return tickets for walkers. Check times on the Paganella Ski website.

Lake Molveno

Lake Molveno lies below Andalo at 845 metres. It is about 5 km long, 1.5 km wide and more than 100 metres deep. It was formed by a huge landslide about 4,000 years ago and has fed a hydroelectric plant since 1957. On the shore, the Lido di Molveno is a large lawn with facilities near the village: in summer it is the plateau’s beach.

From Andalo you can walk down on a forest path of about 4 km, 200 metres of descent, one hour. Take the bus back up. From Molveno a gondola climbs to the Pradel plateau, the starting point for hikes towards the Brenta.

The Brenta Dolomites

The Brenta is the range you see from everywhere in the village. It is one of the nine Dolomite groups listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, and the only one west of the Adige. The highest peak is Cima Tosa, 3,173 metres. Its symbol is the Campanile Basso, a 2,877-metre rock tower first climbed in 1899, visible from the famous Bocchette via ferrata.

Adamello Brenta Nature Park

At 620 km² it is the largest protected area in Trentino. Founded in 1967, it covers the Brenta and Adamello groups and Lake Tovel. From Andalo the easiest way in is via Molveno, towards Pradel and the Valle delle Seghe.

AcquaIn and Andalo Life

Andalo Life is the village sports park: 27 activities in summer and 12 in winter, including the cross-country centre and the ice rink. Inside is AcquaIn, the pool complex: a five-lane 25-metre sports pool, a children’s pool with a slide, a spray park with a few centimetres of water and an outdoor hot tub facing the Brenta. There is also a spa with saunas and steam rooms. Times and prices on the Andalo Life website.

Biblioigloo at Prati di Gaggia

At Prati di Gaggia (1,333 m), on the slopes and reached by gondola, the Biblioigloo is a small library for children and teenagers, with art and nature workshops. A warm break during a ski day.

Andalo is the main base of Paganella Ski, the area linking Andalo and Fai della Paganella. It belongs to the Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta network, together with Madonna di Campiglio and Pinzolo.

Slopes and lifts

The area quotes about 50 km of slopes between 1,030 and 2,125 metres. There are 20 lifts: 4 gondolas, 11 chairlifts and 5 magic carpets for beginners. From Andalo you start on the Andalo–Doss Pelà gondola or the Laghet gondola to Prati di Gaggia; from Fai della Paganella, at Santel.

Most runs are red, with plenty of blues for learners. The best known is Olimpionica 2, a black run used by the Norwegian alpine ski team for training. From the summit the red Olimpionica 3 comes down with Brenta views. The Cacciatori run is open for night skiing two evenings a week. A snowpark is served by the Doss Pelà gondola.

Lift passes 2026/27

For the 2026/27 season an adult day pass at the ticket office costs 69, 72 or 76 euros depending on the period. Children born in 2019 or later ski free with a paying adult (not on hourly passes). From mid-October there is dynamic pricing online: the earlier you buy, the less you pay.

For a week, look at the “6 giorni fab” pass: valid on the Paganella, with an optional free day at Folgaria on the Alpe Cimbra and one at Monte Bondone. Multi-day passes are also valid at Molveno. To ski the whole Skirama, Campiglio included, there is the Superskirama pass. Current prices on the Paganella Ski price list.

Ski schools and beginners

There are 7 ski schools and 4 beginner areas. The magic carpets are close to the village, so children do not need long lifts for their first lessons. The season usually runs from late November to early April; in 2025/26 it ran from 29 November to 6 April.

Cross-country, snowshoeing and sledging

The Andalo cross-country centre has 12 km of tracks between the lake and the fir woods of Cavedago, groomed daily, with a loop lit in the evening. Cross-country ski and snowshoe hire, a school and changing rooms are on site. Above Molveno, the Pradel plateau has a small area with easy runs and two sledging runs; one comes down all the way to Andalo, with a shuttle back to Molveno.

In summer the Paganella lifts stay open for walkers and bikers. At 1,040 metres it stays cool even in August. Three bases: the Paganella above the village, Lake Molveno below and the Brenta opposite.

The Paganella loop

From the Doss Pelà top station an easy loop of 8.9 km, 372 metres of climbing, takes about 3 hours. It reaches the summit and the Rifugio La Roda, then returns past huts and summer farms. If you are tired, ride the chairlift down from the summit. Walking up from Andalo means more than 1,000 metres of climbing.

Molveno, Pradel and the Brenta huts

From Molveno the gondola climbs to the Pradel plateau, at around 1,360 metres. From there it is half an hour to the Rifugio La Montanara and about another hour, on a path with one exposed section, to the Rifugio Croz dell’Altissimo below the Brenta walls. The loop with the lift takes about three and a half hours. On the Pradel, the Forest Park is a ropes course with six routes, rope bridges and zip lines.

Mountain biking: Dolomiti Paganella Bike

The Dolomiti Paganella Bike park has about 100 km of singletrack in three zones, served by 9 lifts on a single Bike Pass. The Andalo zone has 58 km of trails, Fai 38 km and Molveno 14 km with the easiest flow trails. Since 2026 the new Top Gun trail (4.7 km) links the Fai and Andalo zones. Details on the bike park website.

Via ferrata, paragliding and more

On the Paganella, the Ferrata delle Aquile has views over the Brenta and the valley: experience and equipment are essential. Tandem paragliding flights with an instructor take off from the Paganella. Dog owners have a 1,800 m² agility park, reached by lift.

Andalo with kids

Andalo suits young families: the village is compact, the lake loop is flat and Prati di Gaggia is a gondola ride away. On the Paganella there are three baby parks with workshops and a farm with animals. On rainy days there is AcquaIn. The Lido di Molveno has lawns and play areas by the water.

• Lake Tovel (1,178 m), in the Val di Non, inside the Adamello Brenta Nature Park. Until the 1960s its water turned red in summer. The road goes up from Tuenno. In 2026 it is open daily until 20 September and at weekends until 1 November, with compulsory online booking of parking or the shuttle on the nature park website.
• Molveno: the lake, the Lido and the gondola to Pradel. One hour’s walk from Andalo.
• Fai della Paganella: the neighbouring village on the plateau, with ski access at Santel and the original bike park zone.
• Spormaggiore: the wildlife park with bears, wolves and lynx of Trentino.
• Madonna di Campiglio: about an hour’s drive, on the other side of the Brenta.
• Pinzolo and the Val Rendena, also on the west side of the Brenta.
• Trento: the cathedral, Buonconsiglio Castle and the MUSE science museum, 40 km away.
• Val di Non: apple orchards, lakes and the San Romedio sanctuary, north of the plateau.

Andalo lives on tourism and has plenty of choice: hotels of every category, residences, holiday apartments and campsites. In peak season (Christmas, February, August) book early. Ask whether your accommodation offers the Dolomiti Paganella Guest Card: it gives free buses and discounts on lifts and AcquaIn.

• For skiing: near the Andalo–Doss Pelà gondola and the Laghet. Walk out of the door onto the slopes, no car needed.
• For families: near Andalo Life and the lake, with AcquaIn, the cross-country centre and playgrounds. All on foot.
• Without a car: the village centre, close to the bus stops for Molveno, Fai and Mezzocorona.
• On a budget: apartments and residences, or Fai della Paganella and Cavedago, neighbouring villages on the same ski bus.
• For summer and the lake: Molveno, a few minutes away, if you prefer to stay by the water.

By car

Take the A22 Brenner motorway. From the south (Verona, Milan) exit at Trento Nord and follow the SP235 to the Altopiano della Paganella: about 20 minutes. From the north (Brenner, Bolzano, Austria) exit at San Michele all’Adige and drive via Mezzolombardo: about 30 minutes. From Milan it is 250 km on the A4 to Verona and then the A22, about three hours. Italian motorways are tolled. In winter carry snow chains or use winter tyres.

By train

The nearest stations are Mezzocorona (19 km) and Trento (40 km), on the Brenner line between Verona and Innsbruck. From Milan, change at Verona. There are also direct trains from Munich to Trento.

By bus

Trentino Trasporti buses connect Trento and Mezzocorona with Andalo and Molveno. Often the best option is the train to Mezzocorona or Mezzolombardo and then the bus. With the Guest Card the bus is free. Long-distance coaches stop in Trento. Timetables on the Trentino Trasporti website.

By plane

The nearest airport is Verona Villafranca, 130 km away. A bus links it to Verona Porta Nuova station, then a train to Trento or Mezzocorona and a bus to Andalo. A private transfer or hire car is the simplest option with skis. Other airports: Bergamo Orio al Serio, Milan Linate and Treviso, all further away.

Parking

Skiers have car parks near the lift stations in Andalo and Fai; the list is on the Paganella Ski website. If you stay in the village, leave the car at the hotel and walk or use the ski bus between the plateau villages.

ANDALO Meteo