Paganella

Updated October 2026 · Sources: Paganella Ski, ApT Dolomiti Paganella, Visit Trentino, Province of Trento

Find a place to stay on the Paganella

Paganella is a 2,125-metre mountain above the Adige Valley in Trentino, and also the name of the plateau at its foot. Five villages share the Paganella plateau: Fai della Paganella (958 m), Andalo (about 1,040 m), Cavedago (864 m), Molveno (864 m) and Spormaggiore (565 m). The last three face the Brenta Dolomites, the first two look over the Adige Valley.

It takes about 20 to 30 minutes from the Brenner motorway (A22). Trento is about 40 km away, Verona and its airport about 130 km, Milan about 250 km. For visitors from abroad this means a flight to Verona or Milan, then about 1 hour 30 by road from Verona.

In winter the ski area is one of the easiest in Trentino: about 50 km of wide pistes, 20 lifts, from 1,030 to 2,125 m, with snowmaking across the whole area. In summer it is a different place: bike park, the Paganella loop, Lake Molveno and, half an hour by car, the Brenta Dolomites. This page gives you the overview; for each village see the guides to Andalo and Molveno.

The plateau has no single centre: these are small villages a few minutes apart. Pick one as your base and move around by car or bus. These are the places worth your time.

Fai della Paganella

Fai sits on the edge of the plateau, at 958 metres with about 950 residents, on the side facing the Adige Valley. One of the two roads up to Andalo passes through (SP64). The lifts start from Santel, below the village, and a chairlift takes you up towards the summit. The La Rocca piste ends near the village.

The village is quiet, with the church of San Nicolò and Piazza San Rocco. Around it, the meadows and woods of the Parco del Respiro host guided walks, yoga and forest activities for children. In September the Orme festival takes place on trails and meadows. The Croce di Fai, on Monte Fausior, is an easy viewpoint over the Adige Valley.

Dos Castel

Dos Castel is an archaeological site with a viewpoint above Fai. Excavations found a Bronze Age settlement and traces of the Rhaetians, a pre-Roman people. It lies on the Sentiero dei Reti, and from above you see the whole Adige Valley. Close by are the Madonnina del Belvedere and the Calcara, an old lime kiln. Ask the tourist office for the current route: sources give no reliable walking time from the village.

Monte Paganella

The summit is at 2,125 metres. You reach it on foot or, when the summer lifts are running, by cable car and chairlift. On a clear day you see the Adige Valley, the Brenta, the Val di Non and, to the south, Lake Garda. The summit has a weather station recognised by the World Meteorological Organization and a large radio and TV transmission centre. The east face has limestone walls where the Aquile via ferrata opened in 2016.

Lake Molveno

The lake lies at 845 metres, about 5 km long and over 110 metres deep. From the summit of Paganella you see it as a blue blade in front of the Brenta. It has a free grass beach, the walk around it is easy, and that is why so many families come in summer. Opening hours, parking and the lake loop are in the guide to Molveno.

Andalo and its lake

Andalo is the largest and best-equipped village, at about 1,040 metres with some 1,240 residents. It has the gondola to Doss Pelà, the sports and cross-country centre, a swimming pool and the Andalo Life park. The lake, just under 1,000 metres, is a karst lake with no visible inflow: it fills in spring and can empty in summer. Everything else, from lifts to trails, is on the page about Andalo.

Cavedago and Spormaggiore

These are the two quietest villages. Cavedago, at 864 metres with about 600 residents, has the Forego bridge over the Rio Lavezòl, with three arches from different eras (13th century, 1862 and 1916), and meadows with views over the Val di Non. Spormaggiore, at 565 metres, is the lower gate of the plateau. It has the wildlife park (now Belpark), opened in 1994, with brown bear, wolf, lynx and eagle owl, and the ruins of Castel Belfort.

Lake Tovel and the Brenta Dolomites

Two destinations outside the plateau, but close. Lake Tovel, at 1,178 metres in the Val di Non, inside the Adamello Brenta Nature Park, turned red in summer until the early 1960s. In the opening periods you must book parking and the shuttle online. The Brenta Dolomites have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009 and begin behind Molveno and Andalo.

The ski area is run by Paganella Ski and belongs to the Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta. The official figures: about 50 km of pistes, 20 lifts (11 chairlifts, 4 gondolas, 5 magic carpets), altitude from 1,030 to 2,125 metres. Snowmaking covers the whole area. The pistes are wide and suit people who want easy and intermediate runs; there is also the black Olimpionica 2, where the Norwegian national team trains. It is not a giant linked area, but it is easy to ski in a few days and very practical.

Where you go up: Andalo and Fai

There are two access points, and it is the same ski area. From Andalo you take the 8-seat gondola Andalo–Doss Pelà (1,033 to 1,782 m) or the Laghet–Prati di Gaggia gondola. From Fai you start at Santel with the Santel–Meriz chairlift (1,034 to 1,423 m) and continue towards the summit. From the top you can ski down to Andalo or to Fai. You do not have to sleep in Andalo to ski well: from Fai you reach the same pistes.

Molveno and the Pradel

Molveno has its own small ski area on the Pradel: a few short pistes, a beginner area and two sledding runs, the Scoiattolo and the Bambi, which goes down to Andalo (with a shuttle back). It is not linked to the Andalo and Fai pistes. With a multi-day Paganella pass you can ski at Molveno too. Details on the page about Molveno.

Season, hours and 2026/27 lift passes

Opening is planned for 28 November 2026 and closing for 4 April 2027, depending on snow and weather. The lifts run Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 16:30, and Saturday and Sunday from 8:15. Two evenings a week, Tuesday and Friday, the Andalo–Doss Pelà gondola opens for night skiing, from 19:30 to 22:30, on the scheduled dates.

An adult day pass at the ticket office costs 69, 72 or 76 euros depending on the period. Buy online in advance and you pay less: the price is dynamic, with discounts of up to 25%. Children born in 2019 or later ski free with a paying adult. The 7-day adult pass costs 323, 371 or 406 euros. Always check the price list on the Paganella Ski website before you travel.

Ski schools, snowpark, cross-country

Paganella Ski has about 200 ski instructors and four beginner areas, including Rindole and Meriz in Andalo. The snowpark is served by the Andalo–Doss Pelà gondola. For cross-country there is the Andalo centre with 12 km of pistes groomed every day around the lake and in the woods of Cavedago, with a floodlit loop in the evening. At the centre you can also rent snowshoes. For snowshoe routes, choose your trail with a guide or at the tourist office.

The plateau is built for families, and it shows. In winter there are four beginner areas, the Biblioigloo at Prati di Gaggia (a library on the slopes for children and teenagers), Gaggia Park and Baby Park Dosson. Check at the start of the season which ones are open. In Molveno there are the sledding run and the beginner area on the Pradel; in Andalo the AcquaIn pools and the sports centre.

In summer Lake Molveno is the simplest choice: grass, playgrounds and cold water. In June the Dolomiti Paganella Family Festival brings workshops and walks to the five villages. For dogs there is a 1,800 m² park, Agility Dog, reached by gondola from Andalo.

From 1,000 to 2,125 metres there are trails for every level of fitness, and the lifts cut the climb a lot. The mountains around are gentler than the Dolomites proper, so they suit children too.

The Paganella loop

This is the easiest loop to reach the summit without effort. It starts at the top station of the Doss Pelà gondola and is 8.9 km with 372 m of climbing, about 3 hours. It passes Malga Zambana, Rifugio Dosso Larici and Malga Terlago and ends at the summit at Rifugio La Roda. From there you see the Brenta, the Val di Non, Trento and, on clear days, Lake Garda. If you walk up from Andalo, count on over 1,000 metres of ascent.

Mountain biking and bike park

Dolomiti Paganella Bike is the bike park of the plateau: three zones (Fai, Andalo, Molveno), 9 lifts with a single Bike Pass and over 80 km of single trail. Fai has three chairlifts. Andalo has two gondolas and two chairlifts and is the flow trail zone. Molveno has the easiest runs. The Top Gun trail, 4.7 km, links Fai and Andalo. Calendar and prices change every year on the bike park website.

Via ferrata, paragliding, lakes

On the east face of the mountain is the Aquile via ferrata, for those with equipment and experience. With a guide you can fly tandem paragliding over the plateau. For water, besides Lake Molveno there is the lake loop of 10 to 11 km, almost flat, and Lake Tovel in the Val di Non.

The position is handy if you want to see more. These are the most sensible destinations:

• Lake Tovel: in the Val di Non, inside the Adamello Brenta Park, with compulsory booking of parking and shuttle.
• Brenta Dolomites: trails and huts between Molveno and the Brenta group.
• Madonna di Campiglio: about an hour by car, for another day of skiing.
• Trento: about 40 km away, with its old town and museums.
• Lake Garda: visible from the summit of Paganella on clear days.

Choose the village according to how you travel.

• Andalo: the most complete base for skiing or travelling with children. Lifts, shops, pool and cross-country are within walking distance.
• Fai della Paganella: the alternative if you want to ski but prefer a quieter village. The lifts start at Santel.
• Molveno: for those who come in summer for the lake, and with children in winter for the Pradel.
• Cavedago and Spormaggiore: few places to stay and often lower prices, but you need a car or the bus.

Accommodation is hotels, apartments and farm stays; many take part in the Dolomiti Paganella Guest Card, which gives free buses and discounts. Weekends in January and February and Christmas fill months ahead.

By car

Leave the A22 at San Michele all’Adige if you come from the north (Bolzano, Brenner) and at Trento Nord if you come from the south (Verona, Milan). From Trento Nord follow the SP235 towards the Altopiano della Paganella, about 20 minutes; from San Michele you pass through Mezzolombardo, about 30 minutes. To reach Andalo you can drive up via Fai (SP64) or via Spormaggiore and Cavedago (SS421). From Trento it is about 40 km, from Verona 130 km (about 1 hour 30), from Milan 250 km (about 3 hours).

By train

The nearest stations are Mezzocorona (19 km) and Trento (40 km), on the Verona–Brenner–Innsbruck line. Then take a Trentino Trasporti bus or a taxi. From Trento you usually change at Mezzocorona or Mezzolombardo. There is no cable car from Mezzolombardo: the one that ran from Zambana to Fai closed in 1955.

By bus

Trentino Trasporti links the Mezzocorona and Trento stations with Andalo and Molveno. Line B611 is free with the Dolomiti Paganella Guest Card and the Trentino Guest Card. Timetables change with the seasons: check the Trentino Trasporti website. Long-distance coaches (Autostradale, Flixbus) go as far as Trento.

By plane

The nearest airport is Verona, about 130 km away. Others are Bergamo Orio al Serio, Milan Linate and Treviso. From Verona take the train to Trento or Mezzocorona and then the bus, or rent a car.

Parking

The lifts have car parks for skiers: the list is on the Paganella Ski website. At Lake Molveno in summer parking is paid and booked online: details are on the page about Molveno.

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Matteo Ianeselli (CC BY-SA 3.0), ArcheoTrentino (CC BY-SA 4.0), Falk2 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Zoran Kurelić Rabko (CC BY-SA 3.0), Anil Öztas (CC BY 4.0), Z thomas (CC BY-SA 4.0).