SUMMER IN MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO:
THE MOUNTAIN’S OTHER SEASON

INTO THE PARK

Surrounded by the protected landscapes of Adamello Brenta Nature Park, Casa Cook Madonna places you at the heart of one of the Italian Alps’ most captivating natural settings. Spanning 620 square kilometres between the Brenta Dolomites and the Adamello-Presanella mountain range, the park offers endless opportunities to explore, whether you’re seeking quiet moments in nature or a more adventurous escape.

Our team can arrange every detail of your experience, from recommending routes to booking trusted local guides and seamless transfers, allowing you to immerse yourself in the landscape with ease.

Set out early to experience the trails at their most peaceful, when the morning light moves gently across the mountains, and the paths remain undisturbed. During the warmer months, from mid-June to late September, the park’s lakes and rivers invite a different kind of exploration, with water-based experiences revealing another side of the landscape.

However you choose to discover it, Adamello Brenta offers a rhythm all its own—where tranquil forest walks, alpine lakes and panoramic peaks exist alongside more exhilarating adventures. It’s simply a matter of finding the pace that feels right for you.

ON THE TRAILS

The Vallesinella trail is the one to start with. It follows the Sarca di Vallesinella river through stands of larch, a deciduous conifer native to the Alps, past waterfalls that build in scale as you climb. It’s quiet in the mornings, and simply beautiful.

Higher up, the path enters bear country. Brown bears were reintroduced to the Adamello Brenta park decades ago; they’re naturally shy, sightings on the trails are rare, and the park manages their presence carefully. 

The region has its own mythology around them: the legend of Saint Romedius tells of a nobleman near Pinzolo whose horse was killed by a bear. Rather than flee, he tamed it and rode it to the cliff-face sanctuary at San Romedio in Val di Non. The sanctuary has sheltered bears ever since. Since 1958, it has taken in bears and other animals rescued from difficult circumstances, housed in a safe, well-kept wildlife enclosure below the chapel. 

The area’s connection to bears continues in more contemporary ways too. Artist Marco Martalar, known for his monumental sculptures created from storm-felled timber, has contributed works inspired by the wildlife and legends of the region. 

You may never spot a bear, but knowing they’re part of the landscape changes the way you see it.

HORSE TREKKING IN THE ADAMELLO BRENTA NATURE PARK

Treks usually start near Grostè and run through the Adamello Brenta Nature Park and the Alto Garda area, with options from 1.5 hours for beginners up to 8-hour full-day rides for experienced riders. Multi-day treks are available which include mountain lake swims.

PARAGLIDING AND THE DEFENDER – THE ONE WORTH ASKING ABOUT

This one you’d only find out about at reception. Wings2Fly run a tandem paragliding flight from Malga Bandalors at 1,700m, one of the most scenic natural launch sites in the area, combined with a Defender off-road drive up through the mountain to get there. It runs every Wednesday, 22nd April to 28th October. €180 per person. Book by 5pm the evening before. Weather-dependent.

Ask at reception. The best local stories rarely make it onto the tourism brochures.

POWER RAFTING ON THE NOCE

National Geographic ranked the Noce 9th in the world for rafting. On a power rafting session, that ranking makes sense quickly. Three hours, no training required, expert guides with four decades of experience on this specific river. Routes shift with the season, but the feeling is always the same: exhilaration, fresh air and a renewed appreciation for the power of the mountains.

KAYAKING AND CANOEING ON THE NOCE

The Noce runs 105km through Val di Sole, 28km of it navigable, and considered one of Europe’s finest rivers for water sports. A two-hour kayaking or canoeing session needs no prior experience: beginners take inflatable canoes or pack rafts, qualified instructors are on the water throughout, and all kit is provided. Two hours on the Noce has a way of clearing the mind. One moment you’re concentrating on the river ahead, the next you’re simply immersed in the landscape around you.

CANYONING IN VAL DI SOLE

Three hours in The Novella Gorge, Lake Santa Giustina and the Rio San Biagio in the Brenta Dolomites: climbing, swimming, jumping, sliding through narrow sculpted rock, with hidden waterfalls and natural pools appearing where you least expect them. Accessible to all levels with specialist mountain guides and full professional equipment provided.

SWIMMING

Lago Montagnoli sits at 1,764m on the Spinale slopes: 36,000m² of mountain water that holds enough warmth in summer for a long, unhurried afternoon. Lago d’Idro is further south, glacial, deep, 24°C in July, and awarded the Bandiera Blu for water quality in 2026. 

On a warm July afternoon, both lakes offer a completely different side of mountain life. Long swims, quiet shores and water clear enough to see the landscape reflected back at you.

RIFUGIO WORTH STOPPING FOR

Most are family-run, generous with the wine list and honest with the food. The ones below have outdoor tables worth sitting at for longer than you planned.

Rifugio Vallesinella – at the foot of a waterfall on the Vallesinella trail, which makes it less of a lunch stop and more of a reason to linger. Dogs welcome.

Malga Ritorto – dogs welcome, which tells you something about the atmosphere. Perched above the treeline at 1,745m, with the Brenta spread out in front and a menu that doesn’t need to be complicated to be good.

Rifugio Boch – gourmet-leaning and good enough to visit for its own sake rather than as a pit stop. The Scalfi family run it with a serious wine list and a sunny terrace with open views.

Chalet Spinale – accessible by Spinale cable car at 2,100m, with a cantilevered terrace and a close-up view of the Brenta Dolomites. A cult favourite among locals and visitors alike, and the desserts are apparently non-negotiable.

Rifugio Nambino – twenty minutes on foot through forest brings you to a lakeside chalet that looks exactly like the place you were picturing when you booked this holiday. Order something and stay.

Or stay in. The hotel’s restaurant is overseen by Michelin-starred chef Jacob Jan Boerma, with a menu built around the region’s ingredients. On some evenings, that’s the easier decision.

THE EVENING

Back in Madonna, dinner is unhurried in the way that mountain towns do well. Boots come off. Aperitivo appears. Conversations drift between plans for tomorrow and stories from the day.

This is one of the pleasures of summer in Madonna. Days are active, but never rushed. Evenings belong to the terrace, where the light lingers on the Brenta peaks and another round somehow always feels like a good idea.

THE FESTIVALS

Summer here isn’t only about the outdoors. Throughout the season, music spills into the mountains too.

The Mountain Beat Festival runs from 20th to 28th June 2026. Ben Harper plays the open-air stage at Doss del Sabion, 2,100 metres above Pinzolo, reachable by cable car, on 20th June. Elisa performs with Dardust on 28th June. DJ sets run through Piazza Carera throughout.

In September, I Suoni delle Dolomiti returns. These acoustic concerts take place in the open mountain air, often preceded by guided walks with the musicians. The 2026 edition includes the Ilumina Ensemble on 12th September. It’s one of those events that has quietly built a reputation for doing exactly what it promises.