Molveno is a comune of about 1,100 people in Trentino, northern Italy, some 40 km northwest of Trento and 864 m above sea level. It stands at the northern end of Lago di Molveno, a 4 km lake formed by a landslide roughly 4,000 years ago: 3.3 km² in area, up to 123 m deep, and the second largest lake in Trentino-Alto Adige. The village lies between the Paganella and the Brenta Group and is connected to the Adamello Brenta National Park, which is what brings most visitors — the lake, the walking above it, and fishing for trout, arctic char and perch.
Molveno
- Currency
- Euro (EUR, €). ATMs are widespread in cities and towns and accept major international credit and debit cards. Credit cards are accepted in urban and tourist areas; cash is essential in rural regions and small towns.
- Language
- Italian is the everyday and the official language here: Molveno lies in Trentino, which, unlike neighbouring South Tyrol, is Italian-speaking. English is understood in hotels and in tourist businesses on the lake, less so away from them.
- Power plug
- Europlug (Type C), Schuko (Type F) and Type L (Italian three-round-pin) sockets are in use. Voltage is 230V, 50Hz.
- Visa
- Schengen visa-free for 90 days (non-EU/EEA citizens). EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may stay indefinitely. All non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors must declare their presence within 8 days of arrival. Stays longer than 90 days require an appropriate visa and residence permit.
- Time zone
- Central European Time (CET): UTC+01:00. Central European Summer Time (CEST): UTC+02:00 (last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
- Tap water
- Safe to drink. Tap water is well maintained throughout Italy and perfectly drinkable. In some peninsular areas it may be cloudy with a slight taste; most Italians prefer bottled water. Public fountains marked 'Acqua potabile' are safe to refill from. Avoid fountains marked 'Acqua non potabile'. Southern coastal areas may have an unusual taste due to desalination but water is always safe.
- Tipping
- Not customary. Restaurants include a service charge (coperto); waiters do not expect tips. Leaving loose change in bars and cafés is common. Tips cannot be added to credit card bills—bring cash if you wish to tip.
- Emergency
- 112 (Carabinieri, general emergency); 113 (Polizia di Stato); 115 (Fire Department); 118 (Medical Rescue).
When to go
High season
Jun – Sep
The lake season, and the village is at its fullest. Long light on the water, the Brenta walls above the shore, and traffic on every road across the plateau.
Low season
Oct – Nov
The quiet stretch between the water and the snow. Larch colour on the slopes, cold mornings off the lake, and the shore largely to yourself.
Shoulder
Dec – Mar
Snow settles on the Paganella plateau and on the Brenta ridges. Days are short, the village sits at 864 m, and the lake is scenery rather than somewhere to spend the day.
Shoulder
Apr – May
Melt season. Green returns along the shore while snow stays high on the Brenta, and the lake is loud with the water coming off the slopes.
How long to stay
Two nights is the honest minimum: one day for the lake and the village, one for the mountains standing over them. Make it three or four if the Brenta is the reason you came, because walking in that group is measured in full days, and mountain weather writes off one of them often enough that a spare day earns its keep. Longer than that and Molveno becomes a base rather than a stop — Trento is 40 km away and the other plateau villages are next door.
Getting around
A car does most of the work here. Molveno has no railway; the nearest lines run down in the Adige valley, and the village is reached by mountain road, roughly 40 km northwest of Trento and up onto the Paganella plateau through Andalo. In the village a car is dead weight — 1,100 people live here, and the shore, the shops and the hotels sit within a few streets of one another. The lake runs 4 km south from the edge of the village, and the far end of it is a long way from the last houses.
Local rules
Molveno stands on the edge of the Adamello Brenta National Park, and the park's rules apply from the boundary inward: no wild camping, no open fires, no driving off the surfaced roads, dogs on a lead. A drone needs permission from the park authority, and the village office cannot give it.
What to see
Destinations in Molveno
Frequently asked questions
Where is Molveno?
In Trentino, in northern Italy, about 40 km northwest of Trento and 864 m above sea level. The village sits at the northern end of Lago di Molveno, at the foot of the Brenta Group with the Paganella behind it.How big is Lago di Molveno?
The lake is 4 km long and covers 3.3 km², which makes it the second largest in Trentino-Alto Adige, and it reaches 123 m at its deepest. A landslide blocked the valley about 4,000 years ago and formed it.What fish live in the lake?
Trout, arctic char and perch. The range of species is part of what the lake is known for.Which mountains and protected area surround the village?
The Brenta Dolomites rise directly above Molveno, with the Paganella on the other side of the village. Molveno is connected to the Adamello Brenta National Park.How far back does settlement here go?
To the Neolithic. The site guards the entrance to the Brenta-Paganella plateau, which made it contested ground between the Bishops of Trento, the counts of Tyrol and the counts of Flavon, and between 1802 and 1805 the Austrians built a line of fortifications on the lake to hold up French troops.