Beyond the Brenner lies Italy's northernmost region. Trentino-South Tyrol, known in Italian as Trentino-Alto Adige, consists of two autonomous provinces: South Tyrol, with its capital Bolzano in the north, and Trentino, with its capital Trento in the south. The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Between the Reschensee and the northern shore of Lake Garda, German, Italian and Ladin exist side by side. The region also encompasses a national park, several nature parks and a shared autonomy statute dating from 1972.
Two provinces between the Alps and Lake Garda: the essential facts
Trentino-South Tyrol borders Austria to the north, Switzerland and Lombardy to the west, and Veneto to the south and east. According to ISTAT figures , the region had a total population of 1,090,818 as of 1 January 2026, comprising 282 municipalities. South Tyrol accounts for approximately 542,000 inhabitants across 116 municipalities, while Trentino has around 549,000 inhabitants across 166 municipalities. The southern boundary extends to the northern shore of Lake Garda, taking in Riva, Arco and Torbole.
The highest peak is the Ortler, situated in the Val Venosta (Vinschgau) at 3,905 metres. According to facts and figures from IDM Südtirol, South Tyrol alone covers 7,400 square kilometres. The three principal rivers of South Tyrol are the Etsch (Adige), the Eisack (Isarco) and the Rienz (Rienza). The Etsch travels 153 kilometres through South Tyrol; it rises at the Reschenpass in the Vinschgau, is joined by the Eisack at Bolzano, then flows through Trentino before reaching the Adriatic as the Adige.
Two autonomous provinces and three official languages
Both provinces share a common autonomy statute, which came into force in 1972, and each has its own provincial parliament and government in Bolzano and Trento respectively. In practice, the two provinces operate largely independently.
Three languages hold official status. In South Tyrol, according to IDM data, 69.4 per cent of residents give German as their mother tongue, 26 per cent Italian and 4 per cent Ladin. Trentino is predominantly Italian-speaking; small Ladin minorities live in the Val di Fassa (Fassatal). Ladin is the everyday language of the Dolomite valleys of Val Gardena, Alta Badia and Val di Fassa. Travelling through South Tyrol, one encounters Bozen and Bolzano, Brixen and Bressanone, Innichen and San Candido on a single signpost.
The Dolomites: World Natural Heritage since 2009
The Dolomites define the landscape of the region. In 2009, the nine Dolomite massifs were inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage list. The pale dolomite rock is approximately 270 million years old and originated from reefs and atolls in a warm tropical sea. Some 30 million years ago, the collision of the African and European tectonic plates thrust the seabed upwards. The result is the "pale mountains", which glow red and orange at sunset.
On the South Tyrolean side lie the Rosengarten, the Latemar, parts of the Sella massif and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo above Sexten. The World Heritage Site also includes the Brenta Dolomites as an isolated western group within Trentino, as well as the Pale di San Martino. The luminous rock faces are particularly striking in autumn, when the last light of the day falls on the Latemar and Rosengarten. The Grödner Tal, known in Italian as Val Gardena, lies between the Seiser Alm and the Sella massif.
Trento, Bolzano, Merano: the major cities
Trento , with 119,359 inhabitants, is the region's largest city and the capital of the Autonomous Province of Trento. Situated in the Etsch valley south of the Dolomites, it is historically renowned far beyond Italy for the Council of Trent (1545 to 1563). To the south lies Rovereto, the second largest city in Trentino, known for the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, MART.
The South Tyrolean provincial capital Bolzano has 106,107 inhabitants. It sits in a valley basin at the confluence of the Etsch and Eisack, surrounded by vineyards, and serves as the administrative centre, a university city and the only urban centre in South Tyrol.
To the north-east, above the city, extends the high plateau of the Ritten , from which the Dolomites come into view. In the hamlet of Oberinn stands the Mesnerwirt, a small family-run inn with eleven rooms, views of the Dolomites and home-made pizza.
Merano is the second largest city in South Tyrol. It lies in a sheltered valley basin with a distinctly Mediterranean character. Particularly in autumn the vineyards turn colour and the heat retreats from the valley. Bressanone in the Isarco Valley and Brunico, the principal town of the Val Pusteria, are also worth noting. The smallest town in South Tyrol is Glorenza, with 937 inhabitants, situated in the Val Venosta.
Val Venosta, Val Pusteria, Val di Fassa: the valleys
The region is defined by its valleys. The Val Venosta in South Tyrol stretches from Merano up to the Resia Pass; at its far end stands the submerged bell tower in Lake Resia. The Val Venosta is apple country and the starting point for the Stelvio Pass as well as the slopes of the Ortler. There stands the Hotel Bella Vista in Trafoi, to which Matteo Thun has added a new wing.
Heading east lies the Val Pusteria, which extends from Brunico to San Candido and up to the upper Val Pusteria near Sesto. The valley borders on East Tyrol to the north and serves as the starting point for Lago di Braies, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and the Val Badia, one of the Ladin valleys. Between Brunico and San Lorenzo di Sebato, the restored castle Castel Badia reopened as a boutique hotel in December 2025. Further south, the Val Gardena branches off, known in Italian as Val Gardena.
In Trentino, the Val di Fassa runs from the Catinaccio massif through Canazei to the foot of the Sella. The Val di Non is apple and castle country, home to Castel Thun and the Melinda brand. The Val di Sole is known for rafting on the Noce and for winter sports. To the south, Trentino touches the warmest part of the region along the northern shores of Lake Garda near Riva del Garda, Arco and Torbole.
Apples, speck and Trentodoc: the region's defining products
According to IDM, South Tyrol is one of Italy's leading apple-growing regions . Around 7,000 apple growers tend the slopes between the Val Venosta and the Unterland. Thirteen varieties carry the "PGI" seal for protected geographical indication. In Trentino lies the region's second major apple territory: the Val di Non, home to the well-known consortium brand Melinda. South Tyrolean speck PGI is another defining product; according to IDM, 28 licensed producers follow strict specifications: a maximum salt content of 5 per cent and a minimum curing period of 22 weeks.
When it comes to wine , each province has its own character. South Tyrol counts, according to IDM, 5,400 hectares of quality vines, with 36 per cent red wine and 64 per cent white; the indigenous grape varieties are Vernatsch and Lagrein. Trentino is known for Trentodoc, a classically bottle-fermented mountain sparkling wine with its own DOC designation, and for the indigenous red wines Teroldego and Marzemino. The South Tyrolean Wine Route runs south of Bolzano to the linguistic boundary with Trentino.
Tourism between winter, summer and limits
The figures are impressive. According to IDM, South Tyrol alone recorded 7.8 million arrivals and over 34 million overnight staysin 2022. Winter tourism in both provinces revolves around extensive ski networks, foremost among them Dolomiti Superski with 1,200 kilometres of pistes; the longest run is the Trametsch, which starts at the Plose above Bressanone and measures nine kilometres. In summer, IDM reports that around 800 castles, fortresses and manor houses in South Tyrol alone, along with themed trails such as the Waalwege near Lana, offer a wealth of options for walkers.
Regional policymakers are well aware that tourism has its limits. Bolzano raised its tourist tax with effect from 1 January 2026. According to a report by the newspaper Südtirol News , overnight rates in four- and five-star hotels rose from 3 to 3.50 euros, in three-star hotels from 2.50 to 2.80 euros, and in more modest accommodation from 2 to 2.10 euros. The city expects approximately 300,000 euros in additional tourist tax revenue per year, based on around 940,000 overnight stays. Sixty per cent goes to the tourism association, 30 per cent to IDM Südtirol and 10 per cent to the municipality. According to the same source, a number of other South Tyrolean destinations have introduced access restrictions or daily entry fees.
The best time to visit depends on the purpose of the trip. For walkers, June to September is ideal, with August as peak season; autumn, between mid-September and the end of October, is considered by many to be the finest time to visit, thanks to the grape harvest and the colours in the Dolomites. The ski season runs from late November to mid-April, depending on altitude. The most common route is via the Brenner motorway A22 or by train through Verona to Trento and Bolzano; the more remote valleys, particularly the upper Val Venosta and the upper Val Pusteria, require somewhat longer travel times. The Bolzano Dolomites Airport (BZO) connects South Tyrol seasonally to a number of European destinations via the regional airline Sky Alps. For Trentino, the international Verona-Villafranca Airport (VRN), situated to the south of the region, is the nearest major airport.
