Nature, people, landscape and development WHY WE LIVE WELL IN TRENTINO

What are the ingredients for a "high" quality of life? Undoubtedly, services and infrastructures that work, a diverse and dynamic economy, excellent education, continuous investment and a commitment to innovation and development. Not to mention a well-kept and carefully managed environment and, of course, the beauty and variety of a natural setting rich in biodiversity, where in just a few dozen kilometres you can go from Mediterranean colours and scents to snow-white glaciers and the deep blue of high-altitude lakes. These are all qualities that Trentino is proud to boast, first and foremost in the provincial capital of Trento.

A few statitiscs

In 2024, the ranking published by Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy’s leading economic newspaper, places the Province of Trento in second position out of 107 Italian provinces, and first overall in terms of quality of life for children, young people, and seniors.
The Quality of Life in European Cities survey, carried out by the European Commission together with Istat across 85 cities in Europe, places the provincial capital on the European podium—ahead of Groningen, Copenhagen, Leipzig, Gdańsk, and Stockholm—for the level of satisfaction expressed by its residents (95.4% reporting that they are satisfied).

Furthermore, regarding the healthcare sector, a key factor in quality of life, the CREA report from the University of Rome Tor Vergata ranks Trentino-Alto Adige second in Italy in July 2025, just behind the Veneto region.

A few years ago, Trentino came up the “sportiest” region in Italy according to a special survey by the agency Pts for Il Sole 24 Ore.

Quality of life: what lies behind this definition

“Quality of life” is a broad concept. It can be expressed through numbers and percentages: for example, per capita GDP (44,240 euros, 31% higher than the national average according to Ispat, the Provincial Statistics Institute), the employment rate (over 72%, compared to Italy’s 62%), or the number of innovative companies opening here, and so on.

What must also be taken into account are less tangible factors. For instance, the ability to guarantee every citizen access to adequate services, or to offer satisfying opportunities in the fields of cultural events, sports activities, entertainment, social life, and leisure.

For a mountain region, it is also essential that even the areas farthest from major centers remain well connected, allow quick and safe access online, and offer residents opportunities for harmonious, sustainable, and balanced development—such as those made possible by tourism. The existence of high‑quality infrastructures is therefore crucial: roads, railways, cycling paths, fiber‑optic networks, and policies capable of supporting citizens’ well‑being, enabling everyone to cultivate their aspirations.

In this sense, the special autonomous status enjoyed by Trentino is fundamental: it allows the territory to manage most of the key aspects of development at a local level, while remaining aligned with national and European frameworks. Autonomy also allows Trentino to enhance its identity as an Alpine and borderland region, straddling the Italian and German‑speaking worlds. An identity that intrigues and attracts, reflected in a well‑maintained landscape, a widespread civic spirit, and a natural inclination toward hospitality, dialogue, and exchange—toward valuing what is beautiful and built to last.

A protected and safeguarded environment

Three natural parks and networks of nature reserves, four UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a Biosphere Reserve, a network of Natura 2,000 sites and provincial nature reserves: an array of protected areas that together cover more than 30% of the territory. However, protection in this mountainous area is not just a matter of imposing rules and restrictions: it is the modus vivendi adopted by the communities that live there and take an active and participatory role in the protection of their region in every aspect of their lives.

This is why everything in Trentino, from agriculture to traditional handicrafts, from the use of resources to education, from the management of tourist activities to sport, contributes to the conservation objectives. This vision was also recently recognised at the European level: the whole network of protected areas met with the local community to discuss issues of sustainable tourism, obtaining CETS (European Charter for Sustainable Tourism) certification. This confirms the extent to which nature, landscape, and environmental quality are central to both the political agenda and local awareness in Trentino.

Quality in tourism goes hand in hand with sustainability

With the number of visitors exceeding 10 million ovenights in 2024, many people in Trentino are committed to a single common objective: making tourism a low-impact experience.

How? For example, by leaving your car parked as often as possible and using public transport (including the provincial Trento–Malé railway or the Valsugana line) and the shuttle services provided by the nature parks to reach the most popular destinations. From there, if you wish, you can continue on foot—or by using state‑of‑the‑art cableways, gondolas, and chairlifts—venturing into the forests or safely ascending mountain slopes.

It also means actively contributing to energy and water saving, starting with the behaviours adopted in your hotel room, or by consuming zero‑kilometre products and discovering the genuine flavours of Trentino’s mountains.

These are just some of the choices made by municipalities, businesses, protected areas, hotels, restaurants, and mountain huts to ensure an equitable use of resources and to give guests the opportunity to take an active role in protecting the territory.

In light of this commitment, Trentino has chosen to embark on a sustainability‑certification journey that actively involves both the local community and visitors. The chosen framework is the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council), the only international certification specifically designed for the tourism sector. It is based on four key pillars: governance, economy, environment, and socio‑cultural aspects.

In 2019, Valsugana paved the way by becoming the first GSTC‑certified destination. In April 2024, Alpe Cimbra, Trento, and Rovereto also obtained certification, joining Valsugana to form the first sustainable tourism district.
Also in 2024, the Garda Trentino area received its certification, while in 2025 Val di Fassa, Val di Fiemme, and Madonna di Campiglio began the process, with other destinations gradually joining.

The goal is to offer an alternative vision to the traditional “hit‑and‑run” style of tourism, turning a stay in Trentino into an authentically regenerative experience.

This benefits everyone: tourism in Trentino activates resources and opportunities for young people coming out of professional training programmes, as well as those who struggle to find work or are entering social‑integration pathways. Sustainability, therefore, goes hand in hand with the idea of a territory oriented toward inclusion, cohesion, solidarity, and the promotion of talent.

It also aligns with well‑being: Trentino has a highly developed spa and thermal sector (especially in Levico, Comano, Pejo, Rabbi, Val di Fassa, and Val Rendena), offering both public and private facilities able to cater to all wellness needs while also providing targeted treatments for specific health concerns.

WHERE WE ARE, HOW TO REACH US

Trentino is located in the north of Italy, between Veneto and Lombardy and about a hundred kilometres from the Austrian border, in the heart of the Italian Alps. It has historically been a “bridge” between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean world

Its predominantly mountainous territory straddles the most important axis of communication and trade between Italy and Northern Europe, including historically: the Adige Valley, which is traversed by a railway line and the A22 motorway connecting Verona and the Po Valley with Munich.

Airports

Those travelling by plane can fly into Verona (90 km from Trento), Bergamo (135 km), Venice (163 km) or Milan (250 km) and reach Trentino in one to two hours by either renting a car, taking a shuttle bus or catching a train.

On Saturdays and Sundays in the winter season, from December to March/April, the main ski resorts in Trentino are connected by direct transfers with the airports of Verona, Bergamo, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Venice, Treviso and Bolzano and with the railway stations of Venice Mestre, Milan Centrale and Trento. The FlySki Shuttle service runs to and from the resorts of Val di Fassa, Val di Fiemme, San Martino di Castrozza-Passo Rolle-Primiero, Val di Sole-Passo del Tonale and Madonna di Campiglio-Pinzolo-Folgarida. Information and connection details: https://www.flyskishuttle.com/it/

Road connections

Road traffic is ensured all year round on the provincial road network. Between 15 November and 15 April, all cars must be fitted with winter tires or carry snow chains.

Rail connections

Trains

Trento and Rovereto stations are served by long-distance and high-speed trains

More information available at this link