Visit Madonna di Campiglio
The exclusive Brenta Dolomites
Imagine waking up in the morning to the Brenta Dolomites blushing pink at dawn, brewing coffee in your camper while the snowy peaks sparkle in the sun, and within minutes being on the ski slopes or the most exclusive trails in Trentino. Madonna di Campiglio, the pearl of the Dolomites, may seem like an impossible destination for us campers—and in part it is, if you seek comfort and amenities. But if you are willing to accept a few compromises, an experience awaits you that is worth every sacrifice: skiing in the most chic resort in the Italian Alps, strolling through boutiques scented with alpine luxury, and breathing in the exclusive atmosphere that once captivated Empress Sissi.
The truth is this: Madonna di Campiglio does not offer equipped rest areas, only paid parking lots without services. But with the right strategy—combining strategic parking lots in Madonna with the comfortable base of Camping Parco Adamello in Pinzolo—you can experience this dream location without sacrificing your style of travel. In this article, I will guide you through the three essential stops for exploring Madonna di Campiglio and Val Rendena, with all the practical information, unmissable attractions, and secrets to enjoying 2–3 unforgettable days among the most beautiful mountains in Trentino.
Stopovers and overnight stays
Madonna di Campiglio offers two excellent choices for your camper, both well-organized and specifically designed for those traveling by RV.
Recommended areas
Grosté Cable Car Parkingloc. Fortini – Campo Carlo Magno
This is the most strategic parking lot for those who want to ski or hike directly from the camper. It is located at the foot of the Grosté cable car, which takes you directly to the slopes of the Madonna di Campiglio-Pinzolo-Folgarida area (156 km of connected slopes, skis on!). In the morning around 8:00 AM, an attendant passes by to collect the payment. There are no automatic machines. If you arrive after 6:00 PM, you pay the overnight rate the following morning, plus the daytime rate if you stay. It is perfect if your main goal is skiing. You step out of the camper with your skis on and are immediately on the lifts. In summer, it is excellent for excursions towards the alpine lakes (Ritort, Nambino) and for the Giro dei 5 Laghi (Tour of the 5 Lakes). The night is very quiet – apart from the snow groomers preparing the slopes – and if you have solar panels, you can easily recharge the batteries during the day. The slope can be annoying, especially if you don’t have leveling blocks. The dirt surface is uneven, with rocks and holes. And let’s be clear: €22 for a parking lot without services is a lot. But it is the compromise to accept to sleep a stone’s throw from the most exclusive slopes in Trentino. GPS: 46.237543, 10.836436
Central Bus ParkingVia Cima Tosa, 38086 Madonna di Campiglio (TN)
This second parking lot is located along the SS239 state road, practically at the entrance to the center of Madonna di Campiglio, near the Hotel Bertelli. It’s the right place if you want to be comfortable for shopping, restaurants, and the town’s social life: you are literally a stone’s throw from everything: shops, restaurants, the Church of Santa Maria Antica, and skibus departures. The slope is really annoying. Traffic noise on the state road can be disturbing, especially during the day. And the ground conditions are worse than at Grosté: more rocks, more potholes, more unevenness. Many RVers consider it acceptable only for a daytime stop, not for overnight parking. Our Advice: Use this parking lot for a half-day dedicated to the center of Madonna, perhaps arriving around lunchtime. Stroll through the streets, shop, have a coffee in Piazza Righi, and visit the church. Then, for the night, move to Grosté (if you want to ski) or even better, go down to Camping Parco Adamello in Pinzolo to sleep comfortably with all amenities. GPS: 46.235364, 10.824667
Camping Parco AdamelloLocalità Magnabò 2, 38086 Pinzolo (TN)
Here is the true operational base for your stay in Val Rendena. This family-run campsite is located in Pinzolo, just 12 km from Madonna di Campiglio, and offers everything that is missing in the Madonna parking lots: real services, comfort, and the opportunity to recharge after days on the slopes or trails. Connections to Madonna di Campiglio: In winter, the campsite is served by the free Skibus that connects Pinzolo to Madonna di Campiglio and the ski lifts. The stop is practically in front of the campsite entrance. Alternatively, you have the brand new Pinzolo-Campiglio Express gondola lift, which takes you from Pinzolo to Madonna di Campiglio in just 15 minutes, connecting the two ski areas. In summer, the Val Rendena cycle path starts right from the campsite: 25 km of flat cycling path that crosses the entire valley, perfect even for e-bikes (rentable on site). GPS: 46.166139, 10.749826
“Chalet Spinale”
“Pradalago 2100 mountain hut”
Getting Around
In Winter: Skibuses and Cable Cars
Madonna di Campiglio Skibus:
- Active: December – April (exact dates vary yearly)
- Main Lines:
- Line 1-2: Madonna center ↔ Campo Carlo Magno
- Line 5: Pinzolo ↔ Carisolo ↔ Madonna ↔ Campo Carlo Magno
- Frequency: approximately every hour
- Fares: €2 daily | €10 weekly | €40 seasonal
- Free for: children under 8, “Cinque su Sette” skipass holders
- Ticket purchase: online, on board, APT offices, hotels
Pinzolo-Campiglio Express Cable Car:
- Connects Pinzolo to Madonna in 15 minutes
- Designed to link the two ski areas
- Convenient and fast
- Included in the skipass
In Summer: Car, Shuttles, Bikes
In summer, the skibuses are not active, therefore:
- Car: 12 km from the campsite to Madonna, 15 minutes
- Summer shuttle: reduced service, info at APT
- Bike/E-bike: along the cycle path + state road (only for experts, as the SS239 is busy)
Main Distances
From Camping Parco Adamello:
- Pinzolo center: 1 km (15 min on foot)
- Madonna di Campiglio: 12 km (15 min by car)
- Nardis Waterfalls: 5 km (8 min by car)
- Terme Caderzone: 8 km (12 min by car)
- Campo Carlo Magno (Grosté): 14 km (18 min by car)
Points of Interest (PoI)
Madonna di Campiglio is not just about skiing. This resort at 1,550 meters of altitude, nestled between the Brenta Dolomites and the Adamello-Presanella glaciers, is a concentration of alpine elegance, history, and natural beauty that deserves at least one full day of exploration.
Seasonal Events
Alpine Ski World Cup
Where: 3-Tre Canalone Miramonti
When: January
What: The most important sporting event of the year. The 3-Tre is the oldest Alpine Ski World Cup race in Italy (since 1967), and it takes place at night on the legendary Canalone Miramonti. A men's special slalom considered one of the most spectacular and difficult on the world circuit. The 3-Tre has seen ski legends triumph, such as Ingemar Stenmark (8 victories!), Gustavo Thoeni (4 victories), Alberto Tomba (3 victories), and Giorgio Rocca (the last Italian victory in 2005).
Christmas Markets
Where: in the town center
When: from December 8th to around January 6th
What: During the Advent period, Madonna dresses up for the holidays with the Christmas Markets in Piazza Sissi and along Viale Dolomiti di Brenta. Wooden stalls selling Trentino handicrafts, Christmas gifts, decorations, local gastronomy (speck, cheese, strudel, mulled wine). Warm lights, the scent of cinnamon and spiced wine, Christmas music... if you love Christmas in the mountains, this is the right place
Dolomiti's Classic
Where: Madonna di Campiglio and the valley.
When: March
What: A gathering of vintage cars (built up to 1968) and a 70s rally. Dozens of historic cars parade through the streets of Madonna with the snow-covered Dolomites in the background. For motoring enthusiasts, this is an unmissable event.
The Sounds of the Dolomites
Where: Different locations every time (mountain huts, alpine pastures, panoramic peaks)
When: July - September
What: One of the most fascinating music festivals in Europe: concerts at sunrise or sunset at altitude, with international musicians playing surrounded by the Dolomites. You ascend to altitude on foot or by lift, the concert begins at dawn or dusk, and the emotion of listening to live music at 2,000 meters with the Dolomites around is indescribable
“Fun at altitude”
“The legendary 3-Tre”
Typical Dishes and Local Products
After a day of skiing or hiking, what could be better than preparing an authentic Trentino traditional dish in your camper? Gli strangolapreti are perfect: economical (you use leftover bread), simple, and incredibly flavorful.
Trentino-Style Strangolapreti
The Story of the Name: During the Council of Trent (1545-1563), the prelates participating in the proceedings were hosted by local families. These bread and spinach dumplings were so good that bishops and cardinals were greedy for them… to the point of choking by eating them too quickly! Hence the name “strangolapreti” (or “priest stranglers”). Others maintain that the name derives from the fact that priests, invited for Sunday lunch by farming families, gorged themselves on these dumplings until they almost choked. In any case, the name stuck, and today strangolapreti are one of the symbols of Trentino cuisine.
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings)
For the dumplings:
- 300 g of stale bread (panini/michette are better, not wholemeal)
- 350-400 g of fresh spinach
- 150-170 ml of lukewarm milk
- 2 eggs
- 80-100 g of grated Trentingrana (or Grana Padano)
- Flour to taste (approx. 50-80 g, for binding)
- Grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
For seasoning:
- 80 g of butter
- 10-12 fresh sage leaves
- Plenty of grated Trentingrana
Step by Step Preparation
1. Prepare the spinach (15 minutes):
- Wash the fresh spinach well
- Cook them in a pan with only the water remaining on the leaves after washing (3-4 minutes)
- Drain and squeeze them VERY well (this is the secret: if water remains, the dough will be too soft)
- Chop finely with a knife
2. Prepare the bread (5 minutes):
- Cut the stale bread into small cubes (remove the crust if it is very hard)
- Put it in a bowl and moisten it with lukewarm milk
- Let it soften for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Prepare the dough (10 minutes):
- In a large bowl, mix the soaked bread (squeeze it lightly if it’s too wet)
- Add the chopped spinach
- Add the eggs, grated cheese, a nice grating of nutmeg, salt, and pepper
- Mix well with your hands or a fork
- Add the flour little by little, until you get a soft but compact dough
⚠️ IMPORTANT: The dough must be soft, not too dry. The more flour you add, the harder the strangolapreti will be after cooking. The flour is only necessary to hold the ingredients together; it should not dominate. “Too soft” is better than “too dry”.
4. Shape the dumplings (15 minutes):
- Let the dough rest for 30 minutes (it helps shape the dumplings more easily)
- With lightly floured hands, take a piece of dough and form oblong dumplings (about 5-6 cm long, 2 cm in diameter)
- You can also make round balls, like gnocchi
- Place them on a floured tray while shaping the others
5. Cooking (10 minutes):
- Bring plenty of salted water to a boil in a large pot
- Add a drizzle of oil (prevents sticking)
- Gently drop the strangolapreti into the water
- When they float to the surface, wait 2-3 minutes
- Total cooking time: 8-10 minutes
- Drain them with a slotted spoon
6. Season and serve (5 minutes):
- While the strangolapreti are cooking, melt the butter in a pan
- Add the sage leaves and let them infuse
- Transfer the drained strangolapreti into the pan with butter and sage
- Mix gently
- Serve on plates with plenty of grated Trentingrana on top
Useful Tip
We come to the fundamental question: Is Madonna di Campiglio worth the compromise for us RVers?
The honest answer is: yes, if you know what to expect.
Madonna is not camper-friendly. The parking lots are expensive, without services, often sloped, and the resort itself is designed for elite tourism arriving at 5-star hotels, not in campers. If you are looking for convenience, a rest area with all amenities, and popular prices, Madonna is not for you.
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December 7, 2025
