Discover Lake Braies in Trentino Alto Adige

Being one of the most beautiful lakes in the Alto Adige, Lake Braies presents itself in a magnificent way before our eyes. With a nature almost untouched by man, it preserves the most primitive mountain air, but offers all the possible tourist structure around it, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world all year round. Today we are going to discover this true gem in northeastern Italy, Lake Braies. Lets go to our post: Discover Lake Braies in Trentino Aldo Adige? Here at Your Travel to Italy with Ana Patricia you make the trip of your dreams!!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

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Discover Lake Braies in Trentino Alto Adige – Lake Braies and a bit of its history

Legend has it that the Braies valley, where the Lake is located, was inhabited by some savages with an unpleasant appearance; they lived there and had a duty to protect the gold in that region. For these people, gold was precious for its intense luster and beauty, but they believed that gold hardened people’s souls, which could be taken by ambition.

In the period when the mountain was preserved by these guardians, farmers appeared in the valley with their cattle and, as a welcome, the mountain guardians offered them objects produced with gold. This is where the “ambition thing” appears that they believed to harden people’s souls: the farmers soon became interested in this abundance of gold and greed spoke louder, so they started to take the raw material, stealing it of the wild population. Bolzano: Private Day Tour to the Best of the Dolomites, including Lake Braies

Discover Lake Braies in Trentino Alto Adige – The birth of the deep Lago di Braies

The population of savages then decided to prevent the farmers from reaching the mountains again and, in order to protect the gold, they decided to “hinder” access to the mountain by making water springs flow to form a natural barrier and, thus, the deep Lago di Braies and the strategy worked: the farmers, without resources, were unable to cross the lake and the gold was preserved.

The legend also has it that there are still savages on the mountain and that, every year, on a full moon night, the few survivors, destroyed by the greed of an usurper king, leave the huge natural hole in the mountain rock and travel by boat to the around Lake Braies to protect the gold – they say they are guided by their own queen and Lujanta, the mythical heroine.

Discover Lake Braies in Trentino Alto Adige – location

Lake Braies is at the foot of the imposing rock face of the Croda del Becco (German Seekofel, Ladin Sass dla Porta) at 2,810 meters high, and is within the Natural Park Fanes-Sennes-Braies. It has an extension of almost 31 hectares (1.2 km) and a width of almost 400 meters. Lago di Braies is one of the deepest in the province of Bolzano: it reaches 36 meters deep (at its deepest point) and maintains an average of 17 meters deep at other points.

Discover Lake Braies in Trentino Alto Adige – more information

The maximum water temperature is 14 ° C. Disregarding the legend of the savages, it is a dam lake and ‘was born’ because of the Braies River dam, due to a landslide that came from the Sasso del Signore. Its characteristic colors that mix blue and emerald green, draws attention in its clear waters. Not to mention the fantastic natural landscape that serves as a frame for this fantastic place! Lake Braies is surrounded on three sides by peaks of the Dolomites, including the Croda del Becco – here begins the classic Dolomite Alta route Via Number 1 that joins Lake Braies to Belluno, crossing one of the largest natural parks in South Tyrol, the Fanes-Senes-Braies. The Braies area reaches Belluno at the foot of the Schiara Group.

Important to Know

Lake Braies can be reached on foot or by bicycle at any time; if you want to go by car, please note that parking spaces are limited. Another option is to go by bus – using lines 439 (from Monguelfo) and 442 (Dobbiaco). To use the bus, it is necessary to book online and pay in advance (EUR 10.00). The service is guaranteed until all available spaces on the bus are all gone and, to book it, you can access this link, where you can also find information for cycling and walking routes. Helpful advice: the best times to visit Lake Braies are: before 9:00 am and after 3:00 pm.

Trails on Lake Braies – for those on foot…

For those on foot: there are three trails available, see below which is the one that best suits your needs.

From the Segheria (Ferrara) parking lot in the Braies Valley:

Take the Viktor Wolf Edler von Glanvell trail, which leads from the Segheria parking lot, in Ferrara, to the Braies Valley. The trail was named after Viktor Wolf Edler von Glanvell who was a pioneer in mountaineering and the first to climb many of the peaks of the Braies Dolomites. The trail is very well signposted and, during the route, you will find a lot of information about his life, his achievements and information about the surroundings of the Lake. Great option for those with children and the elderly, as it is a very quiet and fast trail. It is 4.8 km long and can be covered in 1h30 minutes. The unevenness is 270 meters.

From Monguelfo

From the Monguelfo train station, take the 2nd route, which passes through the meadows, and leads to Ferrara in the Braies Valley. From there, continue on path number 1, the Viktor Wolf Edler von Glanvell Theme Trail mentioned above. Good option for those who like longer walks. It is also a quiet trail, although a little longer: it is 12.5 km long and takes about 3 hours to cover the entire route. The gap here is 400 meters.

From Villabassa

Also departing from the train station, this time from Villabassa, you access the number 1 path and pass through typical farms, which take you from Ferrara to the Braies Valley. From there, stay on path 1, which is Viktor Wolf Edler von Glanvell’s trail to Lake Braies. This is also not a difficult route, it has 11 km and also takes 3 hours to complete. The unevenness is 215 meters.

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Trails on Lake Braies – for those who cycle

For those on a bicycle: below you can find more information if you decide to take the bicycle route. Whatever your starting point, you can use the Val Pusteria bike path to enter the Braies Valley and reach Ferrara. Stay tuned: the last stretch follows provincial road 47. IMPORTANT: it is not possible to get around the lake by bicycle, O.K.?!

Duration and Difficulty:

Leaving Ferrara: about 45 minutes at an altitude of 300 meters.
Leaving Monguelfo or Villabassa to Ferrara: about 40 minutes at an altitude of 100 meters.

Bike Rental

For those who want to rent the bikes, I will leave the contacts:

In Braies:

Alfred bicycle rental: +39 347 4900120 – www.braiesrent.com
Papin Sport, at the Tuscherhof hotel: + 39 0474 748628 – www.tuscherhof.it

In Villabassa:

Bicycle shop: +39 0474 70050

In Monguelfo:

Papin Sport (located at Monguelfo train station): +39 0474 913450 – www.papinsport.com

More options

For more options in the area, you can CLICK HERE!

Note

Your Travel To Italy is not responsible for services provided by third party. The links and suggestions presented in this post are the same as those offered on the official pages of the attractions and any problems in relation to reservations, payments and the like, should be solved directly with the aforementioned service providers!

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Curiosity about Lake Braies

The lake was “baptized” a few times before reaching its current name: in 1296 it was called Hünz an den Se, in 1330 they renamed it Praxersee, in 1400 it was called See in Prags, in 1620 Pragsersee and in 1885 they called it Pragser Wildsee; the name “wild” comes from the 19th century, and perhaps it is related to mountaineering (trekking) that at that time began to gain strength for adventurers in search of emotion. The Italian name for Lake Braies dates back to 1940.

What to see on Lake Braies?

The Lake Braies tour departs from the right bank. Walking, we arrive at the well-known Malga Foresta; so far the path does not present any major problems, being suitable, even, for those with baby strollers, for example. As you progress, the path becomes narrow, but no less comfortable.

How about renting a boat?

A very interesting option is also to rent a boat! At the beginning of the trails, you will find a boat rental company; from mid-May to late October, boats (which are hand-made!) are available. This is true experience tourism, as you think that, until 100 years ago, boats were the only alternative to cross the lake. It is worth it!

How much? Well, they offer 1/2 or 1 hour tours! At the time of booking you pay 28 euros (per hour), but if you use the boat for only half an hour, they will give you 10 euros back! In addition, you can choose as a souvenir two postcards! To learn more about boat rentals, you can ACCESS THIS LINK!

GOLD TIP!

Take snacks and drinks in your backpack: have a picnic there, it’s AMAZING! A huge peace! (remember to put your trash in your backpack to dispose of it properly later! To save the planet, everyone needs to do their part, right?).

Fanes – Senes: Braies Natural Park

Well, the lake is inside the Natural Park Fanes-Senes-Braies and has an area of more than 25 thousand hectares, being one of the largest in the south of Tyrol. The park’s territory was declared a protected area in 1980 and extends (partially) to the municipalities of Badia, Braies, Dobbiaco, La Valle, Marebbe and Valdaora. Since 2009, the Park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The area is distinguished by dense forests, steep rock faces, plateaus of Fanes and Senes, vast pastures and colorful mountain meadows. Within the Natural Park there are magnificent and several lakes, including Lake Braies, of course, and Lake Dobbiaco. Once there, be sure to see:

Prato Piazza

Prato Piazza – which is a kind of panoramic terrace in the Dolomites. Upon reaching the plateau, which is at an altitude of 2,000 m, you will have a maddening view! It will look like you are inside a painting, such beauty! On the right you can see the Fanes Group with Hohe Gaisl; in front you will see the Cristallo Group and on the left Picco di Vallandro, with the splendid mountain huts.

IMPORTANT:

IT IS FORBIDDEN to swim in Lake Braies! I imagine that nobody wants to venture into water with temperatures around 14 ° C, but it’s always good to warn, right ?! ; )

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And in winter? What to do on Lake Braies?

Near Christmas and shortly after the New Year, Lake Braies is magnificent with its traditional Christmas markets. Not to mention that the surroundings of the lake are full of music, smells, flavors, colors and animation. Snow is the highlight of the period, making everything even more magical!

What if it rains? What do I do?

There are several options for trips around the Lake if you take rainy days! Let’s getting to know them?

Alpe Pragas

You can visit Alpe Pragas. Alpe Pragas is a company specialized in jams. Production takes place in Braies di Fuori and the flagship is the incredible raspberry jam. With a super charming store, you can find several products, in addition to jams, such as syrups, mustards, syrup fruits, smoothies, among others. It’s all top quality and the packaging is very cute, in addition to the company working with a focus on sustainability and respect for the environment. Ah: the prices are wonderful! To learn more, you can access the company’s website by clicking here!

Mondolatte

You can also visit the fantastic Mondolatte, which is an incredible place! Producers of cheeses, milks and other dairy products, they offer a super guided tour with lots of great information and you can also do tastings. The best times for visits are Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 1 pm. For tasting, you pay between 7.20 and 8.90 euros per person, in addition to the tour inside the factory premises. To learn more, just click here!

Dobbiaco – The Grand Hotel in Dobbiaco Nuova

You can also go to Dobbiaco and visit the city’s Visitor Center. The place has a permanent exhibition inside the Grand Hotel’s visitor center in Dobbiaco Nuova and allows you to see two natural parks in South Tyrol, the Tre Cime Natural Park, and the eastern part of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Natural Park. Visitors will find here a lot of information about the natural and cultural landscapes of the two natural parks.

More Attractions in the Museum

The museum also houses a library, an aquarium with aquatic animals from Lake Dobbiaco and a workshop for children. In addition, there are sections of the site that provide information on UNESCO’s World Heritage on a global scale, an overview of the Dolomites, explanatory texts, images, video installations and simple and clear animations that present us with the main stages of the evolution of the Dolomites. It’s really cool!

Daksy Creative Workshop

For those with children: there is also the Daksy creative workshop, a creative workshop that is offered on Saturdays, from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm, on the following dates: May 25th, June 15th and 29th, September 14th and October 12th . In July and August, the workshop is offered every Wednesday, from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm. It’s really worth it! It caters to children from 7 to 12 years old and reservations are required! To learn more, click here!

Conclusion

Discover Lake Braies in Trentino Alto Adige – Visiting Lake Braies is a unique experience. Very ‘democratic’, it serves both those who want to visit the region in the hottest seasons and those who want to visit the area in the coldest seasons of the year. Whichever period you choose, the trip will be incredible!

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