Lago di Braies

The lake lies at about fifteen hundred metres at the head of a side valley, closed at its far end by the Croda del Becco wall, and the water takes a strong green from the mineral sediment carried into it. A wooden boathouse on the shore, with rowing boats for hire in summer, is the image that circulated widely on social media from the 2010s onward. Visitor numbers rose to the point that the province introduced restrictions: from around 2020 the access road has been closed to private cars during the day in peak months, with entry by bus, bicycle or pre-booked permit. A level path circles the lake in about ninety minutes.

What you actually see

• The green water - colour from mineral sediment in the meltwater.
• The boathouse - the wooden hut and rowing boats on the shore.
• The Croda del Becco - the rock wall closing the head of the valley.
• The shore path - a level circuit of about ninety minutes.

When to go

June to September; access by private car is restricted during peak daytime hours in summer and requires a booked permit or use of the bus. Early morning avoids crowds.

Honest expectations

Private car access is restricted in season and must be planned. The lake is very busy despite the controls. Boats are seasonal and queue in good weather.

Nearby

Tre Cime lie east; Cortina is south over the pass.