How to make the most out of your visit: Lago di Braies
The Lago di Braies or also known as Pragser See is – next to the Lake Bled – one of the most famous lakes on Instagram. This for sure means, that it is close to impossible to have this stunning lake all for yourself – but if you follow the tips below, you will be able to avoid the crowds at least a bit.
Read below what to do and what to see at Lago di Braies and why you should not miss to take row the boat.
Read below why you should visit Lago di Braies and what you have to do escape the crowds.
The Lago di Braies – also known as “Pragser See” – is located in the heart of the Fanes-Sennes-Prags nature park. The impressive mountain in the back of the lake is the “Seekofel”. The Seekofel is the starting point of the “Alte Vie delle Dolomiti” (Dolomiten Höhenweg Nr. 1), connects the Pragser Wildsee and Belluno.
The lake is also called “pearl of the Alps” as it recently gained a lot of popularity. Nowadays, it is one of the most visited places in the dolomites and should be part of every dolomites itinerary.
The lake perfectly reflects the alpine landscape. Who needs to travel to Canada to see Lake Louise or Lake Morraine, if you can have the Lago di Braies in Italy?
Hike around Lago di Braies
Most people only visit the famous boat house and miss the chance to escape the crowds. You can easily do so, by hiking around the lake. The trail is not demanding at all, so that you can take in the beauty of this place by completing the circuit around the lake.
Start Point: Boat House
End Point: Boat House
Altitude difference: none
Length: about 4 km
Duration: about 1 hour
Row, Row, Row....the Rowboat
Another thing, which you should tick off of your bucketlist is to row over the lake. Sure, there are douzens of other rowing boats on the lake, but still: it’s a great way to soak in the beauty of the lake and – compared to the lakeside – you are quite secluded in your boat.
If you want to rent a boat for about ½ you have to pay 18€ (September 2020). A nice extra: there are also postcards included in the price.
A nice freebie you can use directly to write down your South Tyrol adventures!
Enjoy the lake while having a picnic
Enjoy the scenery of the lake while having a small picnic at the shore of the lake. As the northern shore is quite busy, I would recommend the south or western shore of the lake. While the southern shore is quite rocky, you can find some green meadows and a small sand beach at the western shore.
You can get cake, cookies and some small warm dishes at the “Bar Chalet”, close to the parking lot.
Hike to the surrounding Refugios
You can also use the Lago di Braies as starting point for several hikes.
The Refugio Malga Foresta (Grünwaldalm) is easily accessible and it is only a short detour from the south shore of the lake, which will take you about 15 minutes (each way).
If you want a challenge, you can hike up to the Refugio Ücia dal Famei de Fojedöra (Hochalm Fojedöra). This hike leads you uphill for about 760 meters over a distance of round about 16 kilometers. The hike takes about 6 hours (Start and end point is the Lago di Braies parkinglot).
By Car – The easiest way to get to the Lagio di Braies is by car. You simply have to follow the SS49 and take the exit at the roundabout “Braies”. You can not miss it as a sign says “Lago di Braies”. There is a parking lot directly at the lake, but even though it is huge, it fills up very fast – so make sure to arrive before 9 a.m. If you want to avoid the large crowds, I would suggest to arrive even earlier.
By Bus – If you do not travel by car, you can take the bus 442 from Dobbiacio (Toblach). The bus takes about 30 minutes and departs about twice an hour. The bus arrives directly in front of the “Hotel Lago di Braies”. You can also take this bus and combine the visit of the Lago di Braies with a visit to the Lago di Dobbiacio.
If you want avoid the crowds, you should visit Lago di Braies as early as possible. Starting your day early also enables you to plan some more stops for the day. You can easily combine the lake with one (or more) of the following spots/activities:
- Visit to Lago di Misurina
- Visit to Lago di Dobbiaco
- Stop at the “Tre Cime View Point”
