Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Lago Di Braies is one of the most famous and likely most photographed lakes in the world. This stunning small, vibrant lake in Northern Italy is an iconic destinations in the Dolomites. The Lago Di Braies hike takes you around the lake for incredible views of the lake.
Lago Di Braies was our first stop on our week in the Dolomites as we drove into Italy from Austria after spending a week in Slovenia.
Need help planning your time in the Dolomites, check out: The Legendary Dolomites in the Summer: 1 Week Dolomite’s Itinerary
Note that you may see the name occasionally misspelled as Lago de Brais or in German as Pragser Wildsee.
This post may include affiliate links meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase something.
Quick Overlook of the Lago Di Braies Hike
Distance: 2.2 miles Elevation Gain: 150 feet Difficulty: Easy
This easy and beautiful circuit hike around Lago Di Braies follows the shoreline almost the entire way offering incredible mountain and lake views. The entire trail takes about 1.5 hour to walk or give yourself more time if you plan to stop along the way. The trail is very well maintained and is mostly wide gravel with stairs in several areas.
The Lago Di Braies hike is incredibly popular and you should plan to arrive early or late in the day to avoid the crowds. Even the parking at Lago Di Braies is controlled you will need to plan ahead to make sure you can get into the area.
You can read more below on how to get to the Lago Di Braies hike, complete details of the hike itself, and suggestions of other things to do when you’re visiting Lago Di Braies Italy.
Parking and Getting to Lago Di Braies
To get to Lage di Braies follow SS49 and turn south directly on the road that leads to Lago Di Braies. The lake and drive is well marked on google maps, so simple enter Lago Di Braies. During the off season, you can simply drive right to the lake, but during the warm season when the lake is crowded, you will need to pre-book your visit by pre-paying for parking (this is a new system starting in 2022). You will only be able to enter the road to Lago Di Braies with a pre-booked parking pass, by foot, bus, or bike during the daytime hours between July and Sept.
There are number of parking lots that are numbered and cost between 6 and 15 euros. Parking lots sell out, so you should book your pass online in advance. We arrived in early July on the day they opened the pre-booking registration system and did not have a parking pass reserved. Since it was late in the day, we were able to get one of the last parking spots, and were able to drive all the way into the lake.
It’s also possible to arrive by bus, which is a good option during the summer months when the parking lots often fill up. You can take bus route 442 from Dobbiaco or route 439 from Welsberg.
Lago Di Braies Map
Details of the Lago Di Braies Hike
The Lago Di Braies hike can be done in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. We hiked it in a clockwise direction, but an equal number of people were going the other direction, so flip a coin. The trail follows the edge of the lake almost the entire way, making for incredible views of the lake and the surrounding mountains.
The trail around Lago Di Braies is incredibly well maintained and easy to follow. The trail is wide and well packed gravel with stairs in many places. From the dock, your first view of the lake has the impressive summit of Seekofel in the background. If you are going clockwise, the trail here winds through a lovely forest and parts of this trail – this part of the trail has the most change in elevation with some steps. There are sections of the hike that can be done with a walker or stroller but you’re better off sticking to the trail on the west side of the lake.
As you make your way around the lake, you will pass a rocky gully and a few places to walk right down to the lake. Eventually you will find yourself beneath the summit of Seekofel. This marks the halfway point of the hike and you can look right across the lake at the hotel and the dock. Continue along the shore towards Monte Nero – the small dome-shaped hill along the edge of the lake. Just before getting to Monte Nero, the trail gets to a low point right along the lakes edge.
The final walk along the shoreline takes you back to the boathouse and hotel.
Other Thing to do at Lago Di Braies
In addition to the Lago Di Braies hike, there are a few other excellent things to do when you visit Lago Di Braies.
Rent a Boat
Renting one of the beautiful rowboats and taking a row on Lago Di Braies is the the best thing to do besides taking the hike around the lake. You can rent a boat from early spring to late fall for either an hour of 1/2 and hour. Seeing all the boat bobbing around on the lake is amazing and spending time in one of these boats is even better. You can see more about current hours and rates on the website for the boathouse.
Photograph the Lake, Rowboats and Boathouse
Lago di Braies has become famous on the internet with gorgeous photos of the lake, boats and boathouse. You will likely see these photos plastered over Instagram. If you are hoping to take some photos of the lake with the reflections, try to arrive early in the day before the lake gets ripples from the wind.
Have a Picnic
Enjoy your time at the lake with a picnic. You will find many excellent places to sit for snack or a picnic along the trail. We didn’t bring a full picnic, but had snacks with us and stopped along the way to enjoy the view.
Do the Lago di Braies Via Ferrata
If you have more time and want to explore a fun activity, you can try a via ferrata. The via ferrata at Lago di Braies is Ferrata di Valdaora. You will need to hike for a few hours to get to the start of the via farrata and then this section takes about 30 minutes tom complete and gives you tremendous views.
Hike Alta Via 1
There are several famous long distance hiking trails in the Dolomites and one of the best is the Alta Via 1. This hike is 70 miles long and goes from backcountry hut to hut and starts at Lago Di Braies.
Things to Know About Visiting Lago Di Braies
Best Time of Year to Visit Lago di Braies
Lago di Braies is truly a wonderful place to visit throughout the entire year. The lake is beautiful in the summer and equally lovely in the winter. Since the lake is incredibly popular and gets extremely busy in the summer, the best time to visit is in the late spring and early fall when the temperatures are still comfortable.
How Long do you Need at Lago Di Braies?
If you are planning to visit the lake, take some photos, do the Lago di Braies hike and rent a boat, you will want to give yourself about 3 hour to enjoy the lake. You can easily shorten this if you are short on time by skipping either the hike or the boat rental.
Where to Stay Near Lago Di Braies
Hotel Lago di Braies: This hotel is located right next to the lake and is a great way to enjoy the lake when it’s a bit quieter. This is an historic and upscale hotel.
Hotel Trenker: This hotel is just about 5 minutes from the lake and a great option if you want to stay near the lake but not right on it.
Is Lago Di Braies Worth It?
Despite the crowds, Lago di Braies is absolutely worth visiting. While it gets very crowded, taking the Lago di Braies hike gets you a bit away from the masses of people. The lake is really beautiful and worth visiting.
Looking for another incredible hike in the Dolomites? Check out:
