Who hasn't dreamed of taking one of the possible hikes around Lake Braies?
Among the endless beauties that Trentino Alto Adige offers in terms of views and places, Lake Braies is one of those that has greatly benefited from the power of social networks. Lake Braies is indeed one of the most interesting spots in the Fanes Senes natural park and is also particularly famous for a certain… TV connection!
The Lake Braies became especially famous because it was the main location of the TV series “One Step from Heaven”.
Here at Meeters, we often talk about breathtaking places to discover, and we've already covered Lake Braies, listing everything a potential tourist might need to organize a visit to this paradise on earth.
What Can You Do Near Lake Braies?
Once you arrive and see the lake, what next?
Braies is a rather small village, and although everything in the area is incredibly beautiful, without knowing where to explore or how to reach a trail, you might feel lost.
For this reason, we've decided to write an article to help those planning hikes around Lake Braies and nearby, listing the best trails and activities to do, whether alone or with company.
The area surrounding Lake Braies is known for its stunning natural beauty: besides the imposing rock face of the Croda del Becco, there are all the wonders of the Fanes Sennes Braies natural park, reachable by a short drive.
There are also trails immediately accessible from the lake area, such as theloop that circles this stunning location,the trek to Malga Grünwaldalm, or thepath to Malga Foyedora.Those experienced with day hikes will be pleased to know that from Braies you can access theAlta Via No. 1,a long-distance hiking trail that crosses the entire Dolomites all the way to Belluno.
One note before continuing: if you want to visit Lake Braies by car, it's best to rely on public transport. Parking spaces for visitors near the lake are few and must be booked well in advance, especially in high season. We've written more about how to get to Lake Braies on this page. Enough talk: let's see everything that
Lake Braies offers in terms of hikes, walks, trails, and trekking. trekking.
1. The Lake Braies Loop
Let's not beat around the bush: among all the lakes in Italy, Lake Braies is one of the most visually captivating. Anyone looking for a place to spend their free time in nature,with Lake Braies and the Fanes Senes natural park, is in good hands.
TheLake Braies Loop is an extremely easy hike that lets visitors circle the lake's shores, admiring all the panoramic viewpoints. Along the 3.6 kilometers of trail, the loop has an elevation gain of only a few 50 meters, making it suitable for practically everyone.
The walk is accessible to nearly all, helped by the presence of convenient steps near the steeper ascents or descents. To complete the Lake Braies Loop, no special equipment is needed except for the usual comfortable sneakers with non-slip soles.
It takes about 2 hours of walking at a very relaxed pace to finish the loop. These two hours include any stops to take in the incredible views and panoramic spots. Among stilt houses, rock faces, emerald waters, and beautiful buildings, the Lake Braies Loop is perhaps one of thebest hikes for the difficulty-to-beauty ratio in Italy. In some spots, the path narrows enough to allow only two people to pass side by side, but aside from this, the rest is accessible even to less experienced hikers. ItalyAt some points, the path becomes narrow enough to allow no more than two people to pass simultaneously, but having noted this, the rest remains accessible even to those with less experience.
2. Walk to Malga Grünwaldalm (Malga Foresta)üA hike you can take in Braies that is also suitable for less experienced legs is the one from the lake to Grünwaldalm (or Malga Foresta). This is a restaurant and refreshment point built in a beautiful spot among the mountains of the
A trek that can be undertaken at Braies and remains suitable even for less experienced legs is the one that, from the lake, leads to Grünwaldalm (or Malga Foresta). This is nothing more than a restaurant and refreshment point built in a beautiful spot among the mountains of and the Hochalpe range. This area, a truealpine pasture (here's some extra info (), is surrounded byemerald-green semi-flat meadows and overlooks the Braies valley. To reach the Malga, you start from Lake Braies heading straight to.
trail number 19 (shared with the Alta Via Number 1which we'll discuss later). After an initially almost flat stretch, the trail splits
at a small cobblestone square. To the right, still following trail 19, you can reach Malga Grünwaldalm
in about 40 minutes. Trail 19 here remains quite walkable, with a cobblestone base and a gentle slope manageable even by casual walkers. The path is fully immersed in wild nature. Trail 19 here remains particularly passable, with a pebble base and a gentle slope climb manageable even by casual walkers. The trail is completely immersed in the One important note: trail 19 to the Malga has few shaded spots
and is very sunny in summer. In such cases, it's essential to bring sunscreen and hats to avoid unpleasant surprises. The Malga's refreshment point is open for lunch and also serves as a restaurant, with several outdoor tables. The immediate surroundings of the Malga, with its green meadows, make a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a nice picnic. From here, you canchoose to continue towards Malga Foyedora. and also serves as a restaurant, with several outdoor tables. The immediate surroundings of the malga, with its green meadows, represent a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a good picnic. From here on, it is possible 3. Trek from Malga Grünwaldalm to Malga Foyedora (via Casera Vecchia) Let's raise the difficulty level by talking about the trek
that, from the aforementioned Malga Grünwaldalm, leads to another Malga called
Foyedora. Along the way, you also pass Casera Vecchia, another wooden alpine hut thatis not open to the public. This route again follows trail 19,but is definitely steeper (and more scenic) than the path to Grünwaldalm. To start this trail from the last Malga, you need to enter the woodsfollowing signs for trail number 19. From there, you head into the mountains until reaching, at1,751 meters elevation, Casera Vecchia. Here begins the
most challenging part of the trek for a simple reason: the, steepness.This increases significantly as you approach the Hochalpe alpine pasture. Once you reach 2,114 meters altitude, you officially enter the Foyedora valley, where you will find the namesakeMalga. This also serves as a lunch spot, but there are plenty of meadows to lie down and enjoy a homemade meal. The route from the laketo this
Malga takes about2.5 hours of walking but richly rewards the effort with stunning views. The area around Malga Foyedora offers anincredible panorama of the lake surroundings, with unforgettable vistas. In every season, the landscape takes on unique hues: in spring, the blooming meadows burst with colors and scents; in summer, the deep green forests and pastures provide relief from the heat. Autumn transforms the valley into a palette of reds, oranges, and yellows, while winter blankets everything in snow, creating a magical and peaceful atmosphere. Every step along the trail is accompanied by the sound of flowing streams and birdsong, creating a natural harmony that invites reflection and inner peace. Malga Foyedora, with its rustic charm and warmth, is a true refuge for the soul, where you can stop, rest, and perhaps savor local specialties like cheeses and cured meats, crafted with skill and passion by local alpine farmers., it is in fact equipped with a 4. Alta Via Number 1 Finally, let's say a few words about the queen of all hikes starting from Lake Braies, the
In every season, the landscape takes on unique shades: in spring, the flowering meadows burst into a riot of colors and scents, while in summer, the intense green of the forests and pastures offers relief from the heat. Autumn transforms the valley into a palette of reds, oranges, and yellows, and winter covers everything with a blanket of snow, giving a fairy-tale and silent atmosphere.
Every step along the trail is accompanied by the sound of flowing water in the streams and the song of birds, creating a natural harmony that invites reflection and inner peace. Malga Foyedora, with its rusticity and warmth, represents a true refuge for the soul, where it is possible to stop, rest, and perhaps savor the typical local products, such as cheeses and cured meats, prepared with skill and passion by the local malgari.
about 125 km long,
with over 7,300 meters of ascent, usually divided into twelve stages. This trail connects Lake Braies (which serves as the starting point) to Belluno.It's hard to explain everything you need to know to approach this 12-13 day trek in just a few words. The Alta Via Number 1 is a trek for mountain experts,.
one of those that leaves a lasting impression on those who undertake it. This route passes through over twenty different mountain huts scattered across the Dolomites, touching the Fanes Valley,the Cinque Torri, the north face of Monte Pelmo,, Passo Giau, and much more. These are the most important details to know about hiking near Lake Braies,covering a range of difficulty levels. Except for Alta Via Number 1, which requires an experienced hiking group to share the effort, all other walks can be comfortably done solo. Once you take the Brenner A22 motorway, reaching Lake Braies becomes very easy; from there, you can immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes Italy has to offer., If you're looking for someone to share these experiences and the stunning setting of Lake Braies with, remember to share this article on your social networks.
These are the most interesting pieces of information to know about hiking near the Lake Braies, covering a range of possible difficulty levels.
Except for the High Route Number 1, for which it is recommended to be part of a group of experienced hikers to share the efforts, all other walks can be comfortably undertaken solo. Once you take the Brenner motorway A22, reaching Lake Braies becomes very simple; from there on, it will be possible to immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes our peninsula can remember.
If you are looking for someone to share these experiences and the splendid setting of Lake Braies with, remember to share this article on your social networks.