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Our first stop in the Dolomites was Lago di Carezza. Lago di Carezza, aka, Karersee in German, is a small alpine lake and is known for its wonderful colors and view of Mount Latemar. It is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Dolomites and should be on your itinerary when visiting.
This lake is about 240 million years old, and the whole area was once under the sea.
The lake is known as Rainbow lake because of its beautiful colors and the legend behind the lake.
Once upon a time, there was a mermaid living in the lake. The wizard Masaré was in love with her. In order to seduce her, he followed the advice of the witch Lanwerda to dress up as a jewel merchant and throw a rainbow between Mt Catinaccio and Mt Latemar. The wizard did this, but he forgot to dress up as a jewel merchant. The beautiful mermaid realized that he was a wizard and disappeared into the lake. The wizard then threw the rainbow and all the jewels into the lake. That’s why the lake still features such beautiful colors.
Free.
In our opinion, the best time to visit Lago di Carezza is in the shoulder season (April-May and September-October), when the weather is still warm enough, the water high enough, and isn't as touristy.Sunrise and sunset are both magical times to visit Lago di Carezza. We tried for sunset..... But the weather was horrible.
The parking lot is pretty cheap and brings you straight to the beautiful small lake.
The first 15 minutes are free, One hour costs 1 Euro, 2 hours costs 2 Euro, And 2-6 hours cost 4 Euro.
Obviously, the easiest way is by car but you could also take a bus from Bolzano to Val di Fassa and stops right at Lago di Carezza parking lot. The bus goes every 20 minutes and costs 4.50 Euro for a single ride and takes about an hour to get to the lake.
There's a small walking circular trail around the lake that takes about 20 minutes. It's a beautiful walk through the Latemar forest that surrounds the lake. It’s a easy walk with a few great lookout points to view from different angles.
Swimming here is not allowed since the lake is a protected natural landmark and is fenced all around and it is prohibited to climb the fence. Many people climb the fence and take the Instagram shot with the big rock that's sticking out in front of the lake and the mountain view, do know that it is not allowed, and you could get FINED!
It is prohibited to fly drones here.
There’s a restaurant and a café serving food, drinks, and souvenirs. The food and drinks were reasonable pricing.
Public bathrooms are available in the tunnel linking the parking lot to the lake.
Our photos don't do justice to how beautiful this place really is. We had bad weather and since we came from Venice where it was hot, we weren't prepared for this weather but trust me when I tell you that this lake must be on your list!