Photo: Kevin Schmid / Unsplash
About this guide
Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee) lies at 1,494 m in the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park, below the Croda del Becco (2,810 m). Entry is free; the tourist office asks visitors not to swim, and private boats and SUPs are not allowed, but wooden rowing boats can be hired. The Hotel Lago di Braies, built in 1899, is the only building at the lake.
A path circles the shore: a wide forest path on one side, steps and short climbs on the other. The Alta Via 1 starts at the lake and climbs over the Forcella Sora Forno to the Rifugio Biella and on to the Sennes plateau.
- Difficulty
Lake circuit: a wide forest path on one side, steps and short climbs on the other.
- Season
The whole circuit is usually open from May to early or mid November; in winter only one side, which may be icy. Rifugio Biella: mid-June to mid-September.
- Getting there
Bus 442 from Toblach/Dobbiaco (27 min) and Niederdorf/Villabassa. In 2026, from 1 July to 15 September, 9:00–16:00, the valley was open only by bus, on foot, by bike or with an online reservation; the rule returns in summer 2027, dates in spring 2027. Car parks P4, P3 and P2, all charged.
- Food & drink
At the lake: the Hotel Lago di Braies' restaurants and Emma's Bistro; on the Sennes route: Rifugio Biella.
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Route data checked: October 2026 ·
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14°Partly cloudyRelated guides
Sources (7) · last checked October 2026
Route data checked: October 2026
- Tourist Info Valle di Braies (prags.bz) — route, access, rules, season and opening
- dolomiti.org — route, access, season and opening
- Hotel Lago di Braies (lagodibraies.com) — season and opening, history
- la palafitta (la-palafitta.com) — season and opening
- IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige (suedtirol.info) — route, time, difficulty
- Braies (Outdooractive) — difficulty
- OpenStreetMap