A protected area in the Dolomites of South Tyrol, in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, reached from San Vigilio di Marebbe. It takes in mountains, high valleys and pasture, laced with marked hiking trails that run from a lakeside loop to climbs up to refuges and summits. Lake Braies (Lago di Braies) lies at the edge of the park and draws most of the visitors: green water under Dolomite walls, with rowing boats for hire. The park is open at all hours and free to enter; parking at the lake is booked online in advance.
Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park
Visitors have built rows of stacked stone cairns along the shore of Lake Braies, one photograph at a time.
- Entrance
- Free. No ticket for the park, and the loop around Lake Braies costs nothing to walk; you pay for parking and for boat hire.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible parking and entrance. The path around Lake Braies has several steep sections.
- Parking
- Paid and free car parks, plus paid and free roadside parking. At Lake Braies the lots are booked and paid for online in advance — P4 is the closest to the water, and the barrier opens on the number plate entered at booking. Cards accepted.
- Difficulty
- Loop around Lake Braies: two to three hours with stops, several steep sections. Trails climb on from the shore to a refuge and a summit.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stop to the park's map point: Tamersc, about 3.2 km away.
- Advance booking
- Required for parking at Lake Braies — book the lot online before you travel and give the number plate. Nothing to book for the park itself.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
What makes it special
The shore path at Lake Braies is busy from the moment it leaves the car parks, and it rises and drops more than people expect of a walk round a lake. Keep going up, towards the refuge or the summit above, and the numbers thin out fast. That is the shape of the park: one crowded corner of green water under Dolomite walls, and behind it mountains, high valleys and miles of marked trail where you meet far fewer people. Rowing boats work back and forth from the wooden boathouse. Photographs come out well almost by accident here, which is part of why the shore is as full as it is.
Good to know
- Parking: Book the Lake Braies car park online before you set off — the barrier opens on the number plate you gave at booking.
- Toilets: One stands at the far end of Lake Braies. They are few across the park and you pay in cash, so carry coins.
- Crowds: The path around the lake is packed in season, and the numbers drop as soon as you start climbing towards the refuge or the summit.
- Time: Two to three hours covers the loop around the lake with stops, or a walk plus a boat out on the water.
- Eating: Food at the lake is expensive. Bring your own, and a mat if you want to sit out by the water.
Getting there
The last leg is a drive. The car parks sit at Lake Braies itself, with P4 the closest to the water, and the space is booked online before you set off; the barrier opens on the number plate from the booking. Walking starts straight from the car park — the shore path begins at the water and runs the whole way round, with steep pitches along it, and the routes up to the refuge and the summit branch off from the same shore.
Best time to visit
Better: the shoulder season, when the shore path around Lake Braies can be walked without queuing behind other people.
Avoid: the peak of summer at the lake itself, which is when the park is crowded.
The crowd is concentrated. It sits along the water and thins as soon as the trail starts climbing towards the refuge or the summit, so where you walk matters as much as when you come.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you have to book parking in advance?
Yes. The car parks at Lake Braies are booked online before you arrive; you enter a number plate at booking and the barrier opens on it. P4 is the lot closest to the water.Is there an entrance fee?
No. The park is free to enter and the loop around Lake Braies costs nothing to walk. Money goes on parking, on hiring a rowing boat, and on food at the lake, which is expensive.Are there toilets?
There is one at the far end of Lake Braies. They are few across the park and you pay for them in cash.How long do you need at the lake?
Two to three hours covers the walk around the water with time to stop, or the walk plus a boat out on the lake.Can you bring a dog?
Yes, dogs are allowed, and the park is suitable for children.