A Complete Visitor Guide For LAGO DI CAREZZA In Italy

UPDATED MAR 2020. If you have been following my blog for a little while, it should come as no shock to you guys that I’m a bit of a water baby. I love being in the water, on the water, and even just near the water listening to waves. Here in Italy, I have been very lucky to find some magnificent water spots in the form of lakes. They have quickly become some of my favorite places. In today’s post, I am sharing one of these grand lakes with you and a bunch of tips to help you plan your own adventure out to Lago di Carezza. 

A Complete Visitor Guide For LAGO DI CAREZZA In Italy

Disclaimer

There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.

FAQ for visiting Lago di Carezza

Where is it located?

South Tyrol, about 2.5 hours drive from Vicenza.

What skill level is required?

Beginner.

How long does it take?

30 minutes to 1 hour depending on your pace.

Are dogs allowed?

Yes.

What is the cost?

A couple of € for parking – bring coins.

What should you bring with you?

• Water bottle (I use this one)
• Walking shoes I wear the New Balance Minimus, though it’s an easy walk so you’d be fine with regular sneakers
• Snacks or lunch
• Camera (I use a GoPro with this compact selfie stick and the Sony Alpha a6000)
• Coins for parking

Where to park

Lago di Carezza is about 2 and a half hours drive from Vicenza. All you need to do is put ‘Lago di Carezza’ into Google maps and it will take you towards the lake, then you can look out for the parking when you get there.

The parking lot is easy to find and costs a couple of Euro.

Upon entry, you will receive a ticket and, before driving out, take your ticket to a payment machine to pay your fee. Trust me, you don’t want to be the car that holds up the line because you thought you could pay at the gates. Yep, that was me.

How to get to Lago di Carezza from the parking area

From the parking area, it is a short walk over to see the lake. It is quite a popular, well signed, and crowded area so it should be no trouble to figure out where to go.

What to expect

Lago di Carezza is fenced so you can’t get close to it, or go swimming or anything like that. Instead, there is a trail around the outside of the lake which you can follow.

The trail allows impressive views from different angles as you make your way around the path.

The walk around the lake will not take too long, perhaps 30 minutes to an hour depending on your pace. It’s a relatively short path on a flat trail, suitable for kids and dogs.

After seeing this lake you will still have time to drive around the mountains and stop for lunch before heading home.

It’s a popular spot for tour groups, so you can expect a bit of a crowd here. To avoid the crowds, try to get there as early as possible.

Why is it called the Rainbow Lake

The layers of color in the water will hypnotize you and I promise you that my photos do not do it justice. These layers are exactly why it is called the Rainbow Lake.

Legend has it that the lake was home to a beautiful mermaid, a mermaid who captured the heart of a wizard named Masare.

He was advised to dress up in jewels and throw a rainbow into the lake in an impressive act of seduction, however, he forgot to dress up. Of course, she saw him and disappeared to the bottom of the lake.

The wizard was overwhelmed by anger and threw the rainbow into the lake, thus creating the layer of colors and the Rainbow Lake.

Where to stay nearby

If you want to make a weekend of it, I recommend staying at the Berry House Agriturismo. I loved my stay on this farm which was full of all the boho and rustic vibes.

They have breakfast which might be one of my favorite breakfasts ever, and dinner made fresh with products from the farm and local area. As with most food in Italy, all the food was delicious.

You can also buy products they make to take back with you.

Other things to see near Lago di Carezza

During the weekend away, I also saw Lago di Tovel which is a beautiful lake that also has an easy path around it. This one is not fenced so you can walk to the water edge and even row a boat on the water.

Torrente Canali is another gorgeous spot off the beaten path, with hiking trails and bright blue water to visit.

If you’d like to look around a town, Bolzano and Trento are nice options. Here’s a helpful guide on planning a visit to Trento.

There are also some amazing hiking opportunities around Passo Giau and Val Gardena too.

Here’s my guide to the best hikes in the Dolomites for more ideas and download my Ultimate Vicenza Bucket list for a complete adventure guide to help you make the most of your time there.

I hope this guide to seeing Lago di Carezza can help you plan your adventure.

As always, use your best judgment as to whether this is a good outing for you, check the weather forecast, and take your trash with you.

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