picturesque boats | lago di braies

2.5 miles . 200 ft gain . 4970 ft high

Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee) is probably the most well-known lake in all of the Alps. May I even be so bold to say it could be the most popular alpine lake in all of Europe? And to be honest, it is yet another alpine lake but I still found myself seeking to know for myself. When I arrived, it reminded me of a smaller version of Lake Louise with the hotel and picturesque lake.

Here’s everything you need to know to visit Lago di Braies!

How to Get There

Lago di Braies is located just north of Cortina d’Ampezzo and accessed from the closer towns of Dobbiaco or Brunico. You can take the bus or drive (or join a tour).

You can take public bus 442 from Dobbiaco, but honestly it is cumbersome and timely. In my experience, taking buses can take up half your day already. Bus 442 runs about every hour or half hour. So it’s convenient if you decide not to drive. However, if you’re trying to get there for sunrise or sunset, the buses are not the most reliable. Check out the full schedule with the 2026 time table

I’d recommend driving to the lake. It’s an easy paved road and there’s a couple different parking lots. In the summer from July 10 – September 10, reservations are required since it gets very busy. When they do open up in spring, you can make the reservations on their website

Parking fees apply when you enter between 9:30am and 4pm. So if you’re going for sunrise or sunset, you’re in luck!

The closest parking lot is P4. Basically the closer you park, the more the rate is to park. Lots P3 and P2 are slightly further, but really not that huge of a difference if you’re going to hike anyway. The current rates are as posted, but can change every year.

• P4 max 30€ for 24 hours or 15€ for 3 hours
• P3 max 12€
• P2 max 8€

There’s no fee to enter the lake/park itself. The only fee is for parking during peak season.

Renting the Wooden Boats

The most famous thing about Lago di Braies is their wooden boats on the blue lake. In the summer, they’re available for rent. It’s really quite hyped up. The line gets long before the boathouse opens to the general public. And you’ll still be waiting to pay and get outfitted. There’s two main options to go boating:

• Shared boat: Up to 5 random people, 20€ per person for 45 min
• Private boat: Up to 5 people to yourselves, 55€ for whole boat for 45 min

So the private boat is really the best option if you’re traveling with people. They also have other private offerings, so go and check out their website.

If you’re here for photos, you can also rent out the whole boat house before general hours and have the lake all to yourself. Reservations opened February 2 for the 2026 season and they only allow one reservation per time slot with specified hours. Generally you can reserve it for May – October. And if you’re looking for a photographer, I’m a Dolomites Elopement Photographer myself!

Hiking Around Lago di Braies

I opted to hike around the lake. But don’t be fooled. While the boathouse and beach area is very busy, the hike around the lake is still busy. It’s a fairly flat trail with little ups and downs with lots of varying views. I really enjoyed the hike despite the crowds. The east side of the lake is more up and down and the path on the west side is wider and easier.

If you have time, you can hike to some of the ridges around the lake. One of them enters the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park and becomes the famous traverse, Alta Via 1.

Amenities at Lago di Braies

While hiking and boating are the most popular activities at Lago di Braies, it’s also got great amenities. There’s three options for food:

• Panorama Restaurant: a sit-down restaurant in the hotel
• Emma’s Bistro self serve: the to-go counter where you can get snacks and a meal. They also have a sit down option
• Bar Chalet: the quick eats and drinks location closest to the parking lots

Bathrooms

• There’s a free pit toilet at the south end of the hiking loop
• There’s a paid toilet next to the hotel on the west side

When to Visit Lago di Braies

Winter

There are few amenities in the winter, but it’ll be less busy and you might see a frozen lake. Though they caution visitors against walking on the lake.

Spring

This is a great shoulder-season time to visit when the snow has melted and you can start boating in May

Summer

Peak season is July – September when the weather is warm and sunny. I highly recommend going at sunrise or sunset to avoid the brunt of the crowds.

Fall

This is probably my favorite season because it’s both shoulder season and the larches have turned golden in October. It’s still rather busy (I thought)

I hope this helps plan your future visit to Lago di Braies! Let me know what you think!

Photos taken on Canon EOS R5