Lago di Carezza

Updated October 2026 · Sources: Val d'Ega tourist board, IDM South Tyrol, Nova Levante municipality, Dolomiti Superski

Find a place to stay near Lake Carezza

Lake Carezza (Lago di Carezza in Italian, Karersee in German) is in South Tyrol, at 1,520 metres, in the municipality of Nova Levante (Welschnofen), at the top of the Val d’Ega (province of Bolzano). It sits at the foot of the Latemar, facing the Catinaccio (Rosengarten), right on the SS241 road that climbs from Bolzano to the Costalunga Pass and drops into the Val di Fassa. From Bolzano it is about 26 km (40 minutes by car), from Nova Levante about 6 km, from the Costalunga Pass less than 4 km. It is not in Trentino: the border with the Val di Fassa runs along the pass, a few kilometres further up.

It is a small lake: about 300 by 140 metres, with a maximum depth of 22 metres. There are no visible inflows; underground springs from the Latemar feed it, which is why its level and colour change so much through the year. It is a protected natural monument and it is fenced: you see it from the path that loops around it, but you cannot walk down to the shore or swim.

In summer you come for the lake loop, the Latemar Labyrinth and the trails below the Catinaccio. In winter the lake freezes and the slopes of Carezza Ski, part of Dolomiti Superski, are a few minutes away. Below you will find what to see, hikes with times and elevation gain, the 2026 parking fees, the bus from Bolzano and where to stay.

The lake itself takes half an hour; spend the rest of the morning on the trails around it. In July and August, get there early: the car park fills up, and the morning light on the Latemar is the best for photos.

The lake and its colours

The water is clear and shifts from emerald green to blue, with the Latemar spires reflected on the surface when there is no wind. In Ladin it is called the “rainbow lake”, precisely because of these colours.

The Latemar and the Catinaccio

The Latemar closes off the lake to the south, its grey towers rising above the forest. The Catinaccio (Rosengarten) is on the other side of the road; you see it best as you head up towards the Costalunga Pass. At sunset its walls turn pink, the alpenglow the Ladins call enrosadira.

The visitor centre and the underpass

The car park is on the other side of the main road. To reach the lake you walk through the step-free pedestrian underpass of the visitor centre, with free toilets and two bistros. According to the Val d’Ega tourist board, the visitor centre is open daily from 9am to 5pm; in winter it reopens from 25 November. The lake itself is accessible at any hour, all year. Along the loop there is also a step-free viewing platform, the spot for the classic photo with the Latemar behind.

The Ondina statue

On a rock in the lake stands a small bronze statue of the nymph Ondina, the heroine of the legend, by Rinaldo Cigolla, placed there in 2005. Look out for it from the loop path.

The suspension bridge and the Latemar forest

From the lake a trail enters the Latemar forest, crosses a suspension bridge built in 2018 and climbs to Carezza village. The forest is Norway spruce, the tonewood used for musical instruments. In October 2018 Storm Vaia flattened large areas of it: along the trails you can still see the windthrow and the young trees growing back.

Carezza village and the Costalunga Pass

Above the lake the road climbs to Carezza village, with hotels and lifts, and then to the Costalunga Pass (1,745 m), looking out over the Val di Fassa. On foot it is about 3.2 km from the lake to the pass, an hour’s walk.

The short loop around the lake is about 1.3 km and almost flat: allow 20 minutes, half an hour with photo stops. It starts and ends at the visitor centre underpass. The path is step-free and works with pushchairs and wheelchairs.

• Hands off the lake: the path runs behind a fence. Climbing over it, swimming, ice skating and flying drones are all banned.
• Long loop: a circuit of about 3.8 km, with around 100 metres of climbing, crosses the suspension bridge and passes through Carezza village. Allow an hour.
• In winter: the path can be partly snowy or icy. Wear hiking boots and, ideally, microspikes.

Why the water level changes

Because the lake is fed by underground springs, its size depends on snow and rain. It is at its highest in late spring, when the snow on the Latemar melts. It then drops all summer and reaches its lowest point at the end of October, when the depth falls to around 6 metres. That is why photos of the lake look so different.

A nymph called Ondina lived in the lake and sang sitting on the shore. A sorcerer from the Latemar fell in love with her and tried several times to snatch her with magic, without success. He asked the witch Langwerda for help. Her advice: disguise yourself as a jewel merchant and stretch a rainbow of precious stones from the Catinaccio to the Latemar to lure the nymph out of the water.

The sorcerer made the rainbow but forgot his disguise. Ondina spotted him hiding among the trees, saw through the trick and dived into the lake, never to come out again. Furious, the sorcerer tore the rainbow from the sky, smashed it and threw the pieces into the lake. Ever since, the water has shown all those colours.

The story varies from valley to valley: in some versions he is the sorcerer “of the Masaré”, the Latemar ridge above the lake. Ondina is said to appear only when the water is low. The German name Karersee comes from the medieval word “kar”, a high valley hollow used as pasture.

Trails for every level start at the lake, through the Latemar forest or below the Catinaccio. The hiking season runs from June to October; in May and November there may be snow higher up.

Latemar Labyrinth

9.4 km return, about 3 hours, 457 metres of ascent, moderate, highest point 1,905 metres. From the lake you climb through the forest to the Labyrinth, a jumble of huge boulders left by a Latemar rockfall more than two centuries ago. The path weaves between the blocks: kids love it, but proper hiking shoes are a must.

Loop: lake – Labyrinth – Costalunga Pass

11.7 km, about 3 hours 40 minutes, 607 metres of ascent, moderate, high point 1,950 metres. From the lake you cross the suspension bridge, go through the Labyrinth, climb to the Latemar meadows and finish at the Costalunga Pass, then head back down to the lake. The best single day for seeing both the Latemar and the Catinaccio.

Roda di Vael hut and the Christomannos eagle (Catinaccio)

10.3 km loop, about 4 hours, 607 metres of ascent, from 1,744 to 2,283 metres. Start at the Kaiserstein car park, on the road between the Costalunga Pass and the Nigra Pass. The first section is steep (trail 9), then trail 552 traverses almost flat below the Catinaccio walls, past the Paolina hut, to the bronze eagle honouring Theodor Christomannos, the pioneer of South Tyrolean tourism. Trail 549 takes you up to the Roda di Vael hut (2,283 m); return on 548 and 1A. The hut opens from late spring to October.

Lake – Costalunga Pass

About 3.2 km, an hour uphill. The easiest walk to see the Catinaccio up close. You can ride back to the lake on bus 180, which runs every hour.

With the lifts

Carezza’s summer lifts run from 23 May to 1 November 2026: from Nova Levante the gondola goes up to Malga Frommer, then the Tschein chairlift takes you below the Catinaccio.

The Carezza Ski area (Carezza Dolomites) is a few minutes from the lake, between Nova Levante, Carezza, the Costalunga Pass and Tires. It has 13 lifts and roughly 36 to 40 km of slopes, depending on how they are counted. It belongs to Dolomiti Superski, in the Val di Fassa/Carezza sector.

• 2026/27 season: opens on 4 December 2026, closes between late March and early April 2027 (check the date on the ski area’s website).
• Lifts: gondolas from Nova Levante to Malga Frommer, Hubertus and Franzin; the Paolina, Tschein and Pra di Tori chairlifts; the Tires cabrio cable car; drag lifts and magic carpets for beginners.
• Level: mostly easy and intermediate runs, good for families and beginners.
• Snowpark: on the Tschein, above the Costalunga Pass.
• Cross-country and snowshoeing: free cross-country loops, snowshoe routes and winter walks. Ski tourers have the Latemar Ronda and the Rosengarten Ronda.

Ski passes 2026/27

Both the Val di Fassa/Carezza pass and the Dolomiti Superski pass are valid. Official Dolomiti Superski prices for winter 2026/27 are 89 euros for an adult day pass in high season and 453 euros for six days in high season. Work out the price of the local pass online on the ski area or Val di Fassa website; buying at least two days ahead saves 5%. Details at Carezza Dolomites and Dolomiti Superski.

The lake in winter

From December the lake is usually frozen. You can walk the loop with microspikes, but walking or skating on the ice is banned. The Christmas market that used to be held at the lake no longer takes place.

• June: the lake is at its highest and a deep green. The best time for photos.
• July and August: every trail is open, but it is the busiest time. Arrive before 9am or take bus 180.
• September and October: fewer people and golden larches. The level drops, reaching its lowest at the end of October.
• December to March: frozen lake, skiing at Carezza, snowshoeing in the forest.
• April, May and November: shoulder season, lifts closed and snow on the higher trails.

In summer, traffic at the Costalunga Pass is heaviest between 9am and noon.

• Val di Fassa (Vigo di Fassa about 13 km): over the Costalunga Pass, with the Catinaccio cable car from Vigo.
• Moena (about 18 km): the “fairy of the Dolomites”, at the entrance to the Val di Fassa.
• QC Terme Dolomiti (Pozza di Fassa, about 15 km): a spa for a rainy day or after skiing.
• Canazei (about 24 km): the gateway to the Sella Ronda and the Marmolada.
• Bolzano (about 26 km): the old town, the arcades and the Ötzi museum.
• Seceda (Ortisei about 54 km): the most photographed ridge in Val Gardena.
• Bressanone (about 60 km): the bishops’ town of the Isarco valley.

There is nowhere to sleep at the lake itself: accommodation is in the nearby villages, all on the bus 180 route. Pick the base that suits your plans.

• Nova Levante (about 1,180 m, 6 km from the lake): the main village of the Val d’Ega, with shops, restaurants and a gondola to the slopes. For families and week-long stays, summer and winter. Hotels, guesthouses, apartments and farm stays.
• Carezza and the Costalunga Pass (up to 1,745 m, 2–4 km): hotels and residences close to the lifts and trails. For ski-in, ski-out and for hiking without the car.
• Vigo di Fassa (about 13 km, in Trentino): over the pass, with the Catinaccio cable car and the whole Val di Fassa on the doorstep. For combining the lake with the Fassa Dolomites. Pozza di Fassa and Moena are in the same valley.
• Bolzano (about 26 km): the city, with plenty of choice and a wide range of prices. For travellers arriving by train, visitors without a car, and anyone mixing mountains and city.

For a week with the family, an apartment or a farm stay in the Val d’Ega is the best option. Book early for August and Christmas.

By car

From Bolzano, leave the A22 motorway at Bolzano Nord and follow signs for the Val d’Ega: the SS241 runs through Cardano, Ponte Nova and Nova Levante to the lake. About 26 km, 40 minutes. From the Val di Fassa, take the same SS241 at Vigo di Fassa, climb to the Costalunga Pass and drop down to the lake: about 13 km. From Innsbruck it is about 140 km over the Brenner (just over 2 hours); from Verona airport about 180 km (around 2.5 hours). The pass is open all year, but summer brings queues and roadside parking is banned.

By train

The nearest station is Bolzano, on the Brenner line between Verona and Innsbruck. From the station, take bus 180. Timetables at Südtirolmobil.

By bus

Bus 180 links Bolzano, Ponte Nova, Nova Levante, Lake Carezza, the Costalunga Pass and the Val di Fassa every hour. The stop is called “Lago di Carezza” and is a two-minute walk from the visitor centre. In July and August, from the Val di Fassa side it starts only from Vigo. The Guest Pass and the Mobilcard are valid; single tickets are sold on board. Bikes are not carried on the pass buses.

By plane

The closest airport is Bolzano (about 31 km). For international flights the options are Innsbruck (about 140 km), Verona (about 180 km), Treviso and Venice (about 175–185 km) and Munich (about 280 km). Without a car: train to Bolzano, then bus 180. A private transfer from Verona or Innsbruck saves the change.

Parking

The car parks belong to the municipality of Nova Levante; all are paid and none can be booked. The lake car park (P Lago di Carezza) is on the main road opposite the lake: take a ticket at the barrier, pay at the machine, then you have 15 minutes to leave. You reach the lake through the underpass. 2026 rates:

• Cars and motorbikes: 5 euros up to 1 hour, 8 euros up to 2 hours, 13 euros up to 6 hours, 18 euros up to 12 hours, 30 euros up to 24 hours.
• Campervans and coaches: 19 euros up to 3 hours, 27 euros up to 12 hours, 40 euros up to 24 hours.
• Other car parks: Simhild (cars 3 euros for the first hour, 16 euros a day) and Paolina in Carezza village (2 euros for the first hour, 24 euros for 24 hours). Frommer, at Malga Frommer, costs 8 euros a day, with the first half hour free.
• Campervans: there is a Camper Park at the Paolina car park (38 euros for 24 hours). Tables, chairs and camping gear are not allowed in the car parks.

Four spaces are reserved for disabled drivers. Current rates and rules are on the Nova Levante municipality website. In summer the lake car park fills fast: arrive before 9am or leave the car and take the bus.