Val Pusteria e Lago di Braies: what to see, do and where to stay

The Val Pusteria is a wide, bright valley running from Bressanone to San Candido, mostly German-speaking and strongly Tyrolean. For centuries it was the corridor between the Tyrol and the Cadore, and its villages still hold on to traditional architecture, frescoed churches, and a living farming culture. The cycle path that runs the full length of the valley beside the Rienza has become the symbol of slow travel in the Dolomites.

Its best-known sight is Lago di Braies, at the mouth of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park at about 1,496 metres. The emerald water, the old hotel on the shore, and the lines of wooden rowing boats at the jetty made it the Pearl of the Dolomites and one of the most shared images in the whole Alps. The lake has grown so popular in recent years that access now has to be managed to protect it.

Around the valley there's plenty to do in every season. In summer the lake loop and the Pusteria cycle path suit just about anyone. In winter the basin freezes over and the slopes of Plan de Corones, one of South Tyrol's biggest ski areas and home to high-altitude museums, come into their own. To see Braies without the crush, go early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the light is best and the shore goes quiet again.

When to go & weather — Val Pusteria e Lago di Braies

May to October is the time to walk the Lago di Braies loop and ride the Pusteria trail end to end. The water is at its deepest emerald in June and July, and autumn turns the larch slopes gold. In winter the lake freezes over and the Plan de Corones slopes open. To dodge the crowds at the lake, come early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the light is best for photos.

How to get there — Val Pusteria e Lago di Braies

The Val Pusteria is one of the few Dolomite valleys with its own railway. The Pusteria line links Fortezza to San Candido, stopping at Brunico, Perca, Monguelfo, and Dobbiaco, and since 2010 Perca station has fed straight into the Plan de Corones lifts. For Lago di Braies, get off at Monguelfo and take the bus up the Braies valley. By car, exit the A22 at Bressanone/Val Pusteria and head east on the state road. In summer, driving to the lake is restricted: from early July to mid-September, in the busy hours, the Braies valley is reachable only by public transport, on foot, by bike, or with a parking reservation, so train and bus are often your best bet.