Ontdek Friuli met je eigen gids / Discover Friuli with your own guide / Scopri il Friuli con la tua guida privata /
Entdecken Sie Friaul mit Ihrer eigenen Fremdenführerin
"PERHAPS THE TRUTH DEPENDS ON
A WALK AROUND THE LAKE."
WALLACE STEVENS
FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA HAS BEAUTIFUL LAKES.
HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ONES PER PROVINCE.
1
THE LAKES OF FUSINE - PROVINCE OF UDINE
The two lakes of Fusine are just in one word gorgeous! It is one of the most beautiful places in the region. They are located near the town of Tarvisio in the north of the region.
Both lakes were originally formed during the glacial period, they are close to each other and are easily reachable by foot or by car. Take a nice walk around the lakes. The paths lead through woodland which even occurs magical. You can see reflected in the water the surrounding mountains, called Mangart Mountain.
Every season is beautiful to visit these lakes. Notice though that this place is known to be one of the coldest spots in the region during the wintertime! So get dressed well! In the fall you will be overwhelmed by all the pretty colors
and in the summer you can rent a boat to do some boating on the lake.
Do you enjoy a hefty brisk walk and you want more than a little walk around the lake? No problem, there are several mountain paths that run up. One of them leads to the refuge 'Rifugio Zacchi' where you can eat something.
The Cavazzo lake is the largest natural lake in the region and its water touches as many as the banks of three different counties. The municipality of Cavazzo Carnico, Bordano and Trasaghis. It's a great place for refreshing in the hot summer and you can enjoy various water sports such as paddle boating, canoeing or surfing.
Around the lake there are many picnic tables under the trees where you can enjoy the magnificent view while sitting in the shade. If you are with kids on vacation, there is also a playground where they can enjoy themselves. Around the whole lake there's a cycle trail.
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As I wrote the lake is near the town of Bordano. In this village there is an indoor butterfly garden where you can see all kinds of butterflies. The villagers are so proud of this butterfly garden that many houses are painted with butterfly images.
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LAKE OF CAVAZZO - PROVINCE OF UDINE
2
3
LAKE OF BARCIS - PROVINCE OF PORDENONE
The artificial lake of Barcis lies in the province of Pordenone in the heart of the Valcellina area. It overwhelms you with its beautiful bright green and blue colored water and offers the visitor the opportunity to entertain him/herself in various ways.
Take a walk around the lake or rent a canoe, surfboard or pedalo. The area is a paradise for sports enthusiasts. You can go mountain biking, rafting, visit the cave of Pradis in Clauzetto. For those who love more daring sports like canyoning and rafting, there is plenty of choice. There are several creeks / fast flowing rivers such as the Cellina, Meduna, Cosa and Arzino which have carved out the riverbed for the last millions of years and provide a spectacular setting for practicing these sports.
4
LAKE OF PREDIL - PROVINCE OF UDINE
The Lake of Predil is located about 10 kilometers south of the town of Tarvisio in an ancient valley that was formed during the ice age. It is the second lake in size in the region after the Lake of Cavazzo.
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Its green/blue colored water is crystal clear and very cold. The lake has a small island which makes the view of the lake just even more spectacular. Especially for taking pictures.
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There is a legend connected to this island. From generation to generation has been told that where the lake is, once there was a small village with very mean and unfriendly people. Then one night a mother and child who came from afar, asked if they could spend the night here. No one wanted to open their doors to them. Apart from a poor family who was very welcoming. The next morning upon awakening they found out that the whole village was flooded except their own home and garden which were resting on this island. The woman and child were miraculously disappeared ....
Along the shore of the lake is a small tourist recreation center where you can sunbathe, swim and where you can rent pedal boats, canoes or surfboards.
5
THE LAKES OF DOBERDÒ AND PIETRAROSSA - PROVINCE OF GORIZIA
These two separate, but close to each other lakes surprise you every time. If only for the fact that each time they differ in size or sometimes completely disappear! This is why.
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The lakes are located in cavities of the karst rock. A highly porous calcareous stone that easily lets the water filter trough. The water level is regulated by the nearby rivers Vipacco and Isonzo. The amount of water of these rivers controls the height of the water level of these two lakes. If It hasn't been raining for a long time then the chances are big that you can hardly see them.
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In the visitor center Gradina, you can book a tour of the lakes or watch the exhibition about the characteristics of the karst rock.
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6
LAKE OF CORNINO - PROVINCE OF UDINE
The small but beautiful lake of Cornino is situated in a nature reserve in between the villages of Forgaria and Trasaghis. The wide riverbed of the nearby Tagliamento river and the rocky walls of the Carnic forerunners of the Alps provide a wonderful habitat for various species of flora and fauna. The water of the lake is led by this river under the surface. The Tagliamento is an ideal place to go cool off for the locals especially in the hot summers. Read more about that in the 'Things to do'.
Twenty years ago, this park was opened as a sanctuary where injured birds of prey are cared for but also are propagated with the intention of letting them fly around freely.
It is the ideal place for those who enjoy bird watching and many school trips are organized here.
You can make a walk around the lake, but when you are looking for some intense climbing and hiking, you can find different paths that lead to the top of Monte Prât renowned for its 'terrace on Friuli'- a plateau from where you have a wonderful view over Friuli.
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7
THE LAKE OF SAURIS - PROVINCE OF UDINE
IS SITUATED NEARBY THE VILLAGES OF SAURIS 'ABOVE' AND SAURIS 'BELOW' IN THE CARINTHIAN ALPS WHERE THE TIME SEEMS TO HAVE STOOD STILL
Lake Sauris is an artificial lake surrounded by a fantastic beautiful landscape that looks like a postcard and is reflected in its clear water. It is located near the villages of Sauris 'Above' and Sauris 'Below' where time seems to have stood still. It's as if Heidi could come running down the flowered hills any time.
Sauris is located in the foothills of the Alps in the area called Carnia. It is not exactly around the corner. From Udine it is about a 1 1/2 hour drive and especially the last half hour you drive over a narrow mountain road with many hairpin bends and narrow tunnels. But ..... if you love the mountains, the quiet and the typical farming villages then it's worth the drive! Especially if you are here in the second or third weekend of June when the annual festival 'Sauris in Festa - Festa del Prosciutto is taking place. A true feast for the Sauris ham lovers because then the competitor of the 'San Daniele ham' is in the middle of all the attention.
Saurus is not only famous for its hams but also for its bacon, beer, and cheeses all made in the traditional way. The smoked hams of Sauris are in contrast to the hams of San Daniele which are dried in the air.
Sauris is located in the green valley 'Zahre' at an altitude of 1000 to 1400 meters where scattered in the meadows and woodlands you can find the 'malge' - farmhouses that have become traditional restaurants.
The valley is named after the original German name Zahre because the original population spoke only an old Austrian dialect. The inhabitants came from Austria and imported, of course, their customs, habits, and language.
Because the two villages were so far away from civilization, the original German language has long been maintained.
In the villages there are two churches with wooden altars and paintings of the 16th century that can be admired.