Lago di Carezza and the Great Dolomite Road

Lago di Carezza (Karersee) is one of the most jewel-like lakes in the Dolomites, a small body of startlingly clear water that shifts through shades of emerald and turquoise and mirrors the jagged Latemar range and the dark spruce forest behind it, set just off the scenic road climbing toward the Costalunga Pass about 25 kilometres from Bolzano. Local legend ties the lake's rainbow colours to a sorcerer's shattered rainbow, and the still, early-morning reflections are its photographic prize. The lake itself is small and fenced for protection, so the visit is a short loop along a viewing path rather than a swim or a long hike; visitors park at the official lot, where parking costs around 2 euro an hour, and reach the shore by an underpass beneath the road. The lake works best as the centrepiece of a touring day along the Great Dolomite Road, the famous panoramic route that links Bolzano to Cortina over a succession of high passes. From Carezza the road climbs to the Costalunga Pass with views of the Catinaccio (Rosengarten) and Latemar, and the great pleasure of the day is the drive itself, through the Val d'Ega gorges past the villages of Nova Levante and Nova Ponente and on toward the Sella and Pordoi passes for those with more time. The Catinaccio massif gives the day its most magical moment: at sunset the pale limestone catches the enrosadira, the alpenglow that sets the rock blushing pink and red, a phenomenon the Ladin name Rosengarten, or rose garden, recalls. Mountain restaurants and the villages along the road serve South Tyrolean food, and short marked walks from the passes give gentle leg-stretches with big views. The season runs from May to October, when the passes are open and the larches turn gold in autumn; some high passes close in winter, when the area becomes a ski destination. Because much of the day is spent driving and at viewpoints, it suits those wanting scenery without strenuous walking, though comfortable shoes and layers help at the breezy, high passes.