A jewel in the heart of the Dolomites
Lake Braies is known as the "Pearl of the Dolomite lakes" and fully deserves this title. In an idyllic setting between Sasso del Signore, Croda del Becco and Monte Nero, it radiates gentle tranquillity and serenity. The clear water reflects the surrounding mountains and shimmers in the most widely varying shades of green, from deepest bottle green to gleaming turquoise. The lake is natural gem that has always delighted guests at Hotel Trenker, your hotel on Lake Braies.
The lake measures about 37 hectares and has a maximum depth of 36 metres and ever since local tourism started here, it has been one of the most popular destinations for excursions in the Alta Pusteria Valley. Since 2009, this lake that was formed by a rock fall from the 2447 metre high Sasso del Signore has been part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lake Braies is a short walk away from Hotel Trenker and has also played an important historical role. To appreciate this, we need to cast our minds back briefly to the time of the Second World War. It was here that the US Army came across the 139 VIP hostages that a Wehrmacht snatch squad had rescued from their SS captors a short time before. The hostages included, for example the former Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg. The Lake Braies archive of contemporary history, the Zeitgeschichtsarchiv Pragser Wildsee, documents this event that occurred in 1945.
Splendid as the natural gem in the Braies district may be in summer, a winter visit is just as worthwhile. In winter the lake freezes over that according to legend was once connected underground with the Ladin realm of Fanes and is covered by a thick layer of ice and snow. Lake Braies is that too – a winter dream that has come true. Back from your "icy" adventures on the banks of Lake Braies, absorb new strength and warmth in the vitalising Spa and Wellness World of our hotel in Braies.