Beyond the OverlookIs Lago di Braies Worth Visiting?
One of the easiest spectacular views in the Dolomites: drive up, see the lake, then choose a boat or an easy walk.
Firsthand guide · Last reviewed August 2026 · How we review our guides
The short answer: Lago di Braies is spectacular and almost absurdly easy to see. Drive up and the lake is right there. If you want maximum scenery for minimum effort, this is a great stop.
You do not have to hike for the view
This is the opposite of a hike where you climb for hours and finally earn the payoff. At Lago di Braies, the headline scenery is basically waiting for you when you arrive.
What can you do there?
You can simply enjoy the lake, rent a boat, or walk the roughly 2-mile trail around the water. That makes it particularly easy to pair with a more strenuous hiking day.
Who will love it?
If you want a beautiful Dolomites lake without a big physical commitment, absolutely go. If the thing you love most is earning your views on a difficult trail, this probably will not be one of your favorite hiking experiences - but the lake itself is still gorgeous.
How we would use it in an itinerary
We would not give Lago di Braies one of our limited full hiking days. Its strength is that the scenery is immediate. That made it a good pairing with a more substantial eastern-Dolomites day such as Sorapis.
What to expect from our ranking
We liked the lake; we simply rank the major Dolomites hikes higher because they gave us a fuller experience. If you want an iconic view with very little physical effort, Braies fills a different role and does it very well.
Planning the full trip? See how we grouped these hikes into western and eastern bases in our 5-day Dolomites itinerary.