Six fascinating facts about the lakes of Trentino
From a lake that turned red to the most beautiful lake in Italy
Did you know that there is a lake in Trentino that used to turn red? Or that the shores of Lake Garda are home to the northernmost olive groves in the world? Or that Lake Levico and Lake Caldonazzo in Valsugana are two of the warmest lakes in Europe? These are just a few of the fascinating facts about our local lakes. There are no fewer than 297 of them spread throughout Trentino. Some are little bodies of water that are nestled among the mountains and surrounded by woods, while others are huge lakes where you can swim safely and spend time on beaches with outstanding facilities.
If you would like to learn more, take a look at these six fascinating facts about them, starting with a story that you may have already heard about a red lake in the woods!
Tovel: the red lake
Among the greenery of the Parco Naturale Adamello Brenta (nature park) is a lake whose water used to turn red in the summer until the mid-1960s. The colour came from a distinctive type of algae called Tovellia sanguinea that grew in the water. However, old folk used to tell children the legend of Queen Tresenga and say that the lake turned red after she fought a battle on its shore.
The winds of Lake Garda
If you like sailing or windsurfing, you may already be familiar with this interesting fact about the part of Lake Garda that is in Trentino. There are two main winds that blow on the lake: the Pèler and the Ora. The former blows from the North in the morning, until around midday. The Ora blows from the South and it starts in the afternoon, thus providing sailors and windsurfers with a reliable source of propulsion all day long.
Pile dwellings on Lake Ledro
This fact is especially interesting for children: a little Bronze Age village of pile dwellings has been faithfully recreated on Lake Ledro, just a short distance from Lake Garda. There is a stunning museum there that organizes numerous themed events. The village and the museum are on an archaeological site that has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011.
The lakes of Valsugana: number one in sustainability
Trentino has claimed an important record: Valsugana near Trento is the first certified sustainable tourism destination in the world. It is home to Lake Caldonazzo and Lake Levico: two large expanses of water surrounded by greenery. They are two of the warmest lakes in the whole of Southern Europe so they are ideal places to take a dip, perhaps after a hike or a bike ride.
Molveno: the most beautiful lake in Italy
Touring Club Italiano and Legambiente have named Lake Molveno on the Paganella plateau the “Most Beautiful Lake in Italy” due to its clean, clear water, the backdrop formed by the Brenta Dolomites and its exceptionally maintained beaches, with superb facilities for visitors. Take a look at the picture and you will soon see why so many people fall in love with it.
The submerged bridges of Lake Santa Giustina
In Val di Non there is a lake with a secret: hidden beneath its waters lie the ruins of an ancient roadway, complete with trails and bridges. Its name is Lake Santa Giustina, an artificial body of water created in the early 1950s. As the end of winter approaches, the water level drops to reveal some of the bridges along this ancient road, rising once more out of the water.
