A circular trail leads around the turquoise-blue Vernago Reservoir, in whose floods an entire village once sank
Image gallery: Vernago al Lago
Few people know that there is another sunken church tower in South Tyrol besides the famous steeple in Lake Resia: It is the tower of the Leiterkirchl church, which, together with the other farms of the Old Vernago, was swallowed up by the reservoir in the 1950s. When the water is particularly low, the last remains of the sunken village still rise out of the floods - a very special spectacle. The new houses of the village were built on the shore of Lake Vernago.
Today, Vernago al Lago (Vernagt am See, literally: Vernago at the lakeside) is a cosy excursion destination and quiet holiday resort. Hiking paths start from the lake up into the surrounding mountains. There, venerable farms such as the Tisa, Ravina and Finale Farms are enthroned, between which the Archaeological Trail runs. From Vernago they can be reached in a hike of several hours, which you can extend to a mountain tour: From the Finale Farm you continue to Lake Finale at 2,709 m a.s.l. at the foot of the Croda delle Cornacchie on the Val Senales Glacier.
Also the circular path around the lake starts at the turquoise-blue reservoir, a leisurely hike with nice spots for a picnic. Once you have covered half of the trail, a short climb brings you up to the Oetzi High-Rope Park, the high rope course in the Val Senales valley. The lake is also popular among fishermen, boaters and cyclists, at least until the first flakes fall in late autumn and winter sets in. Then everything turns to the nearby Val Senales Glacier, where the Alpin Arena Senales becomes the meeting place for skiers, snowboarders, cross-country skiers and sledgers.
