Lago di Braies in Autumn

Lago di Braies is the lake from the Dolomites photographs: water that shades from emerald to turquoise, a wooden boathouse with rowing boats tied up beside it, and the cliffs of the Seekofel rising straight out of the far shore. In July and August it’s also one of the most crowded places in the Alps, with booked parking and queues on the shore path.

Autumn is when most of that goes away. The road rules relax after mid-September, the larches on the slopes turn gold in October, and a weekday in late October can feel like a different lake.

Getting there after 15 September

In 2026, from 1 July to 15 September, the road into the Braies valley is closed to cars between 9am and 4pm unless you have booked a parking space or a shuttle. Outside those hours, and outside those dates, you can drive in. That’s the main reason autumn is easier for independent visitors: from 16 September you arrive when you like.

On a day tour, access is the operator’s problem either way. Some listings include it explicitly. The Dolomites, Cortina and Lake Braies trip includes the Braies entry fees, and the V-Class Braies tour says it uses a dedicated vehicle pass to park close to the lake.

Lago di Braies is in South Tyrol, beyond Cortina and Dobbiaco, roughly three hours by road from Venice. That’s why routes that include it are long days, and why the time you get at the lake varies so much between tours.

How long you need at the lake

The walk around Lago di Braies is about 3.5 km and mostly level. Most people take an hour and a half to two hours. Shorter visits work fine for the boathouse and the near shore, which is where most of the photographs are taken.

The tours on this site give the lake:

• About 90 minutes: the Braies and Misurina day with a hiking guide, featured above, the Braies, Tre Cime view and Cortina trip and the Braies, Misurina and Tre Cime view day.
• About 45 minutes: the V-Class Braies tour, which gives Misurina two hours instead.
• About three hours: the hiking day from Venice, when the guide chooses its Braies option instead of a hut route.

Ninety minutes is about right for most visitors in autumn: long enough to walk a good way round the shore and still sit down for a coffee at the hotel.

September, October and November at Braies

September is the gentlest month. Early in the month the boats are still out, the weather is often settled, and after the 15th the road opens up.

October is the best month for looking at it. The larch forest down the slopes to the water turns gold, the Seekofel often has its first snow, and the reflections on a calm morning are what most photographers come for. The boat hire is a summer service, so don’t count on rowing out late in the month. See autumn foliage tours.

November is cold and very quiet. There are no road restrictions, and bus 442 from Dobbiaco runs all year. The lake usually doesn’t freeze until winter proper, but the shaded parts of the shore path can be icy, so wear boots with grip. The Braies, Misurina and Tre Cime view day had November dates when we checked. From 15 November the Misurina small-group day adds Braies to its route. More on the November page.

One tour to be careful with: the Ortisei bus tour to Braies runs in summer only and had no October dates.

Braies or Misurina?

Many visitors ask which lake to prioritise. Braies is the more dramatic scene and further to drive. Misurina is closer to Cortina, has restaurants along its shore and a view towards the Tre Cime. Several Venice routes do both. The Braies or Misurina guide compares them.

For the rest of the season, see the Dolomites autumn tours overview. Check availability for ninety minutes at Braies.