The small body of water was formed about 2160 years ago, and it is undoubtedly the jewel of Lavarone. Its origins can be dated thanks to some remains of logs and roots which are still to be found at present on the bottom of the lake. It is here where the legend of the lake takes over.
Story goes that, in ancient times, two brothers lived on the Alpe Cimbra: they had received in inheritance from their father a luxuriant wood, particularly fascinating because of its beautiful position, often lit by the rays of sunshine.
However, as often happens, the two brothers began to quarrel for the possession of the inherited forest: neither of them was willing to surrender and it seemed really impossible for them to reach a compromise. So it was that, by God's will, all of a sudden, the forest sank into the silence of the night.
The next morning, the two brothers woke up, and in place of the much contended forest, they found a lake, in an enchanting setting. This is how Lake Lavarone was born, at about 1080 meters above sea level, carrying the same name of our beautiful village. It is a karstic lake, as it is fed by underground springs that come, for the most part, from the adjacent Mount Rust. The water, moreover, flows through an emissary to the north-east whose flow was used in the 1500, a few hundred meters away from the lake, as motive power for a flour mill, which was later transformed into a sawmill that remained in business until the 20th century.
Lake Lavarone has been awarded, for several years now, the Blue Flag, an international award for eco-sustainability that is given annually to 49 countries with the support and participation of two UN agencies (UNEP, United Nations Environment Programme, and UNWTO, World Tourism Organization). The parameters that are evaluated for this certification are the following: the quality of the water of the lake, public and private services, the accessibility of these services, the quality of the surrounding environment and the environmental awareness initiatives organized annually by the municipality.
The lake also fascinated Freud, who spent several times his vacations in Lavarone. Here, during «very bright days», the famous founder of psychoanalysis composed one of his most important works: Gradiva. In his memory, thanks to a project in collaboration with the Province of Trento, the "Sentiero di Freud" (Freud's path) was recently built: it is a path for families and disabled people with places to stop and meditate — with an enchanting view over the lake — that connects with Viale Gradiva, on the side of the lake.
You know, the lake has so many things to tell, and always has so much charm to give to the eyes of its passers-by. We invite you to discover it in its waters and in every path that surrounds it: let yourself be caressed by its summer breeze, let yourself be enchanted.