Sass Pordoi, Lago di Carezza and Pizza in the Dolomites

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On Friday, 20 July 2018, the day after our trip to Monte Lagazuoi, where the World War I tunnels left a big impression on us, we continued deeper into the Dolomites. Our summer holiday had started a few days earlier with a night drive to Zell am See in Austria. Two days of views, colours and one memorable food experiment were ahead of us. The day-by-day plan of the whole Alps and Dolomites 2018 trip is in a separate post.

Lago di Carezza (Karersee in German) is a small lake in South Tyrol, 1,520 m above sea level at the foot of the Latemar mountains. It is about 300 m long and 140 m wide, a short walk around it takes about 20 minutes, and from the car park by the road you reach the shore in about 2 minutes.

The Pordoi Pass and the Sass Pordoi Cable Car

On Friday morning, we set off by car towards the Pordoi Pass. The road winds higher and higher through hairpin bends, and the views become more dramatic with every turn.

At the pass, 2,239 metres above sea level, we drove past the valley station of the Funivia Sass Pordoi. This cable car takes about 4 minutes to reach the viewing terrace on Sass Pordoi at 2,950 metres. We did not go up this time, but the drive over the pass alone was enough to feel the power of the Dolomites. Bare, rocky landscape surrounded us on all sides, and the kids could not take their eyes off the windows.

Fun fact: the Pordoi Pass lies on the Great Dolomites Road, which runs from Bolzano to Cortina d'Ampezzo over the Costalunga, Pordoi and Falzarego passes. It is about 110 km long and was built between 1901 and 1909.

Through Vigo di Fassa to Lago di Carezza

From the pass we drove down into the Val di Fassa valley and on through Vigo di Fassa - one of those Dolomite villages where every other house has a view that people back home in Poland would pay a fortune for. Our goal was Lago di Carezza, a lake we had read about before the trip.

We have to say - the photos did not lie. Lago di Carezza is small, but the colours of the water are just as impressive in real life. Depending on the light, the lake changes from emerald green to bright turquoise, and the Dolomite peaks and the dark forest are reflected on the surface.

A short walk around the lake takes about 20 minutes, but you could stand there much longer because the view never gets boring. The kids wanted to know right away why the water was so colourful. A simple question with a not-so-simple answer (minerals, depth, the lake bed), but their curiosity was genuine.

Fun fact: Lago di Carezza is also called the Rainbow Lake. Legend says the nymph Ondina lived in it, and a sorcerer who loved her, when he failed to lure her out, broke a rainbow and threw the pieces into the water. Since 2005 a bronze statue of Ondina has stood on a rock under the water, and you can only see it when the water is low.

You can see what Lago di Carezza looks like in real life in our video:

More videos from this trip are on our playlist Alpy / Dolomity 2018.

Merano and the Search for Perfect Pizza

On Saturday we drove to Merano - or Meran, as they say in German here, because in South Tyrol both languages are used every day. It is the second largest town in South Tyrol, with a promenade along the Passer river, elegant old buildings and an atmosphere that is part Austrian, part Italian. Warm weather, palm trees, mountains in the background - it is hard not to stop and look around. The winters here are so mild that palms and even lemon trees grow in the town.

But that day, pizza was the main event. On the way, in Merano, the kids firmly demanded real Italian pizza. After all, we were in Italy - we had to try it. We sat down at the Mitterwalder restaurant with high hopes.

The pizza arrived, the kids took a few bites... and exchanged knowing looks. The verdict was clear: Mum makes better pizza. What can you say - homemade pizza from a trusted recipe beat the Italian original. Mum received this news with quiet pride and pretended to be modest about it.

Waldcamping Völlan

For the night, we stopped at Alpin Fitness Waldcamping Völlan in Völlan (Foiana in Italian) near Lana, about 10 km from Merano. A peaceful campsite surrounded by trees, with a view of the mountains - exactly what we needed after a full day. Tent set up, tired kids, and the feeling that the Dolomites had not let us down yet.

Two days in the Dolomites and South Tyrol - from the rocky slopes of the Pordoi Pass, through the fairytale colours of Lago di Carezza, to a humbling lesson for Italian cooking. On Sunday we packed up the tent and headed to Austria over the Timmelsjoch pass - read about it in Timmelsjoch, Imst and the Journey Home.

For more about our trips to Italy, including Lake Garda and Venice, see our guide to Italy with kids.

Practical info

Lago di Carezza

• Location: the lake lies 1,520 m above sea level in the Val d'Ega (Eggental) valley, in the municipality of Nova Levante in South Tyrol.
• Parking: the largest car park, P1 (270 spaces), is right by the lake, and you reach the shore in about 2 minutes through the visitor centre and an underpass. The first hour costs 5 EUR, 1-2 hours 8 EUR and 2-6 hours 13 EUR, paid at the machine (as of November 2026).
• Toilets are in the visitor centre by the car park.
• Bus: line 180 from Bolzano takes about 45 minutes to the lake (as of November 2026).
• Walks: the short loop around the lake takes about 20 minutes, and longer loops from the car park over a suspension bridge take about 40 minutes and 1.5 hours.
• Swimming: not allowed, it is a protected alpine lake.

Sass Pordoi cable car

• The cable car goes from the Pordoi Pass (2,239 m) to the viewing terrace on Sass Pordoi (2,950 m) in about 4 minutes.
• In 2026 it ran from 14 May to 1 November, daily from 9:00 to 17:00, and current ticket prices are on sasspordoi.it (as of November 2026).
• There is a paid car park by the valley station.

Where we stayed

Alpin Fitness Waldcamping Völlan is about 700 m above sea level, about 10 km from Merano and 25 km from Bolzano. In 2026 it was open from 28 March to 1 November (as of November 2026).