A circular path leads around the turquoise-blue Lake Vernago, in whose waters an entire village once sank
Image gallery: Vernago al Lago
Few people know that, in addition to the famous tower in Lake Resia, there is another sunken church tower in South Tyrol: that of the Leiterkirchl. This, along with the other farms of Vernago Vecchia, that's to say Old Vernago, was swallowed by the reservoir in the 1950s. When the water level is particularly low, the last remnants of the sunken village emerge from the waters - a rare sight. The new village houses have been built on the shores of Lake Vernago.
Today, Vernago (Vernagt) is a pleasant destination for a day out and a quiet holiday spot at an altitude of 1,700 metres. Various hiking trails start at the lake and lead up into the surrounding mountains. Up there, you will find old farms such as the Tisenhof, Raffreinhof, and Finailhof, between which the Archaeological Trail, one of eight historic hiking routes in the valley, runs.
From Vernago, the farmsteads are reachable on a hike lasting several hours, which you can extend into a mountain tour: From the Finailhof, the path continues to Lake Finale at 2,709 metres a.s.l. It is impressively situated at the foot of Mt. Croda delle Cornacchie on the Val Senales Glacier.
The hike around Lake Vernago also begins at the turquoise-blue lake - a leisurely walk with lovely spots for a picnic. When you have covered half the way, a short ascent takes you up to the Oetzi High Rope Park. The lake is also popular with anglers, boaters, and cyclists, at least until the first snowflakes fall in late autumn. Attention then turns to the nearby Val Senales Glacier, where the Alpin Arena Senales becomes a meeting point for skiers, snowboarders, and cross-country skiers.
