Whether karst or man-made, whether for a day’s touch-and-go or a weekend getaway to relax, a few kilometers from Rome there are lakes to fully enjoy in summer and easily accessible by the A24 and A25 highways. Here are seven suggestions for “escaping” the heat of the Capital:
The Pond of San Benedetto in Subiaco
It is a naturalistic and scenic gem nestled in the Simbruini Mountains Regional Nature Park. Hidden and semi-unknown until recently, it is characterized by silence and breathtaking landscapes must well combine respect for the environment and the territory. It is perhaps the smallest artificial lake in Lazio, immersed in wild nature and silence broken only by the roar of the waterfall. This lake is located just a few minutes from the Monastery of St. Scholastica and is an easy place to reach: on theA24 highway, from Rome it takes about an hour by exiting at Vicovaro/Mandela.
Salt Lake
Artificially created in 1940 in the province of Rieti, this reservoir with its dam returns a unique landscape thanks to the fjords, bays and inlets that make the path that follows the physiognomy of the Valle del Salto very jagged. The glimpse is that of a place totally immersed in nature despite being born of the hand of man; in fact, dense forests of oak and chestnut trees decline almost to the point of lapping the waters of the lake. Here you can rent umbrellas, deck chairs, pedal boats and canoes or try wakeboarding, a water sport that is regularly practiced in this area. It can be visited by continuing toward Rieti from the Tagliacozzo exit of theA24 highway.
Turano Lake
The waters of Lake Turano are shared with those of Lake Salto through an artificial canal about 9 km long. It is the ideal place for a walk in an unspoiled landscape with salubrious air where you can visit the village of Castel di Tora, which acts as a counterpoint to Colle di Tora. Connecting the two villages is a bridge that crosses the lake and makes the whole surroundings very impressive. The villages are surrounded by the dense forests of the Monte Navegna and Monte Cervia Nature Reserve, which dominates, from the highest peak at 1506 meters, Castel di Tora.
Sinizzo Lake
Nestled in the oak, beech, maple and willow forests of the Aterno Valley, Lake Sinizzo is a small, pretty lake located just outside the town of San Demetrio ne’ Vestini in the province of L’Aquila. Surrounded by grassy shores, it has karst origins, is circular in shape with a diameter of about 120 meters and a maximum depth of 10 meters, and is fed by two drinking water springs (one of which gives the lake its name). It is a corner of paradise equipped for picnics and is also known by the name “L’Aquila beach” in fact it is located a few dozen kilometers from theA24 L’Aquila Est exit.
The lake of Split Mountain
This is an artificial lake in the territory of Alfedena within the Abruzzo Lazio e Molise National Park. It is at an altitude of 1066 meters above sea level, within the locality of Montagna Spaccata and at the foot of the hills sloping down from the Meta and Greco ranges where it is also possible to fish. Created in the 1950s as a result of a barrage for the production of electricity, the lake is now one of the area’s major tourist attractions thanks to its unspoiled and particularly striking natural environment. It is characterized by color tones ranging from turquoise to emerald because of the forests that surround the waters, and here it is not difficult to spot wolves, wild boar, bears, chamois and deer in the immediate vicinity of the lake.
Lake Pio
Pio Lake is a small hidden gem of the Sagittarius Valley. Having no tributaries, it is believed that the ‘water that feeds it comes from nearby Lake Scanno through underground passages. From Rome, simply take the A24 and continue on the A25 towards Pescara to the Cocullo exit and enter the magnificent Sagittario Valley. Once you pass a small tunnel that passes inside the mountain, a spectacular scenery opens before your eyes: a nature reserve with a small lake, less known than the others in the area, since it is not visible from the main road and therefore less visited. A wonderful place that makes you want to sit on the grass and contemplate what surrounds it, an area equipped with benches and picnic tables where, moreover, it is not uncommon to have encounters with local wildlife.
Small lakes of Percile
It might look like a typical Swiss Alps landscape instead the Laghetti di Percile are located in the Monti Lucretili Regional Park and can be reached through the Aniene Valley. From Rome, taking theA24 highway , one must take theVicovaro/Mandela exit to get to the village of Percile and continue on foot to the Laghetti. The location and the environment of the two small lakes of karst origin, characterized by typical emerald green waters in which the surrounding woods are reflected, make them one of the ideal destinations to spend a few hours relaxing in nature.The larger of the two lakes is surrounded by small beaches and you can easily stop there while in addition to hiking, other activities such as birdwatching, horseback riding, biking and mountain biking are possible.
