How to reach the Lake Caldaro
Swimming:
– Swimming & beaches | Kaltern
Attraction nearby:
– The ruin Leuchtenburg | Kaltern
The viticultural village has got much to offer both for visitors and inhabitants. One of its main advantages is its lake, well integrated into the great landscape.
Lake Caldaro is the warmest bathing lake in the Alps as well as the largest natural bathing lake in South Tyrol, which does not necessarily mean that it has to be of vast extension, as there are not too many lakes in this area. However, lake Caldaro is well integrated into a beautiful landscape of vineyards and fruit orchards and is dominated by Castel Chiaro, which is located on a hill at the eastern lakeside and represents in a way the symbol of the area.
Lake Caldaro features a lenght of 1.8 km, is 0.9 km wide and covers an area of about 155 hectares.
Located at 216 m asl, its average depth is 3.5 m, while in some places it is even 5.6 m deep. Bathing season normally lasts begins in May and ends in September.
Due to the fact that this lake features the warmest springs in the Alps, every year it is a surprise whether the surface of the lake freezes in winter or not. If so, you can enjoy the lake from a very different point of view.
Lake Caldaro is located about 4 km from the centre of the village. The locality S. Giuseppe al Lago is directly located at the lakeside, in a slightly lonely position, which makes this place a popular holiday destination. S. Giuseppe belongs to the municipality of Caldaro.
Due to its shallow depth of the lake, already in spring the average water temperature of the lake is about 17 to 19 degrees and in high summer the lake even reaches 28 degrees. Due to the position of the lake, the temperature out of the water is about 10 degrees higher than in other mountain areas.
Windsurfers are acquainted with lake Caldaro, as it does not only offer pleasant water temperatures (already in April about 13 degrees) Also the “Ora”, a southern wind breeze blowing around midday offers great conditions for windsurfers. The “Ora” comes from lake Garda throughout the Valle dell’Adige until finally reaching lake Caldaro. A bit of Mediterranean feeling coming from lake Garda makes your holidays even more interesting.
Also another characteristic of the lake attracts lots of visitors. This area is the largest wetland area of South Tyrol and is characterised by reeds and wetland meadows, which are habitat for many waders as well as a resting place for migratory birds. The reeds at the southern lakeside give shelter to many protected animals and is thus a rest zone. Moreover the lake belongs to the “Natura 2000″ network in Europe.
A round course leading round lake Caldaro provides information on vegetation, the relationship between menkind and landscape as well as on flora and fauna on 14 information panels.