Lake Tenno, a lake with unique colors where you can organize a trip or a relaxing weekend to visit the medieval village of Canale di Tenno. Near Riva del Garda a crystalline lake with changing colors awaits you: all the tips for your trip to Lake Tenno.
Il Lake of Tenno is a splendid blue lake located in the Municipality of Tenno, in the province of Trento, a few steps from Lake Garda and, precisely, from Riva del Garda, where I grew up.
The origins of Lake Tenno
It is a basin of unique origin that was formed following a landslide of the hill of Ville del Monte and which blocked the course of its tributary. It is a round lake, set in an alpine landscape at an altitude of 570 meters. With an area of ​​about 200 m² and is a real one natural jewel of Trentino, thanks also to its incredible blue-turquoise shades of its waters, in which the surrounding green mountains are reflected.
A lake with a unique color
Around the lake there are very few buildings and a dense forest, which make it even more beautiful. And it is precisely this green of the forest, combined with the stones and white sand of the seabed, which give the water a color that, according to the weather, varies from a bottle green to an emerald blue.
One of its particular characteristics is that of having a strong level shift, even of 15mt, depending on the time of year but also on particularly rainy or particularly dry seasons.
Generally at the end of the summer it is quite low and it is possible access on foot, through a strip of stones, to the small central island. In late autumn and winter, however, the island disappears and some trees emerge from the lake, half submerged, creating a truly suggestive effect.
When the lake is really low, another island sometimes emerges, called "Island of 86", Precisely because in 1986 it appeared for the first time and a plaque was placed on it that says:" When you see me, you will cry ", precisely because the outcropping of this second islet means a period of extreme drought and therefore not very happy for crops of the area.
How to reach Lake Tenno
The lake is located on the road that connects the city of Riva del Garda in Ponte Arche. It cannot be reached directly by car, but is accessed by a staircase or a dirt road.
From Riva del Garda it can be easily reached by car, following a series of hairpin bends, in about 15 minutes, it is in fact about 11km away, taking the SS240 towards Valle di Ledro / Lago di Tenno.
I recommend parking at the Lago di Tenno car park and then continue on foot to the lake, which can be reached in a few minutes.
An alternative road from Riva del Garda is the SS421 towards Varone / Cologna / Tenno. If you are a cyclist, you might like to make the road from the Garda city to Lake Tenno by bike, but I recommend you do it in the cooler hours in summer.
The water is clear and generally cool, so much so that in the summer you can swim safely. It is practically an oasis of quiet, with the exception of some summer Sundays in which you will find many tourists bathing. Furthermore, it is possible to take a pleasant walk around the lake as it is entirely bordered by a dirt road, which runs along the bathing area.
The lake also has a small area dedicated to those who have a dog or some four-legged friend who wants to swim.
What to visit in the surroundings
The village of Tenno, from which it takes its name, has less than 2000 inhabitants. More famous than the municipality of Tenno is the fascinating ancient medieval village of Tenno Canal, which is really worth visiting if you are at Lake Tenno, from which you can reach it directly on foot.
The medieval village of Canale di Tenno is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and among the best preserved since it has reached today almost intact. The village is made up of small stone houses, wrapped one over the other, between alleys, underpasses and galleries.
In particular, if you happen to be in these parts in the month of August, I would like to point out that, every summer in that period, the village comes to life for an event called "Rustic Middle Ages”, Aimed at evoking the history of this place, including gastronomy, markets and shows.
