Walking Along Lake Bolsena: The Most Beautiful Stretches of the Shore

There are two ways to experience Lake Bolsena in summer. The first is the one almost everyone knows: parking, a fitted-out beach, a sun lounger, a queue at the bar.

The second just takes a comfortable pair of shoes and the willingness to walk a few kilometres away from the lidos.

A lake that’s still largely untouched

Lake Bolsena has a shoreline of about 43 km. Much of it remains natural: reed beds, stony banks, Mediterranean scrub reaching right down to the water, stretches of path where you can walk for hours without meeting a soul.

That’s not something you find easily on a lake less than one hours from Rome.

The best stretches

The western shore, between Marta and Gradoli, is the least frequented. The road pulls away from the lake here and the shoreline stays wilder. Some stretches are only reachable on foot, which is enough to put off anyone unwilling to walk a few kilometres.

The area around Capodimonte has well-kept paths with views of Isola Bisentina, the most scenic spot on the eastern shore.

What to bring

Nothing technical: the lake is flat and the shoreline paths have no demanding gradients. Closed shoes or trail shoes, enough water, sunscreen. In summer, setting off before 9am makes all the difference.

Best time of year

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for walking. The light is different, the vegetation is alive, and there’s no crowd. In summer, early morning or late afternoon work well. In winter the lake takes on an almost surreal atmosphere: low mist over the water, silence, the odd heron. It’s not for everyone, but anyone who loves winter landscapes will find it striking.

Planning your day

From Montefiascone, the lake is 10 minutes by car. A morning dedicated to the walk, lunch at one of the lakefront restaurants, a free afternoon or a visit to one of the nearby towns: it’s a day that wraps up without rushing and without regrets.

Anyone staying at AuraVista for at least two nights has time to pair the lakeside walk with one of the area’s other excursions without giving anything up. With just one night, something always gets left behind.