Lake Barcis, Italy

When our friends heard what town we moved to their eyes lit up and told us Lake Barcis (bar-ches) was really close to us. I’m not one to get really excited over a lake, but since multiple people told us we need to check it out, I figured it was worth checking out sooner rather than later. 

With nothing to do over Thanksgiving weekend (heh…yes, Thanksgiving…) my husband and I decided to check out this lake everyone was talking about. So we packed up our turkey-day leftovers, threw (i.e. lightly placed) a bottle of wine in our bag, and went on our way. (Side note: It’s the middle of May and I’m seriously contemplating making a Thanksgiving meal thanks to this post. I could really go for some green bean casserole and stuffing right about now.)

Lago di Barcis, it turns out, is a mere 15 minutes away from our house. The road to the town is a little twisty, but just when you think you’ve been driving a little too long, you’re hit with an illuminating lake right before your eyes.

They should really have signs along the road that say something like “STOP LOOKING AT THE LAKE AND WATCH THE ROAD!” because we couldn’t help but gawk at the view before us.

Lake Barcis is an artificial lake nestled in the Friulian Dolmites.  The crystal-clear, turquoise hue comes from different minerals found in the rocks and mountain surrounding the water. It’s peaceful, stunning, simply enchanting. 

I’ve been back to Barcis a few times and it’s been just as gorgeous as the day we had our picnic. There are little trails you can take around the lake and the town—although teeny tiny—has a few shops, bars, and cafes. I’m excited to see what it’s like in the summer since I’ve heard you can actually go into the lake and cool off.