Lake Bolsena, crater lake in Italy
Lake Bolsena is the largest volcanic crater lake in Europe and sits in the Province of Rome in the Lazio region. It stretches approximately 13.5 kilometers long and about 12 kilometers wide, with a cone-shaped bottom where the deepest point reaches around 150 meters at its center.
The lake formed thousands of years ago when a volcanic explosion created a large crater that gradually filled with rainwater and underground sources. The Romans called it Lacus Volsinii, named after the ancient Etruscan city Velzna, which was relocated around 264 BC to a new site near the lake.
The name comes from the ancient Roman term Lacus Volsinii, referring to the old Etruscan settlement in the region. The villages around the water maintain traditional ways of life where fishing and local food remain central to daily rhythms, visible in festivals, markets, and boats that still venture out at night to catch fish.
The lake can be explored by boat from several harbor towns including Capodimonte and Bolsena, where trips to the two islands are available. The area offers lodging in hotels, campsites, and rental homes in the shoreline villages, with good road access around the entire water body for visitors with vehicles.
A US bomber plane crashed into the lake in 1944, and the aircraft wreck is preserved in the local museum today. The stories of the crew members remain documented and connect this place to pivotal 20th-century events.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
