Lago del Predil, Alpine lake in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Lago del Predil is an alpine lake in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northeastern Italy, sitting close to the borders with Austria and Slovenia. The lake lies at roughly 970 meters above sea level and is hemmed in on all sides by the peaks of the Julian Alps.
The area around the lake was long controlled by the Habsburg Empire, which used the nearby Predil Pass as a key route through the Julian Alps. After the First World War, the region passed to Italy, which changed the political and cultural character of the valley.
The lake goes by three names depending on which language you speak in the area: Lago del Predil in Italian, Raibler See in German, and Rabeljsko jezero in Slovenian. This detail reflects how the surrounding valley has long been a meeting point for Italian, German-speaking, and Slovenian communities.
The lake is reached by following the road toward Predil Pass from Tarvisio, with parking available along the way. Weather at this elevation can turn quickly, so carrying a layer for wind or rain is a good habit regardless of the season.
A small island sits in the middle of the lake, formed from a partially submerged glacial moraine left behind when the ice retreated from this valley. It is clearly visible from the shore and is one of the few glacial formations of this kind found in the Julian Alps.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
