Lago di Fondi, Protected lake in Province of Latina, Italy

Lago di Fondi is a protected lake in the Province of Latina that covers a wide area and connects to the Tyrrhenian Sea through multiple channels. The water mixes fresh and salt due to underground springs meeting the tidal flow from the sea.

The lake was formerly called Amiclanus, after the vanished city of Amiclae nearby. Before land reclamation, heavy rain could swell the muddy-bottomed basin to about 2,000 hectares of marsh. Canals built from the below-sea-level marsh now drain into the lake, with pumping stations lifting the water; canals at both ends link it to the Tyrrhenian Sea. In 2006 Lazio made it a natural monument.

Local fishers still practice their craft here following strict conservation rules that keep the lake healthy. This balance between traditional ways and environmental protection shapes how the community relates to the water.

Visitors can walk on marked paths and watch the many bird species that live in the wetlands. The best time to visit is in the morning or during calm weather, when birds are more active and easier to spot.

The water here is a rare mixture of fresh and salt fed by underground springs from mountains. This special chemistry creates a habitat that few other lakes have, attracting animals specially adapted to these conditions.