The Olbe Lakes, rock pools in Sappada

Continuing towards the border with Veneto and Austria, you reach Sappada (Plodn), another German-speaking enclave characterised by its historic dark-wood houses and a strong tradition of popular piety. Above the village, nestled on a plateau suspended beneath the ridge of Mount Righile, lie the three Olbe Lakes. The route to reach them (4.6 km with a challenging elevation gain of over 900 metres) requires a good level of fitness, but the effort is rewarded by the arrival in a high-altitude basin of rare beauty. The easternmost lake, characterised by its deep green waters, offers a close-up view of the limestone cliffs of Monte Ferro reflected in its surface. In ancient times, these lakes were destinations for devotional pilgrimages; today they remain one of the most evocative vantage points in the Carnic Alps, where the alpine flora produces extraordinary blooms in summer.