Seated in a palm of rock making up the Pragser Valley, is a subject that has drawn in photographers for years with its rustic stilt-legged boathouses and dramatic beauty. In all likelihood, you might have chanced upon this on Pinterest or Instagram. But how about seeing it for yourself where you can breathe in the alpine scents and feel the wind against your skin?

Pragser Wildsee can only be described in superlatives, being the largest natural lake in the Dolomites and arguably the most beautiful, earning it the nickname ‘the pearl of Dolomite Lakes”. It is crowned by a ring of pines and alpine forest. So clear are its waters that it seems as if the image of the jagged peaks across has been painted onto cut and polished glass below. Staying overnight, you’re sheltered under a ceiling of stars set against the deep purple and blue of the sky. The sound of chirping insects in the background is all the music you need surrounded by such pristine nature. Wrapped in this cocoon of natural beauty, you’ll find your heart yearning not to leave.