The Lake of Santa Croce is a naturally occurring lake located in the heart of the Alpago basin, in the province of Belluno. It is the largest lake in the province and the second largest in Veneto. Along its shores, there is an important natural site, the Sbarai Oasis, a vast wetland characterized by diverse environments linked to changes in the lake's water levels.
The main inflows of the lake are to the north, the Cellina Canal, which collects waters from the Piave River at Soverzene, and the Tesa stream; the lake has only one outflow, the Rai stream, which serves as a safety measure in case of floods and flows into the Piave at Cadola di Ponte nelle Alpi. Until the mid-18th century, the lake had no outflow, but the proximity of the Cansiglio Forest, from which a large quantity of construction timber was sourced, led to the excavation of the 7 km long Rai stream, which connects to the Piave.
On the lake's edge are the inhabited centers of Farra d'Alpago to the north, the district of Poiatte to the east, the village of Santa Croce del Lago to the west, and the district of La Secca to the north. Additionally, the entire western slope of the lake is crossed by the state road 51 of Alemagna, which was the main communication route between the province of Treviso and the province of Belluno before the inauguration in 1995 of the Vittorio Veneto-Belluno section of the A27 motorway.
A perfect place for walks and moments of relaxation, there is a furnished area on the beach where you can rent sunbeds, umbrellas, pedal boats, and canoes. Thanks to the particularly windy climate, the lake has become a sought-after destination for windsurfing, kitesurfing, and sailing enthusiasts: throughout the beautiful season, colorful sails can be seen gliding over the waves in front of the imposing mountains surrounding the basin.
