A wild crater lake surrounded by ancient beech forests
In the Cimini mountains, a few kilometres from Viterbo and Caprarola, Lake Vico lies in the caldera of an ancient volcano, at about 500 metres above sea level. It is one of the best preserved volcanic lakes in Italy, protected since 1982 by a nature reserve that covers the lake and the slopes of the crater.
The shores are partly lined with reeds and marshes, home to herons, grebes, coots and many migratory birds, while on the slopes of Monte Venere, an ancient volcanic cone inside the crater, grows a beech forest at an unusually low altitude, together with chestnut and oak woods. The beech forests of the Monte Cimino, close by, are part of the UNESCO site of the ancient beech forests of Europe. Paths and a cycle route around the lake allow you to explore it in silence.
Tip: in autumn the colours of the woods are spectacular; swimming is allowed in some areas of the shore. Combine it with Villa Farnese at Caprarola.
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