Lago di Fiastra: how to get there, trails and beaches

Where Lago di Fiastra is

Lago di Fiastra lies in the municipal territory of Fiastra (MC), on the Marche side of the Sibillini Mountains, within the National Park. It is fed by the Fiastrone river and a few small tributaries. It has a long, narrow shape, enclosed by the surrounding hills, in a very green and little-developed setting.

The reference point on arrival is San Lorenzo al Lago, on the southeastern shore. At the opposite end is the dam, the starting point for hikes to the Lame Rosse. The Fiastra dam is an arch-gravity dam: it is 87 m high from the lowest point of the foundations and 81.50 m above the riverbed, with a crest 254 m long. Building it took 158,000 m³ of concrete. The dam crest is crossed on foot at the start of the trail to the Lame Rosse.

How to get to Lake Fiastra and where to park

Lago di Fiastra is reached by car. From the SS77 Foligno-Macerata, exit near Lago di Polverina and take the SP98 Polverina-Fiastra. From the Adriatic coast, leave the A14 at Civitanova Marche and continue on the SS77 and then on the provincial roads; from Macerata it takes about an hour. There is also an alternative: leave the expressway toward Abbadia di Fiastra and drive toward Sarnano for about 25 km. Then take the SP78 to the signs for Fiastra, where the road starts to climb. Other access routes pass through Sassotetto and Bolognola. After the 2016 earthquake some road sections in the area may be affected by works, so it is wise to check road conditions before setting out.

For Lago di Fiastra parking, there are two areas, depending on the activity. For swimming, park at San Lorenzo al Lago. On the main road there is a large parking lot a few meters from the beach entrance and another in the center of the village. There are many free spaces a few hundred meters from the beaches, while a paid parking lot overlooks the water directly.

For the Lame Rosse trail there are few spaces near the dam. About 500 m before it there is a parking area. Another parking lot is about a kilometer farther back, about 1.5 km from the trailhead. There are other spaces along the road, but watch out for no-parking zones. In summer, and especially on weekends, spaces fill up quickly: it is best to arrive early in the morning.

Those traveling by camper van will find a campground on the lake and parking areas, including an equipped area near the village of Fiastra.

Lake Fiastra hike: trails and walks

The most popular hike is the one from the dam to the Lame Rosse. Walk across the dam crest, pass through a short tunnel and, at the first junction on the dirt road, turn right. The route follows trail 335 of the CAI signage, which corresponds to the Park's trail E2. The way out and back follow the same track.

• Length: about 7 km there and back
• Elevation gain: about 300 m
• Duration: a few hours, excluding stops
• Difficulty: E (hiking)

The first section is on a dirt road. Then the trail enters a holm oak wood that keeps it in the shade almost all the way. The most tiring part comes at the end: a steep, slippery scree slope where feet tend to sink, which takes a quarter of an hour at most. There are no fountains or refreshment points along the route, so bring enough water and food. At the base of the Lame Rosse, do not continue on the path that climbs into the gullies beside the pinnacles, approach the formations or enter the small gravel canyons: there is a danger of collapse and foot traffic speeds up erosion. Alternatively, the hike can start from the Ruffella viewpoint, passing through the hamlet of Fiegni.

The Sentiero Natura (nature trail) is the easiest walk. It starts from San Lorenzo al Lago, near the equipped beach, and follows the right-hand side of the lake almost to the dam. It takes about two hours and can be walked or cycled; a 900 m section is also suitable for people with disabilities. It can be extended into a loop. At the end of the Sentiero Natura, about 3 km long, climb up to the road near the dam and cross it. At the junction go left to the Ruffella viewpoint, which overlooks the whole lake. Then climb on a paved road to the church of the Beato Ugolino and descend along a cart track toward a campground.

Routes to the peaks of Pizzo Berro and Monte Priora also start from the lake. For the Gole del Fiastrone and the Grotta dei Frati, check beforehand. Access to the Gole del Fiastrone is forbidden to everyone by ordinance of the Municipality of Fiastra, as the Park also states, and ordinance no. 39 of July 28, 2022 regulates the use of the trails of the Lame Rosse, the Grotta dei Frati and the Gole. The rules have changed several times: before setting out, check the ordinances in force with the Comune di Fiastra or the Park authority.

Best time to visit Lake Fiastra

Summer is the main season at Lago di Fiastra, because it is swimming season. Swimming is allowed in the marked areas. The main beach, at San Lorenzo al Lago, has a lifeguard, a kiosk renting umbrellas and sun loungers, refreshment points and restrooms. The free beach areas are very large. The shores are mostly grass and earth, with a few sandy stretches; near the shore the bottom can be a little muddy. July and August are the busiest months.

On August 9, with the traditional fireworks display on the lake, many people arrive, and the same happens around Ferragosto, the mid-August holiday. In every season the early morning hours and weekdays are quieter and parking is easier.

The Lame Rosse can be visited all year round, except when there is snow, because the pinnacles are unstable. In the warm months it is best to start early: the woods give shade for most of the climb, but at the foot of the Lame there is little shade. Access to the Lame Rosse is free, with no ticket, reservation or visitor cap. In 2021 an ordinance of the Comune di Fiastra had introduced a paid ticket and a limit of 600 people a day, but it was revoked by the municipality on July 6, 2021.

In the first part of summer 2026 the lake level was lowered by about 8 meters for scheduled maintenance on the dam. The small bridge of the old village of San Lorenzo re-emerged from the water, then the level rose gradually from early July. Swimming, fishing and sports remained allowed throughout the period.

What to see near Lago di Fiastra

The Lame Rosse are the best-known destination. They are pinnacles and towers of gravel held together by clay and silt, sculpted by the weather. They stand at about 860 m, above the lake, between Monte Fiegni (1,323 m) and Monte Petrella (1,155 m). Lower down flows the Fiastrone. The red color comes from the iron oxides in the rock.

There are several viewpoints around the lake. The Ruffella viewpoint looks over the whole lake. Podalla, a small village halfway between San Lorenzo and the dam, is a good spot to watch the sunset over the lake. In the village of Fiastra, on the side opposite the dam, the church of San Paolo stands on a small hill above the lake, a few minutes' walk from the parking lot.

San Lorenzo al Lago, the modern settlement on the southeastern shore, grew up around the church of San Lorenzo. The oldest part of the church is Romanesque and preserves some of the oldest frescoes in the Marche.

For families with children, on the road to the lake there is an adventure park with treetop courses and four zip lines over the lake, the longest 160 m. Coming from the SS77, the road runs along Lago di Polverina, another reservoir in the area. The other bodies of water on the Marche side are described on the page about the lakes of the Sibillini Mountains in the Marche.