As part of our Italian Abruzzo Adventure we visited the stunning spot of Il Lago di San Domenico and I think it was probably my favourite place we visited whilst we were away. It was nice to see some proper sunshine after the thunderstorms and rain previously in Sulmona.
The drive to the lake took us about 45 minutes and it was a stunning drive. We drove across bridges and through tunnels underneath the mountains. As we got closer to the lake the roads became more windy and narrow and we were glad for the safety barriers lining the roads – just in case!
The Most Gorgeous Lake
We arrived at the lake which looked stunning in the midday sunshine. There was a large lay-by in which you could park in which we did and walked towards the shore of the lake where we could see some picnic benches waiting for us.
We took a seat on the picnic benches which are nicely nestled on the shore of the lake. There were a few other families and groups of people having their lunch and there was a group of what I assume were geese and some ducks which appeared very interested in our Italian ciabatta and meats! It was a lovely spot to eat lunch and admire the view.
After finishing our lunch and rapidly walking away from the following gaggle of birds we walked around the lake and got some even better views. We walked to viewing platform where we could take a few selfies. There was another couple there admitting the view and we took it in turns to take photos of each other – this was quite amusing as they didn’t speak much English and we didn’t speak whatever language they were communicating with either!
Lago di San Domenico is a lake situated in the Province of L’Aquila, Abruzzo and is apparently a man-made lake. It was constructed for electricity supply but is now a wonderful place to relax and soak up the sun in the summertime. I can imagine if we had been there a few weeks before in August time the lake would have been full with sunbathers and swimmers.
A Hidden Grotto
After walking back around the lake we decided to explore further. On the way back we passed the Church which overlooks the lake. We ventured in and followed the sign entitled “Grotto di S.Domenico”. This led us to a small grotto / ave area at the back of the church. We found it a little creepy so quickly retreated and made our way back to the car.
Next we decided to carry on and drive to the next lake along – Il Lago di Scanno.
Hace you ever been here? Did you find the hidden grotto?
34 Responses
Wow what a gorgeous place! I think you found the perfect picnic spot! Beautiful photos as always. xx
Thank you! It was such a good spot and such stunning views! Thanks for your comment 🙂
What a stunning place to stop and have lunch (shame about those cheeky geese though!) – so peaceful and pretty 🙂
Haha yes Helen, shame about the geese, I ended up sitting on the table at one point for fear of them nibbling my feet! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Oh beautiful photos. You look like you had a fab time exploring! 😀
Thank you Beth, it was certainly fun!
I’m so so jealous ! It looks absolutely beautiful. Your photos are stunning as always but it fuels my jealousy even more to be honest 😉😂😂
Aww thank you, it was easy to take nice pics as the scenery was so delightful! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Pictures of sunshine are making me yearn for the summertime again! Beautiful photos and the hidden grotto looks so pretty, what a good find!
Oh Alex me too! Where has the summer gone?! It was such a good find and a lovely place for a picnic!
What a gorgeous place – I love your photos. It looks like you had an amazing time. Kaz
Thank Kaz, it was so lovely and we had a super time!
Wow! Unless you had stated so, I would have never have thought that Il Lago would be a manmade lake. It is breathtaking and I can see why it is a popular spot x
Yeah we were surprised too, there was quite a bit of history to it too which just added to its charm I think!
Wow the sun was really shining! What a gorgeous place to stop & have a picnic 🙂 x
It was so lovely and warm! Perfect place for a spot of lunch!
Oh my goodness. That looks amazing – what fabulous photos. I’ve never been to Italy but really need to go!
Thank you Tracy, it certainly was lovely. Italy is just awesome!
That sounds like a lovely place for a picnic. I think I’d be running from the birds myself!
They were so scary! And I did’t want to share my lunch with them!!
What a stunning location. The grotto sounds fab and lol at the selfie photo shoot with the non speaking English couple
Haha yes the selfies photoshoot was rather funny! Thanks for your comment Suzy!
Wow it looks stunning, deficits a place I would love to escape to. The water is such a beating colour x
Definitely not deficits! X
Haha opps!
Definitely a perfect spot to escape to Jenni! Thanks for your comment.
We love Italy spending our honeymoon there and have since been on road trips a couple of times with the boys. Such a beautiful place. We have not visited this lake though so will have to remember it for our next Italian adventure.
Oh wow, what a lovely place to go to for your honeymoon! I agree it’s such a lovely country and there’s certainly more of it I’d like to see! Be sure to check it out if you go that way 🙂
Your photos are making me miss the sunshine. I am loving the view too.
Aww I’m missing it too! Glad you like the view 🙂
Oh how fun…it looks like you had a blast. This is definitely a place worth visiting.
Loved it! So sunny and beautiful!