Karerpass / Passo di Costalunga

The Karer Pass connects South Tyrol with the Trentino region and is - although sometimes quite busy - worth crossing alone because of its magnificent view of the Rosengarten and the Latemar massif.

In 16 hairpin bends and 17 kilometers in length, the toll-free mountain pass road winds over the ridge. On the way, you also pass the picturesque Karersee, which is located in a wooded area just below the pass summit. The Lago di Carezza, as it is also called in Italian, is certainly one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the Dolomites. The best way to experience the idyll at the emerald green water is early in the morning when it is still smooth and untouched by the later streams of tourists passing by. The Karersee has not only given rise to many legends and myths, but is also a popular subject for numerous painters and writers from different eras.

The approach to the Karer Pass can also be made via the Tierser Tal and the Niger Pass. If you follow the SP. 65, it leads to the so-called Albergo Latemar, northwest of the pass summit. But no matter from which side you climb the pass, from here you have an incomparable view of the surrounding mountain world - especially the Latemar and the Rosengarten.

The 8 km long mountain range allegedly got its name from the legendary figure of King Laurin, who is said to have once created a beautiful rose garden here. The dwarf king cursed the garden due to unrequited love, decreeing that in the future, no one should ever see it again, neither by day nor by night. However, Laurin forgot about twilight, and so his rose garden presents itself in the most magnificent colors at both sunrise and sunset.

The Latemar is comparatively small and not yet fully developed for tourism, but it offers a beautiful backdrop around the Karersee. In recent years, there have been numerous renovations and repairs to the old mountain road, which has been running between Birchabruck and Vigo in the Fassa Valley since 1896 and has been used for traffic. Due to the improved infrastructure, numerous hotels located on and around the Karer Pass also benefit. From the pass summit, there is even the possibility to take a chairlift up to the Rosengarten.