Renting the boathouse at Lago di Braies for elopement or wedding photos
(2026 PRICING UPDATES) BOOKINGS FOR 2026 WILL OPEN FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026 AT 10:00 CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME
🚫 The Lago di Braies hotel and the boathouse are two separately run businesses. One will not have information about the other.
🚫 A photographer IS NOT INCLUDED in the boathouse reservation.
🚫 A new “VIP Shooting” package is available for €120 (replacing the old €360 “elopement” package) — it is NOT intended for wedding ceremonies. More below.
🚫 Be aware that the road to Lago di Braies is closed from 9am – 4pm in high season for those without parking reservations (details below)
🚫 Lago di Braies is usually frozen solid from Jan – March
✅ The boathouse is bookable from May 09th 2026 to 30th October 2026
✅ You are able to access the parking area and lake year round, just not the boats or the boathouse without a reservation
✅ Only the sunrise reservations are PRIVATE, the VIP shooting is during normal operating hours
✅ The below pricing structure is updated for the 2026 season
The booking structure at Lago di Braies changes yearly
Be careful of the information you read in older blogs – most content out there is inaccurate!
As of December 2025, pricing and availability for the La Palafitta boathouse on Lago di Braies has changed significantly for the 2026 season. Any information about renting the boathouse at Lago di Braies for photos before now is inaccurate. This blog is updated regularly throughout the year to make the booking types easy to understand for both weddings and tourists alike.
A NOTE ON ETIQUETTE FOR VISITING LAGO DI BRAIES
Overtourism has been an issue in Italy for a long time, but reached a peak in recent years. Süd Tirol is restricting daytime traffic to certain areas by capping numbers and blocking roads during midday hours.
Lago di Braies itself sees between 10k and 20k visitors A DAY from June to September.
That’s a lot of people in a very small area. Locals are, understandably, fed up. Please do your part to lessen the traffic, pollution and impact on this area by taking buses, keeping your voices down and picking up your trash (this includes toilet paper, banana peels and cigarette butts).
If you’re physically able, please consider booking the bike & boat experience from the Papin bike rental shop (see chart below), or by using the bus.
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2026 time slots and pricing structure for renting the entire boathouse at Lago di Braies
PRIVATE SUNRISE TIME SLOTS
From the 9th of May to the 19th of June, there are now two time slots. The rest of the year, there is only one available. The times change across the season to account for earlier/later sunrise times.
THE €600 EXCLUSIVE RENTAL IS BEST FOR: wedding ceremonies, elopement vows, proposals, styled shoots, bespoke floral setups, first looks, vows and undisturbed reflections in the water.
| Date Range | # of Time Slots | Time Slots | Cost | Advanced booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09.MAY.2026 – 22.MAY.2026 | 2 | 07:00–08:30 & 08:30-10:00 | €600 | Yes |
| 23.MAY.2026 – 19.JUN.2026 | 2 | 06:00-07:30 & 07:30 – 09:00 | €600 | Yes |
| 20.JUN.2026 – 06.SEP.2026 | 1 | 06:30-08:00 | €600 | Yes |
| 07.SEP.2026 – 27.SEP.2026 | 1 | 07:30-09:00 | €600 | Yes |
| 28.SEP.2026 – 30.OCT.2026 | 1 | 08:30-10:00 | €600 | Yes |
A FRIENDLY “INSTAGRAM VS. REALITY” WARNING TO WEDDING COUPLES
Each year, I spend roughly 15-20 days staying at or photographing at Lago di Braies. I’ve seen it at sunrise, sunset, high water, low water, in snow, in rain, in clouds and in sunshine. Every single day I’ve been there, there have been at least one, usually 2 or more, wedding couples taking photos. That doesn’t count the photographers, “influencers” and other types who travel from every corner of the earth to take photos here. It’s always crowded. There’s always illegal drones. There is always at least one other couple in a white dress and suit. If you want to enjoy this location with any amount of privacy on your wedding day, the private boathouse rental at sunrise is the only option.
It is a beautiful location and I highly recommend it, but it’s important to be prepared for the crowds. By mid-morning, it feels more like a theme park than a nature preserve and I recommend being gone by 09:00.
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Breakdown of the 2026 time slots and pricing structure for renting boats only
Lago di Braies “VIP Shooting” package
Each slot allows you to skip the line, which is often extremely long. You also are guaranteed access to the boathouse even if it is otherwise closed to the public due to bad weather. This is great for couples who want wedding, engagement, elopement or other types of photos on the boats and don’t mind being a part of the daily crowds.
VIP SHOOT PACKAGE IS BEST FOR: wedding photos, engagement shoots, couple shoots or any other occasion where you want to make sure you skip the line and have more time on a boat. It can be great for groups of up to 5 for any reason at all!
| Date Range | # of Time Slots | Time Slots | Cost | Advanced booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09.MAY.2026 – 22.JUN.2026 | 6 | 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00-13:00 13:00-14:00 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 | €120 | Yes |
| 23.MAY.2026 – 19.JUN.2026 | 8 | 09:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00-13:00 13:00-14:00 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 16:00-17:00 | €120 | Yes |
| 19.JUN.2026 – 06.SEP.2026 | 9 | 08:00-09:00 09:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00-13:00 13:00-14:00 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 16:00-17:00 | €120 | Yes |
| 07.SEP.2026 – 27.SEP.2026 | 8 | 09:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00-13:00 13:00-14:00 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 16:00-17:00 | €120 | Yes |
| 28.SEP.2026 – 30.OCT.2026 | 6 | 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00-13:00  13:00-14:00 14:00-15:00 15:00-16:00 | €120 | Yes |
Lago di Braies non-exclusive eBike & Boat Rentals during Normal Operating Hours
These packages are best for day tourists who will not be hiring/bringing a professional photographer.
Please note that during high season (June to September) between the hours of 09:00 and 16:00, you’ll still need to book a parking slot to go up the valley road once you turn off the ss49 highway at the roundabout.
| Rental Type | Cost | Advanced Booking | Duration | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Boat Rental | €55 per boat | No — first come, first serve | 45 minutes | 1 boat for up to 5 people | You rent the entire boat |
| Shared Boat Rental | €20 per person | No — first come, first serve | 45 minutes | 1 boat shared among 5 people | You book a seat, not the boat |
| e-Bike & Boat Experience | €75 per person | Yes — 1-4 days in advance from June | All day e-bike rental & 45 min boat rental | 1 boat shared among 5 people | You book a seat, not the boat, but skip the queue |
In high season (June through September) you must book a parking spot in advance to reach Lago di Braies by car between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm.
https://www.prags.bz/en
Hotel guests at any of the valley hotels are an exception.
See link here for details:
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READ MORE DOLOMITES ELOPEMENTS GUIDES HERE:
- Dolomites Elopement Budget Guide
- What are Adventure Engagement photos?
- What to wear for a Dolomites elopement
- How to plan a ski wedding in the Dolomites
- Eloping in a mountain hut
- How to plan a helicopter elopement
- Ultimate guide to eloping in the Dolomites
- MORE DOLOMITES GUIDES
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