Here, in the so-called Piana di Dobbiaco, all the streams and watercourses of the area converge at the source of the Drava, which begins between Dobbiaco and San Candido, at an altitude of 1175 m. Along its 750 km flow towards the Danube, the Drava runs through five European countries: Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary, running into the Black Sea after another 1400 km.
Water never stays anywhere for long,
 flowing lightly and silently on its way.

The path - Viale Stazione - that links the Grand Hotel and the source of the Drava symbolically covers the flow of the river from the mouth to the spring. Milestones indicating the distance are placed on the edge of the path, marking important stations of the river that crosses Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary. The distances between the milestones reflect the actual distances. For a clearer understanding of the real dimensions of the river, 1 metre of path corresponds to 1.4 kilometres of the actual river length.
The path can be covered in 5 minutes running or 15 at a walking pace.
It is not the river that flows,
but the water

The panoramic platform of Dobbiaco lake can be found in the area with the canebrakes and the marshes. The lake is an environmentally protected area, and is an integral part of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Natural Park.
The platform on the lake offers spectacular views of the splendid surrounding landscape. Dobbiaco lake sits at an altitude of 1259 m a.s.l. and has a surface area of 14 hectares, a circumference of 4.5 km and a basin of 286,000 m3, with a maximum depth of 3.5 m. Along the path around the lake are numerous information panels illustrating the characteristics of the local fauna and flora. Near the natural basin there are also a number of hotels and restaurants for tourists.
Everything originates from water.
Everything is preserved by water.

Dobbiaco lake and the Grand Hotel can be reached by car, along the SS49 Val Pusteria road (E66) in the province of Bolzano. From the province of Belluno, follow the SS51 Alemagna road through the tourist resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Cimabanche pass, or the SS52 Carnica road through Comelico and the Monte Croce Pass.

ACCESSIBLE: yes
MUNICIPALITY: Dobbiaco and San Candido
PLACES: Drava springs, Grand Hotel Dobbiaco gardens and Dobbiaco lake
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES: UTM WGS84 - ETRS89
Drava springs X 747588,89; Y 5179216,76
Grand Hotel Dobbiaco gardens: X 1746425,96; Y 5179515,11
Dobbiaco Lake X 746044,38; Y 5177301,35

PROVINCE: Bolzano

FILE COMPILED BY: Kathrin Tschurtschenthaler, Dobbiaco Tourist Office

At the Cultural Centre of the Grand Hotel in Dobbiaco, an art installation entitled “Water” has been set up, composed of two stainless steel water containers that mark the poles of a “water axis” that crosses the gardens of the Grand Hotel from east to west. A path and a frieze featuring the lyrics of “Canto della terra” by Gustav Mahler link the two. The aim of this installation by the artist Ulrich Egger is to represent water as a metaphor of music. The installation was inaugurated in 2001 on the occasion of the creation of the gardens in front of the Gustav Mahler music room in the Cultural Centre of the Grand Hotel in Dobbiaco.

Data held by the project partner