Lake Smeraldo is in Fondo in the north of the valley, at an altitude of 1,000 metres. It is a man-made lake which is made even more charming thanks to the Alpine environment; it was created fairly recently (1964) by damming the Rio Fondo, The lake has become the pride of the local community. In summer, its little beach is the perfect place for a picnic and cooling off. In winter, however, the lake becomes a giant open-air ice skating rink. You will never tire of the delightful and easy walk from the middle of Fondo to the lake along the narrow “Valle dei Molini” (the valley of windmills) which weaves its way up through the canyon past rock formations, giant potholes and fossils. The footpath dug out of the rock features handy walkways and is illuminated at night. Along the route, there is an ancient washhouse, the Roman bridge and a reconstruction of an old mill.
