Hikers and nature lovers in the Italian Marche are rubbing their eyes in amazement: the Lago di Pilato, a glacial mountain lake in the national park of the Sibillini Mountains, is once again displaying its full splendor right at the start of summer. For the first time since 2018, its two basins have merged into the characteristic "glasses shape", a rare spectacle that, after the drought summers of recent years, hardly anyone thought possible anymore.
The "glasses shape" is back, for the first time in eight years
The Lago di Pilato owes its nickname to its unusual form: when water levels are high, its two surfaces merge into a silhouettereminiscent of a pair of eyeglasses, affectionately called "forma a occhiali" or even "Ray-Ban" in Italy. In early June 2026, the two basins merged for the first time since 2018. This was made possible by a colder winter with abundant snowfall, which refilled the lake after years of drought. In the coming weeks, the Lago di Pilato is expected to be fuller than it has been in a long time.
A prehistoric crustacean found nowhere else on Earth
Behind this beautiful sight lies an ecologically charged story. The Lago di Pilato is home to the Chirocephalus marchesonii, a coral-red prehistoric crustacean barely a centimeter in length. This species is endemic, meaning it exists nowhere else in the world but this one lake.
During the drought years of recent times, the lake periodically nearly dried out entirely; most recently, the species was critically endangered in 2025, when the Sibillini national park administration had to intervene to save the crustacean. The return of a full lake is therefore far more than a visual spectacle: it is a matter of survival for a unique animal species.
Where is the Lago di Pilato?
The lake sits at approximately 1,941 meters above sea level on the slopes of Monte Vettore, in the heart of the national park of the Sibillini Mountains, between the regions of Marche and Umbria. It is the only natural lake in Marche and one of the highest-elevation glacial lakes in the Apennines, an alpine mountain lake in the heart of central Italy.
The legend of Pontius Pilate
The lake owes its name to a dark legend: according to tradition, the body of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate was brought here on a cart pulled by wild buffaloes and cast into its waters. For centuries, this remote mountain lake was regarded as a place of magic and witchcraft, a myth that continues to add to the site's special allure to this day.
Tips for visiting
The Lago di Pilato can only be reached on foot, typically via a demanding hike from the village of Foce di Montemonaco, with several hours of ascent. Those who make the climb should be sure to respect the protection rules of the national park : entering the water is strictly prohibited, as the Chirocephalus marchesonii lays its eggs near the shore. Even disturbing the sediment on the lake bed can threaten the population. This is how the reawakened natural wonder of the Lago di Pilato can be preserved for future generations as well.
