Lago di Piana degli Albanesi Lake

Address: Lago di Piana degli Albanesi, Piana degli Albanesi, Sicily, Italy (near Palermo)

Admission: Free to view; local recreational facilities may charge

Lago di Piana degli Albanesi is an artificial lake beside the town of Piana degli Albanesi in Sicily. The reservoir was created by damming to provide water management for the surrounding agricultural plain and town.

The shoreline is used for local recreation, with promenades and informal fishing spots used by residents and visitors from the Palermo area. The lake is valued as a landscape feature of the Arbëreshë community that gives the town its name.

The basin was formed by human intervention to collect and regulate water for local uses and has remained an important part of the town’s setting and economy.

The lake sits on the interior of Sicily, close to the town of Piana degli Albanesi in the Palermo administrative area, forming a prominent local landmark within the surrounding agricultural landscape.

• Local role: Located immediately adjacent to the Arbëreshë town from which it takes its name, the lake is used locally for recreation and freshwater management.

Drive from Palermo along the A29 and provincial roads to reach Piana degli Albanesi; the lake is a short drive from city suburbs. Public buses run from Palermo to Piana degli Albanesi with variable frequency.

• The artificial reservoir near Piana degli Albanesi is best seen from the road that circles the basin-several scenic viewpoints exist.
• Combine with a visit to Palermo for a day trip; the lake is a scenic contrast to the coastal city.
• Local eateries serve Sicilian specialities-try the lamb or cheeses in nearby villages.