# A lake between 3 and 6 meters deep

> Lake Trasimeno covers 124 to 128 square kilometers and is 3 to 6 meters deep. In 2026 the water crisis cut the ferry service to one of its islands.

URL: https://myitalia.it/stories/a-lake-you-could-almost-stand-up-in
Last updated: 2026-09-02

Lake Trasimeno is between 3 and 6 meters deep across a surface of 124 to 128 square kilometers, and it is the largest lake in peninsular Italy.

## 3 to 6 meters, over the whole thing

The depth range is 3 to 6 meters and it holds across the lake, not only near the shore. Set 3 to 6 meters, the depth of the deep end of a pool, against a surface of 124 to 128 square kilometers, and the proportions stop making sense in the usual way.

Two official Umbria sources disagree on the surface: 128 square kilometers on the park page, 124 in a PDF from the same authority. Both figures come from the region, and this page prints the range rather than picking a winner.

Shallow water heats fast, cools fast and evaporates fast. Everything else on this page follows from those 3 to 6 meters.

## 257.33 meters above sea level is a benchmark, not a level

The Umbria region fixes the lake's hydrometric zero at 257.33 meters above sea level, the reference used for bathymetry and for measuring the water level. It is a survey datum, not the height of the water on a given day.

The distinction matters because the two get mixed up constantly. The elevation of the lake surface itself is not published by any institutional source we could reach, and the regional environmental agency site sits behind a challenge we did not bypass.

So the honest position is this: we can tell you the benchmark and the depth range, and we cannot tell you today's level.

## In 2026 the water crisis reached the timetable

Busitalia ran the 2026 ferry season from July 5 to September 27, with crossings of 15 to 30 minutes to Isola Maggiore from Passignano and from Tuoro Navaccia. Two connections did not run.

The Castiglione del Lago to Isola Maggiore link was suspended for the water crisis, and from June 29, 2026 the whole service to Isola Polvese stopped. The operator also warns that boats may run at reduced capacity for the same reason.

That is what a shallow lake in a dry year does to a printed timetable. If your plan involves Isola Polvese in 2026, it does not work.

## Prices, and the €3 that surprises people

A single crossing costs €4.20 to €5.40, a return €6.00 to €10.00, and an adult day ticket €14.30 (2026). Prices on this page are in euros.

Landing on Isola Maggiore carries a separate landing tax of €3 from March 1 to October 31, 2026, and €2 for the rest of the year. It is charged on top of the boat fare, and it is the line people miss when they budget the day.

Isola Maggiore is the inhabited island. Isola Polvese holds an environmental education center, and Isola Minore is private property.

## Where to base yourself

The 5 comuni of the park, Castiglione del Lago, Magione, Passignano sul Trasimeno, Tuoro sul Trasimeno and Panicale, are the practical choice of base, and in 2026 two of them matter more than the others.

Passignano and Tuoro Navaccia are the 2 departure points still served by ferries to Isola Maggiore, from July 5 to September 27, 2026. Castiglione del Lago lost its island link to the water crisis, so a stay there is a lake stay without a crossing.

Book the boat day early in your trip rather than late. The operator's own warning about reduced capacity means a full boat is a real possibility, and the 15 to 30 minute crossing is not a service you can improvise at the pier.

## A park of 13,200 hectares, since 1995

The regional park of Lake Trasimeno was established in 1995 over 13,200 hectares across 5 comuni: Castiglione del Lago, Magione, Passignano sul Trasimeno, Tuoro sul Trasimeno and Panicale.

The lake inside it is the largest in peninsular Italy and the fourth largest in the country, with 3 islands. Those are the credentials; the 3 to 6 meters is the character.

For the rest of the region, see [Umbria](/regions/umbria) and [nature and parks in Umbria](/nature-and-parks/in-umbria).

## FAQ

### How deep is Lake Trasimeno?

Between 3 and 6 meters. It is the largest lake in peninsular Italy and the fourth largest in the country, over a surface of 124 to 128 square kilometers, and it is shallow across the whole of that area rather than at the edges only.

### Can you visit the islands of Lake Trasimeno in 2026?

Isola Maggiore yes, Isola Polvese no. The 2026 ferry season runs July 5 to September 27, with 15 to 30 minute crossings from Passignano and Tuoro Navaccia. Service to Isola Polvese was suspended from June 29, 2026 because of the water crisis.

### How much do the Trasimeno ferries cost?

A single crossing costs €4.20 to €5.40 and a return €6.00 to €10.00, with an adult day ticket at €14.30 (2026). Landing on Isola Maggiore adds a €3 landing tax from March 1 to October 31, and €2 for the rest of the year.

### Is Lake Trasimeno drying up?

The 2026 effects are documented in the ferry service: the Castiglione del Lago link is suspended, all service to Isola Polvese stopped on June 29, 2026, and the operator warns that boats may run at reduced capacity. We have no verified current lake level to publish.

### What is the Trasimeno regional park?

A regional park established in 1995 over 13,200 hectares in 5 comuni: Castiglione del Lago, Magione, Passignano sul Trasimeno, Tuoro sul Trasimeno and Panicale. It includes the 3 islands, Polvese, Maggiore and Minore.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il Lago Trasimeno ha una superficie dello specchio d'acqua di 124-128 km2 e una profondita' molto ridotta, variabile fra 3 e 6 metri. | [Regione Umbria](https://www.regione.umbria.it/parco-regionale-del-lago-trasimeno); [Regione Umbria - Parco del Lago Trasimeno](https://www.regione.umbria.it/documents/18/2512711/Trasimeno_turismo_giu_15.pdf/754fd253-e5a9-427e-9b1b-2ad66afb126c) | medium | 2028-12-31 |
| Lo zero idrometrico del Lago Trasimeno e' fissato dalla Regione Umbria alla quota di 257,33 m s.l.m., riferimento usato per la batimetria e per la misura del livello del lago. | [Regione Umbria - Open Data Umbria](https://dati.regione.umbria.it/dataset/batimetria-lago-trasimeno) | medium | 2030-12-31 |
| Il Parco regionale del Lago Trasimeno, istituito nel 1995, si estende su 13.200 ettari in cinque comuni; il lago e' il maggiore dell'Italia peninsulare e il quarto italiano per estensione, con tre isole. | [Regione Umbria](https://www.regione.umbria.it/parco-regionale-del-lago-trasimeno); [Regione Umbria - Parco del Lago Trasimeno](https://www.regione.umbria.it/documents/18/2512711/Trasimeno_turismo_giu_15.pdf/754fd253-e5a9-427e-9b1b-2ad66afb126c) | medium | 2030-12-31 |
| Le isole del Lago Trasimeno si raggiungono con i traghetti di Busitalia: nel 2026 il servizio stagionale va dal 5 luglio al 27 settembre, con traversate di 15-30 minuti verso l'Isola Maggiore da Passignano e da Tuoro Navaccia. La crisi idrica del lago ha pero' sospeso il collegamento da Castiglione del Lago e, dal 29 giugno 2026, tutto il servizio per l'Isola Polvese. Chi sbarca all'Isola Maggiore paga una tassa di sbarco di 3 euro dal 1 marzo al 31 ottobre 2026 e 2 euro nel resto dell'anno. | [Busitalia - Sita Nord (Gruppo FS)](https://www.fsbusitalia.it/it/umbria/orari-linee-umbria/orari-servizi-navigazione-umbria.html); [doc 2](https://www.fsbusitalia.it/it/umbria/titoli-di-viaggio-tariffe-umbria/biglietti-tariffe-servizi-navigazione-umbria.html) | medium | 2027-06-30 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/theme.laghi.v2.1600.jpg
Author: kallerna. License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lago_di_Braies_South_Tyrol_9.jpg

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