Best Lake Swimming in Austria

Seefeld’s Wildsee has two lidos (the Strandperle has a restaurant, heated pool and a kids’ pool as well as kayaks and other lakeside activities). Water is known to warm up to around 20°C and the max depth is 5m. Just over an hour’s walk (or a 10 minute drive) is the smaller Lake Möserer – a bit more idyllic and surrounded by woods, it’s supposed to be one of the warmest lakes in Tyrol...

Lapping at the edge of St. Wolfgang town is the Wolfgansee. Voted the second best bathing lake in Europe by holidaymakers, it’s close at the heels of Garda and is surrounded by the beautiful Schafberg Alps. When you fancy a break between dips, you can head to the natural beaches at Waßwiese and Gschwendt which are just across the water.

The waters of the 4km long Zellersee are so clear they’re said to be the same quality as drinking water. Summertime sees the water temperatures hit around 20°C, and with 3 public beaches on Zellersee’s shores (including the ever-popular Thumersbach) as well as lots of lakeside activities, Zell am See is a great base for a day on the lake.

While some of the Austrian lakes have been formed over millennia, Soll’s is a new, manmade alternative. The Ahornsee goes as deep as 11m and has a surface area of 10,000m2. There are four different jetties and kids will love the inflatable ‘blob’ diving tower. There’s also a floating islet, beach volleyball court and deck chairs to hire.

St. Gilgen sits at the north-eastern shore of the Wolfgangsee – voted one of Europe’s best bathing lakes and second only to Garda. The waters tend to be lovely and warm in the summer months and are beautifully set against the Schafberg Alps.

Nicknamed the ‘Fjord of the Alps’, Achensee is the biggest lake in Tyrol (some even call it the ‘Tyrolean sea’). Pertisau has its own beach area which you can swim from – take a dip in the gorgeous emerald water and then bask in the sun on the 5,000 m² designated sunbathing area – children who don’t want to swim have a playground and separate paddling pool. The southern bank of the lake is said to be the warmest if you fancy a change of scenery.

You’ll find the Schwarzsee on the way towards Reith - it has to be one of the most beautiful lakes in Austria. The water is up to 8m deep and is lovely to swim in thanks to the make-up of the lake floor, which means the water is warmer than it looks. Make sure you do some backstroke as the surrounding Wilder Kaiser Mountains are stunning.

This famously beautiful village doesn’t have a lake of its own, but it has lovely walks, hikes and bike rides to reach some. Walk for an hour and a half over to Reith (or drive just over ten minutes) for the lake fondly known as ‘Blue Eye’ – dive straight in, have a paddle or just relax by the lakeside. Explore further for the Kramsach lakes; Reintaler, Krum and Berglesteiner, which are supposed to be some of the warmest in the region.

The Klammsee at the south-western tip of Kaprun is a lovely secluded spot for swimming, tending to be much quieter than the ever-popular Lake Zeller. Zellersee is also pretty fab for days by the water, which is so clear it’s said to be drinking quality! Look out for the summer lake shows and the lidos dotted around the shore. Some of these have heated pools – great for kids or if you're here at the beginning / end of the summer and aren’t ready to brave the real McCoy.

Fuschlsee’s one of Austria’s cleanest and most attractive bathing lakes, with crystal clear water set among beautiful Salzburg scenery. There are 2 beaches at the Fuschl am See end – quiet Stollinger and the livelier Wesenauer. Just 10 minutes from the centre of town, it has a sunbathing lawn, volleyball court and water trampoline.