Lake swimming in Switzerland

Just a 40 minute walk from Kandersteg is UNESCO World Heritage site, Lake Oeschinen. It goes without saying that the mountain scenery’s absolutely outstanding, while the water is also some of the clearest in the Alps. There’s a restaurant and children’s playground on the shore, and when you’ve had your fill of swimming, you can hire a rowing boat for a closer look at the waterfalls feeding into the lake.

The sun-soaked waters of Lake Maggiore are beautiful for summer swimming and tend to be the warmest inside the Swiss border. There’s a natural beach at Locarno where you can work on your tan between dips and, thanks to the Italian influence, a gelato vendor’s rarely too far away. If you prefer to do your lengths in the pool, the resort’s Lido Ascona is lovely and has its own beach area and playground.

With Weggis’ brilliant weather and lakeside position, it’d be rude not to take a dip and, fortunately, there are plenty of cracking spots for one. Lake Lucerne is great to look at but even better to bob around in – head to one of its public beaches, all easy to reach from Weggis, whether on foot, bike or car. Rachmaninow Quai, Lutzelau and Felsberg are all favourites for soaking up the sun and splashing around. On top of that there’s the public pool, Hallenbad Weggis, and the open-air lakeside one: Lido Weggis.

Montreux’s beautiful lakeside promenade is often the site of an impromptu swim. There are some private areas along the banks outside of the town but the attitude towards diving in is fairly relaxed. There are loads of top pools around the town but for the real deal, head out along the coast to take advantage of the stunning lake. We love the swimming area next to the Chateau de Chillon castle and there are loads of beaches nearer to Vevey.

Lake Thun, a little warmer than its big brother – the Brienz – had plenty of great beaches, not to mention all the indoor and outdoor pools. One of these outdoor ones is just a couple of degrees below body temperature and slightly salty which makes it an incredibly refreshing place to chill. Another favourite is the Hasliberg outdoor bathing lake – purpose built for relaxation.

Situated between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, you’re spoilt for choice if you fancy a lake swim in Interlaken. To the east of the town is Lake Brienz, on which you’ll find the Bönigen, Brienz, Burgseeli, Iseltwald and Niederried lidos. Each spot differs in amenities but they all provide similarly stunning views of the overhanging mountains. Take the kids to Brienz lido where there’s a water trampoline and lifeguards; if you’d rather paddle in peace, check out Niederried.

Framed by Lake Lucerne, the city has fantastic opportunities to perfect the doggy-paddle. The lido’s sandy beach extends over 300m along the shore of Lake Lucerne. Jump in the heated swimming pool behind the beach if it’s a little bit nippy. Further round the lake on the Matthias-Luchsinger Platz is the Lucerne Nationalquai, where bathers will find a more sheltered experience in the bath houses, where little sections of the lake have been cordoned off for private use of patrons.

Lake Lugano (also known as Lake Ceresio in reference to the cherry trees dotted around its shoreline) is a Mediterranean hot-spot in the Swiss mountains. There are lidos spanning the circumference of the lake: we love the public baths at Riva Caccia opposite the Museum of Modern Art for the cultural proximity. The Lido di Lugano has the most central location; while the Lido di Paradiso Sagl has a pool and is opposite a bus stop.

There are loads of fantastic lakes in the surrounding area – many reflecting the Matterhorn. The Leisee (ten minutes walk or less than 5 mins from the top of the Sunnegga lift) isn’t too deep which makes it ideal for families – kids will love paddling about in the stream and it also has a playground, fun raft and picnic and BBQ areas. If you get the train to Täsch, the Schalisee (20 mins away) is a popular lake to hike to for a swim and a BBQ. As the name suggests, the Grünsee is famously green – it doesn’t have a specific ‘swimming area’ but it’s still worth packing your speedos for a dip – get here via the Gornergrat Bahn cog railway or Rothorn.

Lake Davos usually reaches the 20°C mark in summer. Te Water Sports Centre on the south bank has a large grassy area on the water’s edge, perfect for throwing down a towel and chilling out in the sun. You’ll find tons of amenities for action-packed days by the lake: on top of the swimming, there’s a playground, beach volleyball net, table football and pedalos. If you’re making a day of it, pack a picnic or head to the snack bar. We like to stay on into the evening - grab an outdoor seat at the restaurant and watch the sun set over the lake.