Ruqayyah Snyder
Austria is a country known for its stunning lakes, with reportedly more than 25,000 lakes across the nation. The best time to visit these lakes is from April to October, with May, June, and July being the best months. The lakes in Austria offer a range of activities, from swimming and paddling to surfing and kiteboarding. The country's strict environmental regulations ensure that the lakes maintain excellent water quality, with 97.7% of them having excellent water quality. Some of the most notable lakes in Austria include Lake Attersee, Lake Constance, Lake Plansee, Traunsee, and Green Lake or Grüner See. These lakes offer beautiful views, clear waters, and a range of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy.
Austria's Best Lakes
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of lakes | More than 25,000 |
| Best time to visit | April to October |
| Lake with best views | Plansee (from the Höllkopf Lookout) |
| Largest lake in Tyrol | Achensee |
| Deepest lake | Traunsee |
| Best lake for swimming | Zellersee |
| Best lake for boating | Plansee |
| Best lake for windsurfing | Achensee |
| Best lake for artsy, laid-back vibes | Lake Attersee |
| Best lake for underwater attractions | Lake Attersee |
| Best lake for sunsets | Lake Attersee |
| Best lake for cross-country skiing | Weissensee |
| Bluest lake | Wolfgangsee |
| Most beautiful lake | Green Lake (Grüner See) |
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What You'll Learn
- Lake Attersee: artsy, laid-back, with cool water and a unique underwater UNESCO site
- Weissensee: a nature park with a large lake that freezes over in winter
- Lake Plansee: a large body of water connected to Heiterwang, great for boating and outdoor activities
- Traunsee: Austria's deepest lake, great for diving, surrounded by mountains and picturesque towns
- Mondsee: one of the largest privately-owned lakes, with calm blue waters and warm temperatures
Lake Attersee: artsy, laid-back, with cool water and a unique underwater UNESCO site
Austria is a landlocked country with several stunning lakes. One of these is Lake Attersee, which has a special artsy, laid-back vibe. It is the largest lake in the Salzkammergut region in the Austrian state of Upper Austria and the third largest in the country. It is also often called "the sea of the Salzkammergut" because of its deep turquoise colour.
Lake Attersee is a popular year-round destination for divers from all over Europe. With 26 signposted diving entry points, diving schools, and diving centres, and a maximum depth of 171 metres, it is the diving paradise of Austria. The lake is also celebrated in the work of Viennese painter Gustav Klimt, who used to own a villa in the "Little Venice" area of the lake.
The lake is known for its cool water, which is perfect for swimming and other water sports such as kayaking, water skiing, tire riding, and surfing. There are also generous public bathing areas and adventure pools around the lake. The water is clean and crystal-clear, thanks to Austria's strict environmental regulations.
A unique feature of Lake Attersee is the presence of prehistoric pile dwellings under the water, which have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These settlements date back up to 6,000 years, and the majority of the sites discovered in Austria are located on the shores of this lake.
In addition to its cultural and historical significance, Lake Attersee offers a beautiful natural landscape. The surrounding settlements depend largely on tourism, mainly in spring, summer, and autumn. The lake is framed by rugged mountains, and the rose wind, an easterly wind that crosses a castle's rose garden, fills the air with the smell of roses.
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Weissensee: a nature park with a large lake that freezes over in winter
Austria is a Central European country with a large part covered by the Alps, and it has a very large number of lakes—over 25,000, to be more precise. The best time to visit the lakes in Austria is from April to October, with May, June, and July being the best months. In the winter, many of the lakes freeze over, and it is more difficult to access them.
Weissensee is a nature park with a large lake that freezes over in winter. Despite its size (the lake is almost 12 kilometres long and just under one kilometre wide), it freezes over frequently, transforming into a spectacular ice rink. Cross-country skiing and some Alpine skiing are available around the lake. Two-thirds of the shore area of Lake Weissensee is a nature reserve.
Austria's lakes are important habitats for animals and plants, and visitors are asked to observe protection zones and only use approved shore areas for swimming. The country's strict environmental regulations mean that 97.7% of lakes have "excellent water quality".
Some of the other best lakes in Austria include Lake Plansee, which is connected to another lake, Heiterwang, via a canal, making it a popular spot for boating. Lake Attersee, which has a laid-back, artsy vibe, and Lake Constance, which is surrounded by charming villages, are also notable.
The largest lake in the Austrian district of Tyrol is Achensee, also known as the "Fjord of the Alps". The colour and clarity of the water make it an unusual and unforgettable destination, as it can look green or aquamarine, and in parts, you can see up to 10 metres down.
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Lake Plansee: a large body of water connected to Heiterwang, great for boating and outdoor activities
Austria is a landlocked country with several stunning bodies of water. One of these is Lake Plansee, a large body of water connected to Heiterwang (also called Heiterwangersee) via a canal. This makes it a popular spot for boating, as both lakes are accessible through several rivers.
Lake Plansee is located in the Tyrol region of Austria, near the German border. It is the second-largest lake in Tyrol, with a maximum depth of over 70 meters. The lake is surrounded by the Lechtal Alps and is known for its crystal-clear turquoise water, making it a perfect spot for swimming, boating, and other outdoor activities. The best time to visit is from late spring to mid-fall, typically between May and November, when the weather is pleasant and mild, and the lake's waters are refreshing.
The area offers many activities for outdoor enthusiasts, with miles of paved pathways ideal for jogging, cycling, and inline skating. There are also opportunities for scuba diving and fishing for trout and perch. For those who enjoy hiking, there are trails that lead up to spectacular viewpoints overlooking the lake and the surrounding mountains. The trails can be steep and not very well maintained, with tree roots and trunks to navigate, but the views are well worth the effort.
Lake Plansee is easily accessible, especially for those travelling from nearby Austrian or German locations. Driving is the easiest way to reach the lake, and there is parking available for visitors. It is about a 20-minute drive from Reutte, Austria, and around a 45-minute drive from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From Munich, it is roughly a 1.5-hour drive through the scenic route of the Ammergau Alps.
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Traunsee: Austria's deepest lake, great for diving, surrounded by mountains and picturesque towns
Austria is a Central European country with a large part of it covered by the Alps. The country has a plethora of lakes, reportedly more than 25,000, surrounded by charming little Austrian villages, World Heritage Sites, and alpine lakes that are difficult to reach but of magical beauty.
One of the most prominent lakes in Austria is Traunsee, the country's deepest lake at 191 meters deep and a favourite diving spot. The lake is nestled between the Alps and is surrounded by majestic mountains, including the Traunstein, with its almost vertical walls that are perfect for climbing. The shorelines are also home to vast flowering meadows and picturesque market towns and quaint villages like Altmünster, Traunkirchen, and Ebensee. The lake is also known for its underwater mythical creature called the Lungy, comparable to the stories of the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland.
The best time to visit lakes in Austria is from April to October, with May, June, and July being the best months. In September and October, the weather in the Austrian Alps is more changeable and rainy, but hotels are generally less full and often cheaper. So, if you are looking to travel to the lakes of Austria on a lower budget, it is worth considering an autumn trip. Winter is the ski season in the Austrian Alps, during which it is more difficult to access these Austrian lakes.
Other notable lakes in Austria include Lake Plansee, surrounded by the Lechtal Alps and ideal for outdoor enthusiasts with miles of paved pathways for jogging, cycling, and inline skating. Lake Attersee, located in the heart of Austria's lake region, has a laid-back, artsy vibe and offers activities such as kayaking and diving to explore prehistoric pile dwellings under the water, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Constance, while mostly located in Germany, also extends into Austria and is known for its colourful adventure trips.
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Mondsee: one of the largest privately-owned lakes, with calm blue waters and warm temperatures
Austria is a landlocked country, but it is home to several stunning bodies of water. One of the most notable is Mondsee, a privately-owned lake in the Upper Austrian part of the Salzkammergut region. Mondsee, or Moon Lake, is known for its calm blue waters, which can reach temperatures of up to 27°C, making it a popular destination for swimming and water sports.
The lake is surrounded by the Northern Limestone Alps and the Northern Sandstone Alps, providing a breathtaking backdrop for outdoor activities. The area offers a variety of water sports, including surfing, sailing, SUP boarding, kitesurfing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. The Alpenseebad Mondsee, a water fun park, adds to the diverse swimming and recreational experiences on the lake.
In addition to its aquatic attractions, Mondsee also boasts a rich cultural and natural landscape. The town of Mondsee, with its busy market square, is known for hosting around 600 events annually, including the traditional lake festival, the 5-Lakes Cycle Marathon, and live performances. The lake itself holds historical significance, with Neolithic pile dwellings discovered in its waters, dating back to 1864.
Mondsee has also gained fame through its mention in literature, notably in Ian Fleming's 1961 James Bond novel, "Thunderball," where it is referenced in a chapter involving a secret retrieval mission by the villainous organization, SPECTRE.
With its serene setting, warm waters, and abundance of recreational options, Mondsee truly stands out among Austria's lakes, offering a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural experiences.
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Frequently asked questions
Zellersee is one of Austria's best lakes for swimming. It is known for its clear waters and pleasant summer temperatures of around 18 degrees Celsius.
Mondsee, located in the Salzkammergut region, offers stunning views of the Northern Limestone Alps and the Northern Sandstone Alps. The Wolfgangsee is also renowned for its breathtaking views of the Salzkammergut mountain range.
Weissensee is a popular lake in both summer and winter. It freezes over frequently, providing a large space for cross-country skiing and Alpine skiing. Green Lake (Grüner See) in Styria is also worth visiting from April to September, as it dries up in autumn and winter, making it inaccessible.
The largest lake in the Austrian district of Tyrol is Achensee, also known as the "Fjord of the Alps." It is known for its stunning colour and clarity, with water that can appear green or aquamarine.
