Lakes in Europe: The Most Beautiful Lakes to Visit

Table of Contents

• So How Many Lakes Are There in Europe?
• The Biggest and Deepest Lakes in Europe - At a Glance
• The Most Beautiful Lakes in Europe - By Region
• Switzerland - Lake Geneva, Lake Brienz and Lake Constance
• Slovenia - Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj
• Italy - Lake Como, Lake Iseo and Northern Italy's Other Beautiful Lakes
• Germany and Austria - Eibsee, Walchensee, the Pragser Wildsee and More
• Scotland - Loch Lomond, Loch Ness and the Highlands
• Norway and Iceland - A Different Kind of Beautiful Lake
• Ireland - Lough Veagh, Glenveagh and the West
• The Most Beautiful Lakes in the Balkans and Central Europe
• Lake Ohrid - Where North Macedonia Meets Albania
• Lake Balaton - Hungary's Inland Sea
• Some Other Beautiful Lakes in Europe Worth Knowing About
• The Best Swimming Lakes in Europe - and the Warmest Ones
• Getting to Europe's Best Lakes - What to Know
• A Few Things About European Lakes That Don't Come Up Enough
• Frequently Asked Questions About Lakes in Europe
• So Where Should You Actually Go?

There are so many lakes in Europe it's actually hard to get an exact count - estimates range from around 500,000 to well over a million, depending on how you measure a 'lake' versus a pond or reservoir. What we do know is that the continent holds some of the most incredible lakes in the world - glacial lakes that look almost too blue to be real, ancient deep-water lakes in the Balkans, Scottish lochs wrapped in mist and history, and warm, shallow waters in Hungary that feel more like a sea in summer.

This guide covers the biggest, deepest and most beautiful lakes across Europe and the best for swimming, from the Swiss Alps to the Norwegian highlands to the Balkans. We've also pulled in the practical stuff - how to get there, what to do, where to walk and what each lake is actually like when you show up.

So How Many Lakes Are There in Europe?

That's a question with a genuinely messy answer. Finland alone has roughly 188,000 lakes - the country's pretty much defined by them. Sweden has another 95,000 or so. Norway, Ireland, Scotland and the Alpine countries add tens of thousands more.

If you're looking at named, sizeable lakes that you'd actually travel to visit, Europe has several hundred major ones spread across about 30 countries. The continent's lake geography breaks down into a few types:

• Alpine lakes - formed by glacial activity in Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Slovenia
• Glacial lakes - scoured out by retreating ice sheets across Scandinavia and Scotland
• Scandinavian lakes - mostly glacial or tectonic, vast across Finland and Sweden
• Scottish lochs - some of the deepest in Europe, carved by glaciers and famous across the world
• Volcanic and tectonic lakes - like Lake Vanen in Sweden or Lac du Bourget in France
• Glacial lagoons - Iceland's Jokulsarlon being the most well-known example in Europe
• Lowland warm-water lakes - like Lake Balaton in Hungary, which warms up like a sea in summer

The Biggest and Deepest Lakes in Europe - At a Glance

Before getting into the most beautiful lakes worth visiting, here's a quick look at how the major European lakes stack up on size and depth. The largest lakes by surface area are primarily in Russia - but the most popular for tourism are in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and Slovenia. Some of these names aren't on many travel radar yet, which is a good thing for those who'd rather not queue.

Lake	Country / Countries	Area (km2)	Max Depth (m)	Altitude (m)
Lake Ladoga	Russia	17,703	230	4
Lake Onega	Russia	9,890	127	33
Lake Vanen	Sweden	5,655	106	44
Lake Saimaa	Finland	4,400	82	76
Lake Vattern	Sweden	1,912	119	89
Lake Balaton	Hungary	594	12	104
Lake Geneva (Lac Leman)	Switzerland / France	580	310	372
Lake Constance (Bodensee)	Germany / Austria / Switzerland	536	254	395
Lake Ohrid	North Macedonia / Albania	358	288	695
Lake Como	Italy	146	410	198
Loch Lomond	Scotland	71	190	8
Lake Bohinj	Slovenia	3.2	45	526
Lake Bled	Slovenia	1.4	30	475

A few things worth noting here: Lake Como is actually the deepest lake in Western Europe at 410 metres - which surprises a lot of people who assume that title goes to somewhere in Scandinavia. And Loch Ness in Scotland, which doesn't make the biggest-by-area list, holds more fresh water than all lakes in England and Wales put together. That's the kind of stat that doesn't really sink in until you're standing on its shoreline.

Lake Constance - the Bodensee - is worth flagging too. It spans three countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), sits at the foot of the Alps and is one of the most underrated large lakes in Central Europe. The largest transboundary lake in Europe by area is actually Lake Peipus, shared between Estonia and Russia at roughly 3,555 km2 - but Lake Constance gets more visits from travellers who want lakeside villages, beautiful mountains and good swimming.

The Most Beautiful Lakes in Europe - By Region

Picking the most beautiful lakes in Europe is pretty subjective, but there are a handful that almost everyone agrees belong on the list. We've grouped them by region so you can plan a proper lake-hopping trip rather than just ticking off individual spots. And yes, some of the most beautiful lakes in Europe are in places you might not think of first - Hungary, North Macedonia and Croatia included.

Switzerland - Lake Geneva, Lake Brienz and Lake Constance

Lake Geneva - or Lac Leman if you're using the French name - is the largest lake in Western Europe and one of the most visited beautiful lakes on the continent. It sits between Geneva and Montreux on the Swiss side, with the surrounding mountains of the French Alps reflected in the still water on clear days. The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces run along its northern shore, a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can walk between wineries with the lake spreading out below - stunning on a clear autumn afternoon.

A boat trip on Lake Geneva is one of the better things to do here - services run year-round between Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux and the French shore, and the views of the Alps from the water are spectacular. You can take a leisurely stroll along the beautiful lakeside promenade in Montreux, or head to the quieter end near Yvoire on the French side for a much calmer experience. The lake district area along the north shore, with its vineyard terraces and hilltop villages, is particularly good for a long walk too.

But if you want something that feels a bit less visited, Lake Brienz (Briensersee in German) is a serious contender for the nicest lake in Switzerland. The water is a piercing turquoise - almost improbably so - thanks to glacial meltwater from the surrounding mountains. The village of Iseltwald sits right at the water's edge and became pretty famous after appearing in a Korean TV series, so expect more visitors than you used to get there. Still worth it.

Lake Constance (the Bodensee) is one of the most wonderful and underrated beautiful lakes in Europe - a large lake spanning three countries, with pretty lakeside villages like Meersburg and Lindau along its shores and the Alps rising to the south. A boat ride from one end to the other is a great way to take in the scale of it. It's a perfect place for cycling around the lake on the well-marked Bodensee cycling path, and the swimming is excellent in summer.

Slovenia - Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj

Lake Bled is one of Slovenia's most famous lakes - known for its picturesque island church and medieval castle overlooking the water, with the towering mountains of the Julian Alps rising behind. It's genuinely stunning, and probably the most photographed lake in Europe. But it's also pretty packed in summer, so going early morning or in shoulder season (late April or October) makes a real difference. Car parks fill fast in high season - arriving before 8am is genuinely the move.

A boat ride out to the island church is something most visitors do - it's called a 'pletna', a traditional flat-bottomed boat unique to Lake Bled. A walk around the lake takes about 1.5 hours and gives spectacular views from different angles, with the forest coming right down to the water's edge on the north shore.

Lake Bohinj is only about 26 km away and sits inside Triglav National Park - and it's a much calmer experience. The lake is bigger than Bled, surrounded by dense forest and alpine meadows, and it's got some of the best swimming in Slovenia. The still water here is genuinely beautiful - it's the kind of lake where you sit on a rock and stare for a while. You can hike up to the Savica Waterfall from the western end, or walk the forest path around the lake, which takes a few hours and gives you quiet stretches of shoreline with almost no one around. The road through Vrsic Pass nearby is one of the best drives in the Alps too.

Italy - Lake Como, Lake Iseo and Northern Italy's Other Beautiful Lakes

Lake Como (Lago di Como) needs almost no introduction. It's one of the most beautiful lakes in the world - and in northern Italy in particular - and it delivers on pretty much every level. The lakeside towns of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio are clustered around the fork in the lake, connected by regular ferries. Castello di Vezio above Varenna is worth the steep climb for the views over the water and the towering mountains behind. And Como town itself, at the southern end, has a cathedral and old quarter that most day-trippers skip entirely.

A boat tour around Lake Como is one of the best ways to visit - you can hop on and off the public ferry service at different lakeside villages all day on a single ticket. The beautiful lakeside setting of Varenna in particular is worth a long stroll - one of those wonderful spots where you genuinely don't want to leave.

Lago d'Iseo - Lake Iseo - is the fourth-largest lake in Italy and far less known than Como or Garda. It's often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours, which is a shame because it has a romantic charm and quiet atmosphere that those other lakes sometimes lose in high season. Many regular visitors consider it one of their favourite lakes in all of Europe for exactly that reason. The northern end has Monte Isola, the largest island in a lake in Europe, which you can reach by a short boat ride from Sulzano or Sale Marasino. The island has no cars and a handful of fishing villages - it's the kind of place that still feels like a proper Italian discovery. The beautiful lakeside around the island is particularly good for a morning walk.

Germany and Austria - Eibsee, Walchensee, the Pragser Wildsee and More

Eibsee sits at the foot of the Zugspitze - Germany's highest mountain - in the Bavarian Alps. The lake is actually a series of smaller bays connected by forest paths, and the water is ridiculously clear. You can walk around the lake on a well-marked path through the forest, which takes about two hours and gives wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. The Herzogstandbahn cable car nearby gets you up to altitude for spectacular views back down to the lake.

Walchensee is one of Germany's most stunning and overlooked beautiful lakes. It's one of the deepest lakes in Bavaria, with emerald water that shifts colour through the day depending on the light. Towering mountains rise steeply around the shoreline on all sides. In summer it's a perfect place for swimming, windsurfing and kayaking, and it's located close to Kochel am See - about 70 km south of Munich, so easy to visit as a day trip.

The Pragser Wildsee (also called Lago di Braies in Italian, since it's in South Tyrol) is one of the most popular beautiful lakes in the Dolomites. It's ringed by sheer cliffs and towering mountains that reflect into the green water, and you can hire rowing boats from the wooden boathouse on the shore. Get there before 8am in July or August - the car park fills up fast and it gets genuinely gridlocked with coaches in high season.

On the Austrian side, Attersee is one of the most beautiful large lakes in the Salzkammergut - with clear water, numerous public bathing spots around the lake, spa facilities in the lakeside villages and watersport options. It's genuinely popular with Austrian families and a wonderful place to visit in summer. Moserer See in the Tyrolean Alps is the opposite in every way - a small, glimmering glacial lake tucked away above Seefeld, offering an intimate and quiet atmosphere for visitors who want real nature without the crowds. Achensee and Plansee are both worth a visit if you're already in the Tyrolean Alps.

Scotland - Loch Lomond, Loch Ness and the Highlands

Loch Lomond is Scotland's largest lake and one of the most beautiful lakes in Great Britain. Its dramatic scenery - wooded shores, Highland hills rolling down to the water, islands dotting the southern end - makes it a beloved destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. It's basically on Glasgow's doorstep, about 30 minutes north of the city, which makes it one of the most accessible beautiful lakeside spots in northern Europe.

There's loads to do around the lake: hiking the West Highland Way along the eastern shore, fishing, canoeing, windsurfing and jetskiing are all popular. Boat trips run from Balloch and Luss during the summer season, and you can visit Balloch Castle Country Park right at the southern end for a walk through the grounds. For something quieter, the north end of the loch has a completely different feel to the busier south - mountains rising steeply from the water and very few other visitors around.

Worth knowing: the Lake District in northern England is a separate but equally stunning national park - England's largest - and it's only about 1.5 hours south of Glasgow. If you're already visiting Loch Lomond, combining it with a day or two in the Lake District makes for a brilliant lakes road trip through northern Britain.

Further north, Loch Ness is famous enough to need no real introduction, though most people don't realise just how dramatic the surrounding landscape is beyond the monster mythology. The loch itself is a large, dark, still water body stretching 37 km through the Great Glen - and standing on its quiet northern shore in early morning mist, it's genuinely one of the most atmospheric spots in Europe. In the far northwest, the lochs of Sutherland and Wester Ross are some of the most remote and beautiful lakes in the north of the world.

Worth knowing: Scotland has the right to roam, which means you can wild camp on the shores of most lochs legally. That changes the experience entirely.

Norway and Iceland - A Different Kind of Beautiful Lake

Norway's lake country is clustered around Jotunheimen National Park, home to the highest mountains in Scandinavia. The Besseggen Ridge hike passes between two lakes at very different altitudes - the deep blue Gjende below and the green Bessvatnet above - with stunning views of the surrounding mountains throughout. It's considered one of Norway's classic walks. A long day out from Oslo, so planning an overnight in the area makes the most of it.

Iceland's Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon is in a category of its own. It's technically a proglacial glacial lake - formed by the retreat of the Vatnajokull glacier - and it's full of floating icebergs that have calved off the glacier. The icebergs drift out through a channel to the black sand beach known as Diamond Beach. There's nothing quite like it in Europe. Boat tours run on the lagoon in summer, taking you right up close to the ice, and the boat trip back is genuinely unforgettable. It sits on the Ring Road in southeast Iceland, easy to include on a road trip.

Ireland - Lough Veagh, Glenveagh and the West

Ireland isn't always the first country that comes to mind for beautiful lakes, but it's got some pretty spectacular ones. Glenveagh National Park in County Donegal is home to Lough Veagh - a small but genuinely majestic lake that reflects the rugged peaks surrounding it in the still water. Glenveagh Castle sits right at the water's edge, and the whole setting feels quietly dramatic in a way that's very specific to the north of Ireland. It's a wonderful place to walk - the park has forest trails along the shoreline and up into the hills behind.

The Lough Corrib in Galway is the second-largest lake in Ireland and a serious fishing destination - it holds some of the best wild brown trout fishing in Europe. And Lough Erne in County Fermanagh has over 150 islands, many of them with ancient Christian sites.

The Most Beautiful Lakes in the Balkans and Central Europe

This part of Europe has some seriously incredible lakes that don't get nearly enough attention in most travel guides. If you're looking for beautiful lakes with history, clean water and far fewer visitors than the Alpine classics, head south and east.

Lake Ohrid - Where North Macedonia Meets Albania

Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe - and probably the most remarkable lake you've never visited. It straddles the border between North Macedonia and Albania, and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for both its natural and cultural significance. The biodiversity here is extraordinary - around 200 species of plants and animals exist nowhere else in the world.

The lakeside town of Ohrid in North Macedonia is built on ancient foundations, with Byzantine churches, Roman amphitheatre ruins and medieval monasteries scattered around the lake. A boat trip across to the Church of St John at Kaneo - perched on a rocky headland above the still water with the mountains behind - gives one of the most stunning views of any lake in Europe. It's a large lake too at 358 km2 and 288 metres deep, and there's plenty to explore around the lake over several days. High season is July and August, when the lakeside comes alive with visitors from across the Balkans and beyond.

Lake Balaton - Hungary's Inland Sea

Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe and one of Europe's most visited beautiful lakes in summer. Hungarians call it the 'Hungarian sea', and with good reason: it's 594 km2 in surface area but so shallow (averaging just 3 metres) that it warms up faster than pretty much any other lake in Europe. Swimming season runs from late May to September, and the shoreline is lined with beach towns, wine regions and spa resorts.

The north shore is more scenic, with the Badacsony wine region rising above the lake and the Tihany Peninsula - a dramatic volcanic promontory - jutting into the water. The south shore is flatter and warmer, with long, sandy beaches that attract families. It's a perfect place to visit if you want a relaxed, warm-water lake experience without heading all the way to the sea.

Some Other Beautiful Lakes in Europe Worth Knowing About

Beyond the big names, there are loads of incredible lakes across Europe that reward visitors who head slightly off the main trail. These are some of our favourite lakes that don't always make the top lists.

Lake Annecy - France

Lac d'Annecy in the French Alps is regularly listed as one of the cleanest and most beautiful lakes in Europe, and the town of Annecy itself is a wonderful base - a medieval old quarter with canals, great food and solid transport links. The lake sits in a bowl of mountains, with stunning views on all sides. Swimming here is excellent from June to September, and the lakeside cycle path around the lake is one of the best in France. A boat tour across the lake gives you a completely different perspective on the surrounding mountains.

Lake Peruca - Croatia

Lake Peruca is a lesser-known beautiful lake in the Dalmatian hinterland of Croatia, formed by a dam on the Cetina river. It's a wonderfully quiet spot - clean water, forested hills rolling down to the shore and almost no international visitors even in high season. It's a perfect place for cycling around the lake, fishing and just drifting around in a boat on still water. Located close to the town of Sinj, it's an easy drive from Split if you want a day away from the sea.

Walchensee - Germany

Walchensee in the Bavarian Alps is one of Germany's deepest and most stunning lakes - with emerald water surrounded by forest and mountains that make it look almost unreal on a sunny day. It's located close to the Austrian border, and is a wonderful alternative to the more famous Eibsee for visitors who want quiet swimming in the mountains without the crowds.

Attersee - Austria

Attersee is the largest lake entirely within Austria and one of the most beautiful lakes in the Salzkammergut region - a huge, clear body of water surrounded by the Alps. There are numerous public bathing spots around the lake, spa facilities in the lakeside villages and plenty of watersport options. Gustav Klimt spent many summers painting here, which gives you some idea of the beauty of the place.

Moserer See - Austria

Moserer See is a small, glimmering glacial lake tucked away in the Tyrolean Alps above Seefeld - one of those quiet, protected spots that barely anyone visits despite being genuinely beautiful. The surrounding mountains are reflected in the still water, and the walk up to the lake from Mosern village takes about 45 minutes through forest. It's a perfect place for a quiet morning in nature, and the spa village of Seefeld is right below if you want to combine it with a spa day.

Lake Constance - Where Three Countries Meet

Lake Constance (the Bodensee) spans three countries - Germany, Austria and Switzerland - and is one of the most genuinely wonderful large lakes in Europe for a slow, multi-day visit. The shoreline is dotted with beautiful lakeside towns and villages, medieval castles and well-marked cycling and walking paths. A boat trip between countries is easy and a lovely way to spend a summer afternoon. It's located close to the Alps but at low enough altitude that the water warms up well for swimming by July.

The Best Swimming Lakes in Europe - and the Warmest Ones

Not all European lakes are great for swimming. Some are cold, some have murky water, some restrict it entirely. But there are quite a few that are really good - cleaner and warmer than most people expect. For the warmest swimming in Europe, head to Hungary, Croatia or northern Italy; for the clearest water and most beautiful lakeside settings, Slovenia and Bavaria are pretty hard to beat.

Lake	Country	Water Temp (Aug)	Best For	Cleanliness
Lake Balaton	Hungary	24-26C	Beach swimming, watersports	Good
Lake Bled	Slovenia	22-24C	Swimming + scenery	Excellent
Lac d'Annecy	France	22-25C	Beach swimming, sailing	Excellent
Lake Iseo	Italy	22-25C	Open water swimming	Good
Attersee	Austria	21-24C	Family swimming, spa	Excellent
Lake Bohinj	Slovenia	20-22C	Wild swimming, kayaking	Excellent
Lake Constance	Germany/Austria/CH	20-23C	Swimming, boat trips	Excellent
Walchensee	Germany	18-22C	Swimming, windsurfing	Excellent
Eibsee	Germany	18-20C	Crystal-clear swimming	Excellent
Lago di Braies	Italy	15-18C	Rowing, short swims	Very Good
Vanen	Sweden	18-20C	Open water, kayaking	Excellent

For the warmest lakes in Europe, you'll generally want to look south and lower in altitude. Lakes in northern Italy, southern France, the Adriatic coast of Croatia and Hungary warm up the fastest in summer. Slovenia's beautiful lakes hit decent swimming temperatures by late June most years, and the water quality is among the best in Europe.

If you're planning a swimming trip, it's worth thinking about car parks and access. A lot of the most beautiful lakes in Europe have very limited parking in high season - Lago di Braies and Lake Bled in particular can get completely gridlocked by 9am on a July weekend. Going by bus or arriving very early makes a real difference.

Getting to Europe's Best Lakes - What to Know

Most of Europe's famous lakes are reachable by public transport, though some of the more remote ones really do need a car. Here's a quick breakdown:

Switzerland - Lake Geneva and Lake Brienz

Geneva has its own international airport. Both lakes are on the Swiss rail network - the train along the north shore of Lake Geneva through the Lavaux vineyards is one of the best rail journeys in the country. Lake Brienz is reachable from Interlaken, which connects easily to the wider Swiss rail system.

Slovenia - Bled and Bohinj

No direct international trains to Bled - the closest airport is Ljubljana, about 55 km away. Buses run from the capital to both Bled and Bohinj, and there's a tourist train service in summer. Having a car makes the Vrsic Pass and surrounding areas much more accessible.

Italy - Lake Como and Lake Iseo

Milan Malpensa and Bergamo airports are the closest entry points. Trains run to Como town regularly from Milan Centrale (about 40 minutes). The ferry network around the lake is well-organised and the best way to get between lakeside villages - cars on lakeside roads in summer aren't much fun.

Germany - Eibsee, Walchensee and the Bavarian Alps

Munich is the main hub, about 90 km from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Trains run to Garmisch directly from Munich Hauptbahnhof. From there the Zugspitzbahn cogwheel railway passes Eibsee station - genuinely useful for a car-free visit. Walchensee is best by car from Munich, about 70 km south.

Scotland - Loch Lomond and the Lake District

Train services run from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch at the southern end of Loch Lomond in about 45 minutes. For the more remote northern sections, a car is pretty much necessary. Ferry services operate on the loch in summer season. The Lake District in England is a 1.5-hour drive south, well connected by rail to Manchester and London.

Hungary - Lake Balaton

Budapest to Lake Balaton takes about 1.5 hours by train, with regular services to Siofok and Balatonfured on opposite shores. It's one of the easiest beautiful lakes in Europe to reach by public transport.

A Few Things About European Lakes That Don't Come Up Enough

Most travel articles focus on the big names, but there are some genuinely fascinating facts about European lakes that change how you see them.

• Lake Baikal isn't in Europe - but a common misconception is that it holds the record for deepest European lake. That title actually belongs to Hornindalsvatnet in Norway at 514 metres below sea level.
• The largest transboundary lake in Europe by surface area is Lake Peipus, shared between Estonia and Russia at roughly 3,555 km2 - bigger than Lake Geneva and Lake Constance combined.
• The Appenzell region of Switzerland has lakes at over 1,000 metres that barely anyone visits despite being within an hour of St Gallen.
• Karersee (Lago di Carezza) in the Dolomites of South Tyrol is so small you can walk around it in 20 minutes - but the reflection of the Latemar massif in it is genuinely one of the best views in northern Italy.
• Jokulsarlon in Iceland wasn't on tourist maps 40 years ago - the glacier covered the whole area until retreat began in the 1930s. It's been growing by around one kilometre per decade since then.
• Loch Ness holds more fresh water than all lakes in England and Wales combined, despite not making the top 10 for surface area in Britain.
• Lake Ladoga in Russia is the largest lake in Europe by area - larger than many European countries. It was the route used to supply besieged Leningrad during World War II, via the Road of Life across the frozen lake.
• Many of Europe's most beautiful lakes are surrounded by castles, ancient villas and picturesque villages - particularly in Italy and Switzerland, where almost every lakeside town has some kind of historic structure above the water.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lakes in Europe

What's the largest lake in Europe?

Lake Ladoga in Russia, with a surface area of around 17,703 km2. If you're looking at Western Europe specifically, that's Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) shared between Switzerland and France. For Central Europe, Lake Balaton in Hungary is the largest lake entirely within one country in that region.

What's the deepest lake in Europe?

Hornindalsvatnet in Norway is the deepest at 514 metres. In Western Europe, Lake Como holds the record at around 410 metres - deeper than Lake Geneva, which surprises most people. Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia and Albania is also one of the deepest in the south of the continent at 288 metres.

Which European lakes are best for swimming?

Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled in Slovenia are consistently top-rated for clean, warm swimming. Lac d'Annecy in France is probably the cleanest large lake in Europe. Lake Balaton in Hungary is the warmest lake in Central Europe for summer swimming. For warmer water, lakes in northern Italy like Lake Iseo or Lake Garda warm up more in summer than higher Alpine alternatives.

What are some names of famous lakes in Europe?

The most recognised include Lake Geneva (Switzerland), Lake Como (Italy), Lake Bled (Slovenia), Loch Lomond (Scotland), Eibsee (Germany), Jokulsarlon (Iceland), Lake Balaton (Hungary), Lake Ohrid (North Macedonia) and the Pragser Wildsee (Italy/South Tyrol). Scandinavian lakes like Vanen and Vattern in Sweden are massive but less well-known outside the region.

What are the most beautiful lakes to visit in Europe?

That really does depend on what you're after. For pure scenery, Lake Bohinj in Slovenia, Lake Como in Italy and Jokulsarlon in Iceland are hard to beat. For a mix of beautiful lakes, history and great food, Lake Geneva and Lake Annecy are wonderful. For a warm-water summer visit, Lake Balaton in Hungary is one of the best. And for something genuinely off the beaten path, Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia and Lake Peruca in Croatia are two of the most beautiful lakes in Europe that most visitors haven't heard of yet.

Are there any lesser-known European lakes worth visiting?

Loads, actually. Lake Iseo in Italy barely registers on international travel lists but has Monte Isola - Europe's largest lake island - right in the middle of it. The Appenzell lakes in Switzerland, Achensee in Austria, Walchensee in Germany and the lochs of Sutherland in northern Scotland are all genuinely worth your time if you want space and quiet. Moserer See in Austria's Tyrolean Alps is a small, glimmering lake that barely anyone visits - and that's a big part of its appeal.

Which lakes in Europe are cleanest?

Lac d'Annecy in France is regularly cited as one of the cleanest lakes in Europe - it's been tightly protected since the 1960s. Lake Bohinj in Slovenia, Eibsee in Germany and Lake Constance are also consistently rated as having excellent water quality. Most of the high-altitude glacial lakes in Switzerland and Austria are extremely clean too, though they can be cold for swimming.

So Where Should You Actually Go?

It depends a lot on what you're after. If you want the classic Alpine lake experience with easy connections, Lake Geneva, Lake Bled or Lake Como are hard to argue with. If you'd rather have cleaner water and fewer visitors, Lake Bohinj, Eibsee or Lac d'Annecy tick a lot of boxes. For warm summer swimming with a real beach atmosphere, Lake Balaton is the answer. And if you want something genuinely unlike anything else in Europe, Jokulsarlon in Iceland is pretty hard to top.

Europe's beautiful lakes are one of its genuinely underappreciated strengths as a travel destination. Most people do the cities, then the sea. But the most beautiful lakes - particularly in Slovenia, the Dolomites, the Scottish Highlands, the Swiss Alps and the Balkans - are where a lot of the best experiences are, and where the natural beauty of Europe still feels pretty unspoilt. We think they deserve a lot more time in people's itineraries than they usually get.