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12 of the loveliest lakes in Europe

Europe is home to many of the world’s most spectacular lakes. You can find everything from glacial lakes set in dramatic alpine scenery to family-friendly spots with warmer water for splashing and swimming.

Read on to discover our pick of Europe’s best lakes, from iconic destinations like Lake Garda and Lake Como, as well as lesser-known spots like Lake Ohrid. We’ve got the highlights of each, the sort of holiday they suit best and our favourite spots to stay, so you can start to convert that summer lake trip from imagination to reality.

Top tip: Check whether there are summer cards up for grabs in your resort, and you could save money on things like boat trips, cable car rides and public transport.

Find the best European lake for your holiday:

Best all-round lake holiday – Lake Garda, Italy
Best for glitz and glamour – Lake Como, Italy
Best for gardens and culture – Lake Maggiore, Italy
Best for mountain scenery – Lake Molveno, Italy
Best for family holidays – Lake Zell, Austria
Best for Austrian charm – Lake Wolfgang, Austria
Best for switching off – Lake Achensee, Austria
Best for a city-and-mountains holiday – Lake Lucerne, Switzerland
Best for boat trips – Lakes Brienz & Thun, Switzerland
Best under-the-radar lake in Europe – Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia
Best for fairytale scenery – Lake Bled, Slovenia
Best for food lovers – Lake Annecy, France

Lake Garda, Italy

Best for: an all-round lake holiday

View through a window in a stone wall over Malcesine on Lake Garda.

Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake, measuring over 50km from top to bottom. It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that it serves up a seemingly endless variety of things to see and do, as well as places to stay. You’ll notice a distinct variation between the mountainous north, where the lake narrows between dramatic peaks, and the Mediterranean vibes of the south, where the gently rolling hills are blanketed in vineyards and olive groves. It means that whatever you love to do on holiday – be it hiking, watersports, wine-tasting or simply exploring characterful towns and villages – you can find it around lake Garda.

Check out our favourite Lake Garda hotels, or our guide to the best things to do around the lake.

Where to stay in northern Lake Garda: Pick Riva for mountain scenery, watersports and plenty of history to get stuck into

Where to stay in southern Lake Garda: Bardolino’s got famous wines to taste and a long, café-lined promenade for lakeside strolls.

Lake Como, Italy

Best for: glitz and glamour

The town of Bellagio seen from above with lake Como on either side and a boat approaching.

There’s something about Lake Como that’s just effortlessly chic. It’s one of Italy’s most beautiful spots, that’s for sure, with colourful lakeside towns and wooded mountains that only make the water appear an even more vivid shade of greeny-blue. Then there’s the elegant villas dotted around the shoreline – many of which, like Villa Balbianello, have featured in films like James Bond and Star Wars. And of course, Lake Como’s long been a favourite of celebrities like Geoge Clooney and Richard Branson. If you want your lake holiday to come with some serious Italian elegance, Lake Como’s the place for you.

Where to stay in Lake Como: Glitzy Bellagio is quintessential Lake Como, and makes a great base for ferry hopping around the lake.

Lake Maggiore, Italy

Best for: gardens and culture

An island with a villa and gardens on it in the middle of Lake Maggiore in Italy.

Lake Maggiore is Lake Como’s lesser-known but no less lovely neighbour. It’s backed by rolling green hills in the south, while the northern tip actually sits in Switzerland, in the foothills of the Swiss Alps. It’s most famous for the Borromean Islands, accessible only by boat and home to Baroque palaces, botanical gardens and unique restaurants. The town of Stresa on the western shore, meanwhile, more than holds its own in the culture stakes with elegant piazzas, ancient churches and its own gorgeous gardens. And up in the Swiss corner of the lake, Ascona’s home to frescoed churches and more botanical parks.

Where to stay in Lake Maggiore: Stresa gives you a great sense of the area’s aristocratic roots, as well as easy access to the famous Borromean Islands.

Lake Molveno, Italy

Best for: mountain scenery

A beach seen from across Lake Molveno with a town on the shore and mountains beyond.

Set beneath the spectacular Brenta Dolomites, Molveno has a different feel from Italy's better-known lakes further south. Here, the jagged peaks of the UNESCO-protected Dolomites compete for your attention with the vivid blue water, with neither feeling like the supporting act. And while plenty of destinations let you mix lake fun with alpine adventures on the same trip, few make it so easy to enjoy both in the same day – or even the same afternoon. Spend your mornings hiking, biking or trying local dishes at high-altitude huts, then swap your walking boots for a paddleboard, a swim or a snooze on one of the lake's beaches.

Where to stay in Lake Molveno: The only town on the lake, pretty Molveno with its twisting cobbled streets is your best base for exploring.

Lake Zell, Austria

Best for: family holidays

Four people including two children jumping into Lake Zell in Austria.

Austria feels like it was made with active summer holidays in mind, and Lake Zell’s got loads to do. It’s a fab spot for families, with a flat, pushchair-friendly path that hugs the water’s edge on the western side, and three lidos around the lake including the Strandbad complete with diving boards and waterslides. And you can’t fail to be drawn to the Austrian Alps that circle the lake. It’s easy to get up high, thanks to a network of gondolas and chairlifts, and at the top, hiking trails fan out in all directions. These include easy-going themed routes for families, full of places to climb, crawl, slide and swing.

Where to stay around Lake Zell: the lively town of Zell am See makes the ideal base to explore the area, with both the lake and mountains on the doorstep.

Lake Wolfgang, Austria

Best for: Austrian charm

A yellow cable car rising over meadows and a lake.

Picture those oh-so-Austrian scenes from The Sound of Music, and you might as well be looking at Lake Wolfgang. In fact, you probably are – several iconic scenes were shot around the lake. And the green hills here really do feel like they’re alive during summer, with yellow, pink and blue wildflowers filling the meadows and the water glistening all sorts of shades of green and blue in the sunlight. In the little towns around the lake, you’ll find pastel-coloured buildings with wooden balconies, colourful shutters and window boxes bursting with flowers, plus brightly painted cable cars and traditional cog railways to whisk you up into the mountains.

Where to stay on Lake Wolfgang: Pretty St Wolfgang is home to a picturesque lakefront church plus Austria’s steepest cog railway, the bright red Schafberg.

Achensee, Austria

Best for: switching off

A blue lake surrounded by mountains seen from a grassy meadow above.

If your idea of a lake holiday involves pulling on your walking boots, setting off into the mountains and forgetting about everything else for a while, Achensee fits the bill. It's the largest lake in Austria's Tyrol region but much of the lakeshore remains undeveloped, giving you a real sense of getting away from it all. Its intensely blue water is ringed by peaks, with hiking trails leading up into the mountains right from the lake's edge. You've got around 500km of trails to choose from here, and the lake waiting for you to take a refreshing dip when you return.

Where to stay on Achensee: Stay in little Pertisau on Achensee's western shore and you'll have Austria's largest nature reserve, the Karwendel Nature Park, on your doorstep.

Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

Best for: a city-and-mountains holiday

The city of Lucerne seen from across the lake.

For lake holidays that mix city sights with mountain scenery, check out Lake Lucerne. You’ve got it all here – a red-roofed city with a medieval Old Town to explore as well as a modern café and restaurant scene, plus a glassy, glacial lake and plenty of alpine drama. Head up Mount Pilatus or Bürgenstock by gondola or railway for wow-worthy views over the lake and the Swiss Alps all around. Or if you prefer to stay closer to the water, head to one of the lidos or beach bars along the shore.

Where to stay on Lake Lucerne: Base yourself in Lucerne itself for easy access to the lake and mountains, plus other Swiss cities within an hour’s train ride.

Lakes Brienz and Thun, Switzerland

Best for: boat trips

A tour boat on a turquoise lake with wooded shores.

These bright blue lakes sit side by side with the town of Interlaken tucked between them, and they come as a pair because you can’t go to one without visiting the other. Set off on a boat trip across either lake – or ideally both – and settle in to experience some truly remarkable scenes. A trip on Lake Thun features storybook-style castles and views of iconic Swiss peaks like the Eiger and Jungfrau. Meanwhile Lake Brienz is home to Geissbach Falls – a massive, tiered waterfall, as well as quiet fishing villages right on the shore.

Where to stay on Lakes Brienz & Thun: Interlaken is the jumping-off point to explore both lakes, with mountain railways and cable cars letting you admire them from above.

Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Best for: an under-the-radar pick

The shoreline of a lake stretching into the distance with red-roofed building along the shore.

Not a lot of people know that North Macedonia, a little country tucked just above Greece, is home to Europe’s oldest lake. But once you’re in the know, Lake Ohrid’s the sort of place you’ll be talking about for a long time to come. For starters, you’ll find it hard to stay away from the crystal-clear water, which is ideal for swimming, snorkelling, paddleboarding and more. Make time to explore some of the unique historical sites nearby though, like the Monastery of St Naum and the 13th-century Church of St John at Kaneo.

Where to stay on Lake Ohrid: there are a few options, but Ohrid town is the most versatile spot, with markets, cafés and culture to explore as well as lake beaches.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Best for: fairytale scenery

A castle on a cliff overlooking Lake Bled with an island visible beyond.

Lake Bled’s one of those places that’s every bit as captivating in real life as in the photos. It’s home to a clifftop castle perched high above the aquamarine water, while taking centre stage in the middle of the lake is a tiny island with just enough space for the red-roofed Church of the Assumption and not much else. Taking a traditional wooden Pletna boat across to visit it is an essential Lake Bled activity, as is strolling around the perimeter of the lake – a mostly-flat 6km path skims the water’s edge.

Where to stay on Lake Bled: the little town of Bled sits right on the lake and is also a good base for visiting Lake Bled’s quieter cousin, Lake Bohinj, 45 minutes’ bus ride away.

Lake Annecy, France

Best for: food lovers

A dining table on a balcony overlooking a large lake at sunset.

France and food go hand in hand, and mountain-framed Lake Annecy is no exception. You’ll find a rich mix of fresh lake fish dishes, best eaten on a waterside terrace, or hearty Savoyard food like cheese fondue, served at mountain huts high above the lake with panoramic views across the French Alps. And foodies mustn’t miss the Tuesday market in Annecy town, where local producers set up colourful stalls bursting with good things to eat – taste all sorts of cheeses, pastries, cured meats and more as you wander.

Where to stay on Lake Annecy: base yourself in the medieval town of Annecy, and you’ll have patisseries, coffee shops, bistros and fine dining on tap.

Start planning your lake holiday, or check out the best lake to visit in the month you want to go.

Author: Polly Bryan

Last updated: 31/07/2026