Europe’s best lakes for a summer escape

Europe is rightfully renowned for its diverse beaches, stretching from the Algarve to the Adriatic. But when it comes to summer travel, give freshwater a chance. There are few ways to experience a destination more lovely or nostalgic than by planning a lakeside escape, just as royals and aristocrats have been doing for centuries.

These days, you don’t need a lakefront château or palazzo to get into the spirit. From Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands to Lake Saimaa on Finland's southern border, here's how to makes the most of Europe’s lakes this summer.

Few lakes in Europe come as postcard-ready as Slovenia’s Lake Bled, located in the Julian Alps about 45 minutes outside of the capital city of Ljubljana.

On the water: The lake is best known for the fairytale-like Church of the Assumption, which sits on a pocket-sized island in the middle of the water. To get there, you can row yourself or take a pletna, Slovenia’s answer to the Venetian gondola; many of today's oarsmen descend directly from 22 local families who were granted rights to ferry religious pilgrims to the island by the Hapsburg Empress Maria Theresa in the 1700s. In summer, you can also explore Bled’s bracing waters by paddleboard. Rent one from an outfitter like SUP Bled or join one of their guided, family-friendly tours.

More to explore: While you’re in the region, save room for a slice of Blejska kremšnita, or Bled cream cake, which was invented by pastry chef Ištvan Lukačević in 1953 at the Hotel Park café, where you can still try it today.

Where to stay: Book a stay at the Hotel Park for an easy post-cake nap; it was sleekly refurbished in 2020 with a design that draws on the surrounding lake and forest for inspo.

Located in the Haute-Savoie department, which borders Italy and Switzerland, Lake Annecy is a pristine body of water that’s often called the cleanest lake in Europe, thanks to strict environmental regulations set in place in the '60s.

On the water: Paul Cézanne memorialized its dazzling blues in the Post-Impressionist “The Lac d'Annecy,” but these days, the pleasures can run a little less highbrow: sunbathing on one of its many beaches (Plage Des Marquisats is a local family fave), swimming in the refreshing waters (which usually hit around 75 degrees in summer), renting a paddle boat, or even scuba diving (Activ' Annency offers guided dives).

More to explore: One of the best ways to sample the spoils of the lake is at the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Le Clos de Sens, where elegantly prepared dishes often include lake fish like perch and féra. For something a bit more down-home, visitors swear by Tête de Cochon and its open-faced sandwiches piled high with local cheeses and charcuterie.

Where to stay: As a home base, you can’t beat Annecy, which has been called the Venice of the Alps for its series of canals, and the 110-year-old Imperial Palace hotel, which has welcomed the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Édith Piaf.

During a Swedish summer, there are few better places to enjoy the season than by one of the nation’s nearly 100,000 lakes. Among the most charming is Lake Vättern, a finger-shaped lake about three hours from Stockholm, surrounded by historic settlements like Hjo, a beautifully preserved timbered town on the lake’s western shore.

On the water: Head to Hjo's port to get access to the free outdoor pools (heated in summer, if the lake's water is too chilly) and the wood-fired floating sauna (just over $20 per person). You should also make time for the historic S/S Trafik steamship. Built in 1892, this “floating museum” now offers seasonal summer cruises around the lake to spots like the island of Visingsö, home to the ruins of Sweden’s first royal castle, built in the 12th century.

More to explore: For a taste of simple, homestyle Swedish food in a beautiful location, check out Stampens Kvarn, which occupies a 17th-century flour mill just outside of Hjo. Of course, this being Sweden, you can’t go a day without enjoying the cozy ritual of fika (a midday snack and hot drink) at Handelsboden Njuta, Vete & Råg, or Guldkanten Café.

Where to stay: Book a room at the STF Vandrarhem Hjo, a cozy hotel-hostel in a 19th-century wooden house in the city park.

It’s a total coincidence that this lake in the Alpine foothills of Lombardy is shaped like a wishbone, but this is the kind of place you might conjure if you were dreaming up the perfect landscape: forested hills towering over colorful villages, pastel palazzos, lush gardens filled with palm trees and rhododendrons, winding mountain roads perfect for a weekend drive.

On the water: The shores of Lake Como are dotted with gorgeous towns like Varenna, Tremezzina, and Bellagio, and the best way to see them all is by renting or chartering a boat and zipping around these calm waters, taking in the sights from surface level—and of course keeping your eyes peeled for George Clooney’s 18th-century estate, Villa Oleandra, in Laglio.

More to explore: While the clear lake water is a major draw, the pools in and around Lake Como are some of the most picturesque in the world. Our favorites? The floating pool at Grand Hotel Tremezzina and the dockside infinity pool at Il Sereno Lago di Como. Off the water, there’s plenty to do, too from cooking classes to touring historic villas like Villa del Balbianello.

Where to stay: Splash out on a luxe stay at one of the grand dames along the water: Twelve-room Musa Lago di Como will give you stellar lake views; opulent Villa d'Este will have you feeling like royalty; and Filario Hotel & Residences has a more modern vibe.

It’s not hard to see why some people think this expansive lake in the Scottish Highlands is home to the dinosaur-like Nessie: With maximum depths of more than 800 feet, Loch Ness contains more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined—meaning there’s lots of room for a monster to roam.

Along the water: The shores are rich with centuries of history, which you can explore at the ruins of Urquhart Castle, and if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can tackle the Loch Ness 360º Trail, an 80-mile walking and cycling path that loops around the entire lake and begins and ends in Inverness.

Where to stay: Unsurprisingly, the lodging options in these parts are brimming with the warmth and charisma you’d expect from the Scots, with standouts including the Loch Ness Lodge, the Foyers Lodge, and The Lovat, where the onsite restaurant Station Road offers a taste of the Highlands with dishes like wild venison salami and spruce madeleines.

There’s something almost mythical about Lake Saimaa, an enormous aquatic patchwork of forested islets and rocky channels, which has the world’s longest lake coastline (at more than 9,000 miles!) and nearly 14,000 islands.

On the water: Wolves, bears, elk, and foxes make their home in the untouched wilds surrounding the lake, but naturalists are drawn here by the ultra-rare Saimaa ringed seal, a freshwater species numbering fewer than 400. To catch sight of the Saimaa ringed seals, head to the lake in May—when they're molting and basking on lakeshore rocks to dry off—and book a seal-watching cruise with the highly recommended Lakeland GTE.

More to explore: Beyond wildlife, the area is perfect for foraging for mushrooms and berries and cycling along the Saimaa Archipelago Route. Keep meals simple at an unassuming fish stand like the waterfront Kalastajan Koju Savonlinna, where muikku, or tiny fried whitefish served with mashed potatoes, is Finland’s summery answer to fish and chips.

Where to stay: There are plenty of lovely hotels in the area, like the Hotel Punkaharju, which occupies an 1845 ranger’s lodge commissioned by Tsar Nicholas I. But to fully embrace the laid-back environment here, rent a mökki, or summer cottage (get one with a sauna!), and kick back with a long drink, a ubiquitous concoction of gin and grapefruit soda.

Formed by glaciers during the last ice age, the emerald-green Königssee looks a bit like an inland fjord. Its rock walls are so sheer that boat captains guiding tours here will often play a trumpet to show off the crystal-clear echo they produce.

Along the water: Located in Nationalpark Berchtesgaden, the lake remains a wonderfully wild place, surrounded by sights that might look at home in a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, like the red-domed St. Bartholomew’s Church, a pilgrimage church named for the patron saint of alpine farmers, and the tiny island of Christlieger, with its 18th-century marble statue of St. John of Nepomuk.

Where to stay: Guesthouses and hotels that dot the valley north of the lake. Book a stay at the wellness-minded Alpenhotel Zechmeisterlehen, which has outdoor saltwater pools, a freshwater swimming pond, and an expansive complex of saunas and relaxation rooms.