From Highland hideaways to glacial lagoons, Europe's lakes offer serene escapes for summer swimmers. Readers have tested the waters and shared their top picks for a peaceful dip.
Attersee in Austria boasts the bluest and clearest waters near Salzburg, surrounded by mountains, pristine farms, and numerous walks. Public bathing areas at Unterach am Attersee provide food, watersports, and shallow areas for children, with fewer tour groups than other regional lakes.
In the Netherlands, Marnemoende lake offers a unique camping raft experience for two, accessible only by canoe. Wildlife abounds, and a village is an hour's walk away, ensuring peace and quiet with stunning sunrises. Weekend stays cost less than £150.
Lake Peruća in Croatia, formed by a dam on the Cetina river, attracts tourists for its peace, clean water, cycling, and unspoilt countryside. A new campsite on the lakeshore offers pitches at €15 per day, with the nearby town of Vrlika overlooked by a fortress.
Finland's Lake Saimaa, the country's largest, is a maze of channels and islands. Visitors can rent log cabins with wood-fired lakeside saunas, common in Finnish cottage country. Linnansaari national park offers a chance to spot rare ringed seals.
Lake Titisee in Germany provides warm, calm waters ideal for paddleboarding and swimming. Camping Sandbank on the lakeshore offers affordable family camping, with a reward of authentic Black Forest gateau after a swim across the lake.
