Lakes & Mountains Reloaded

Austria is a country with abundant bodies of water where you can enjoy crystal-clear lakes surrounded by breath-taking mountain scenery.

Need to Know

  • There are 2,194 bodies of running and more than 25,000 masses of standing waters in Austria.
  • The 62 bigger lakes cover a surface of more than 50 hectares.
  • Austria’s rivers and lakes are of extraordinary quality (drinking-water quality unless otherwise stated).
  • Austria’s lakes offer relaxing summer breaks, active adventures like kayaking, rafting, sailing and windsurfing, or the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing dip after hiking or biking.

Don't Miss

  • Try your hand at stand-up paddle boarding at Lake Zell. This lake is beautifully situated amidst mountains and a glacier.
  • Why not make it a water-themed round trip? Travelling from Salzburg to Vienna, you will pass fantastic lakes and take in spectacular panoramas

Perfect for Sports Enthusiasts

The Austrian Lake District boasts breath-taking mountain views and gives you the difficult task of choosing between 185 deep-blue lakes.

Combine hikes and walks in the surrounding mountains with swimming, rafting or canoeing in Lake Hallstatt.

Crystal-clear Lake Wolfgang and Lake Attersee are particularly popular with sailors and surfers, thanks to their excellent conditions and fair-weather wind.

Perfect for Families

Carinthia, Austria’s sunny southern province known as the “Austria’s Riviera”, is famous for its wealth of lakes. With a surface of over 19 km2, Lake Wörthersee is Carinthia’s largest and most popular lake and offers an abundance of activities for families.

Lake Faaker See impresses with its turquoise water, while Carinthia’s highest-situated lake, Lake Weißensee, offers unspoilt nature for those looking for a peaceful break, and two thirds of its lakeshore are designated protected areas.

Best Times to Travel

Summer: May to October

Getting there & around

Airports: Fly to Austria in just two hours from most major British airports. Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck are the biggest Austrian airports, with neighbouring Munich a good option too.

Railway: ÖBB Austrian Railways offers well developed national and regional connections.

Enjoying the sunset on the Wörthersee in Carinthia
Enjoying the sunset on the Wörthersee in Carinthia © Österreich Werbung / Peter Burgstaller Wörthersee
Boathouse on the Wörthersee
Boathouse on the Wörthersee Österreich Werbung / P. Burgstaller
Grundlsee Salzkammergut
Grundlsee Salzkammergut Österreich Werbung / P. Burgstaller
A nice moutianlake in the Salzkammergut
A nice moutianlake in the Salzkammergut Österreich Werbung / Sebastian Stiphout
The Village of Hallstatt
The Village of Hallstatt Österreich Werbung / Sean Byrne