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LakeQuality

Lakes in Austria

Find lakes in Austria: 254 designated lake bathing waters classified under the EU Bathing Water Directive. 246 are rated Excellent for 2025.

The same country also has official phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi for 3 named lakes, sampled 2021–2022. Those are nutrient and clarity readings, a different measurement from the Directive's bacteria class.

Updated 2025

Excellent: 246Good: 6Sufficient: 1Poor: 1

Lake map

Map shows 257 lakes with coordinates

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Best-rated lakes to swim in Austria

Officially classified Excellent for the 2025 bathing season, ranked by how often that class has held. Full best-lakes list →

  1. Achensee, NordExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  2. Achensee, SüdExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  3. Afritzer See, SüdostExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  4. Afritzer See, SüdwestExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  5. Altausseersee NordExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  6. Altausseersee SüdExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  7. Altausseersee WestExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  8. Alte Donau, Gänsehäufel OstExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  9. Alte Donau, Gänsehäufel SüdExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  10. Alte Donau, Gänsehäufel WestExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  11. Alte Donau, KaiserwasserExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  12. Alte Donau, Strandbad Alte DonauExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  13. Alte Donau, Untere Alte Donau (Badestege)Excellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  14. Alter Rhein, LustenauExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  15. Attersee, AtterseeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons

Every rated bathing water in Austria

Places in Austria

Named lakes

LakePlaceTotal phosphorusChlorophyll-aSecchiYear
Bodensee—8.0 µg/L2.5 µg/L3.8 m2022
Mondsee—7.0 µg/L3.2 µg/L5.0 m2022
Neusiedler See—31 µg/L—0.2 m2021

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Frequently asked questions

Which lakes in Austria are best to swim in?
246 of 254 designated bathing waters in Austria are rated Excellent for 2025 under the EU Bathing Water Directive. That class measures E. coli and intestinal enterococci only — it is not a safety clearance.
Is it safe to swim in Austria lakes?
The official class is a bacteriological rating, not a safety clearance. It does not cover algal blooms, nutrients, water clarity, currents, or depth. Conditions change after heavy rain. Check local signage and the operator's current notices before entering the water.
How is lake water quality measured in Austria?
3 named lakes in Austria have official phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi from the Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt), via UNEP GEMS/Water, 2021–2022. These are the authority's own measurements, shown as reported.
Whose ratings do the Austria lake pages show?
The publishing authority's own. Pages for lakes in Austria show the values and classes that authority reports, with the season or year each was taken.

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Directory of official lake water quality

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Rated bathing waters at campgrounds

Best lakes in Austria

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Water quality for lakes in Denmark

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Water quality for lakes in Spain

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Water quality for lakes in Lithuania

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Water quality for lakes in Belgium

Where to stay near Austria

Lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Austria — live availability from Booking.com, Vrbo and Expedia.

Top-rated places to stay near Austria

Prices for Sep 25–27, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

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Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), Bathing Water Directive. CC-BY 4.0.

UNEP GEMS/Water Global Freshwater Quality Archive v3 (OPEN / CC BY 4.0). Surface total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi from 2016 onward. Published as the authority reports it.

Monitoring: the Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt), via UNEP GEMS/Water.