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LakeQuality

Lakes in Switzerland

Find lakes in Switzerland: 135 designated lake bathing waters classified under the EU Bathing Water Directive. 117 are rated Excellent for 2025.

The same country also has official phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi for 18 named lakes, sampled 2023. Those are nutrient and clarity readings, a different measurement from the Directive's bacteria class.

Updated 2025

Excellent: 117Good: 8Sufficient: 1Poor: 4Not classified: 5

Lake map

Map shows 153 lakes with coordinates

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Best-rated lakes to swim in Switzerland

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

  1. Albergo AscolagoExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  2. Albergo Castello del SoleExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  3. Albergo Eden RocExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  4. Albergo Elvezia Al LagoExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  5. Albergo la RoccaExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  6. Albergo Tresa BayExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  7. Albergo ViralagoExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  8. Albergo ZappaExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  9. Bagno Pubblico AgnoExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  10. Bagno Pubblico AsconaExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  11. Bagno Pubblico CavianoExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  12. Bagno Pubblico LocarnoExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  13. Bagno Pubblico MagadinoExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  14. Bagno Pubblico Riale di GerraExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  15. Bagno Pubblico Riva CacciaExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons

Every rated bathing water in Switzerland

Places in Switzerland

Named lakes

LakePlaceTotal phosphorusChlorophyll-aSecchiYear
BaldeggerseeLucerne——2.9 m2023
GreifenseeZürich——3.4 m2023
HallwilerseeAargau——4.4 m2023
Lac de JouxVaud——3.2 m2023
Lake BielBern——5.2 m2023
Lake BrienzBern——4.2 m2023
Lake ConstanceThurgau——5.8 m2023
Lake GenevaVaud——7.0 m2023
Lake LuganoTicino——6.0 m2023
Lake MaggioreTicino——7.3 m2023
Lake MurtenFribourg——4.0 m2023
Lake NeuchâtelNeuchâtel——8.0 m2023
Lake ThunBern——8.2 m2023
Lake ZugZug——5.0 m2023
Lake ZürichZürich——4.9 m2023
PfäffikerseeZürich——3.3 m2023
SempacherseeLucerne——3.9 m2023
WalenseeSt. Gallen——7.1 m2023

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Frequently asked questions

Which lakes in Switzerland are best to swim in?
117 of 135 designated bathing waters in Switzerland 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 Switzerland 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 Switzerland?
18 named lakes in Switzerland have official Secchi from Eawag (the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology) and cantonal lake-monitoring programmes, 2023. These are the authority's own measurements, shown as reported.
Whose ratings do the Switzerland lake pages show?
The publishing authority's own. Pages for lakes in Switzerland show the values and classes that authority reports, with the season or year each was taken.

Lakes in other countries

Lakes in Europe

Directory of official lake water quality

Lake campgrounds in Europe

Rated bathing waters at campgrounds

Best lakes in Switzerland

Excellent-rated bathing waters

Campgrounds in Switzerland

Rated lake campgrounds

Clearest lakes in Switzerland

Named lakes ranked by Secchi

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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

Lakes in Czechia

Water quality for lakes in Czechia

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Water quality for lakes in Portugal

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Water quality for lakes in Slovakia

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Water quality for lakes in Croatia

Where to stay near Switzerland

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

Top-rated places to stay near Switzerland

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.

Official surface phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and/or Secchi. Published as the authority reports it on this scale.

Monitoring: Eawag (the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology) and cantonal lake-monitoring programmes.