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DISCOVER AUSTRIA

Are the lakes in Austria warm enough for swimming in summer?

With rising temperatures, a dip in one of Austria's beautiful lakes is a common activity. But are they freezing cold? Here's what to expect.

Published: 2 July 2024 10:58 CEST
Are the lakes in Austria warm enough for swimming in summer?
Is Lake Hallstatt warm enough for swimming during the summer? Photo by Alex Ghiurau on Unsplash

Summer is here, and many places in Austria tend to get quite hot, especially the cities, and Vienna in particular.

To cope with the summer heat, taking a swim in one of the country’s many lakes could be a good idea.

But even if the temperatures are high, and we may suffer walking around outside, many of us may still hesitate to swim in a lake that feels like taking an ice bath.

Luckily though, most Austrian lakes offer decent swimming temperatures, with the exception of some colder ones, which may also be considered optional during the absolutely hottest summer days.

READ MORE: Eight lakes that are definitely worth visiting in Austria this summer

When is the best time to go swimming?

Some months are more guaranteed to offer us pleasant swimming temperatures in the lakes than others.

The best time to go swimming in the Austrian lakes is normally from the middle of June to early September. During this period, the water temperatures in the lakes are reaching their peaks and we can enjoy temperatures reaching between 20C to 25C in many of the lakes.

In recent years, September has also offered rather pleasant temperatures in many lakes, such as Lake Neusiedl and Lake Wörthersee.

Lakes with swimming-friendly temperatures 

There are 62 so-called ‘larger lakes’ in Austria, 43 of them natural and 19 artificial. Most of them offer comfortable water temperatures during the summer months.

Some of the lakes with the highest temperatures are Lake Wörthersee (above 25C), Lake Klopeiner (about 26C), Lake Neusiedl  (23C), Lake Wolfgang (22C), Lake Millstatt (around 25C), Lake Constance (around 22C) and Lake Mondsee (23C).

Even though it is not a lake, the Alte Donau in Vienna is still worth mentioning since it is one of the best options for swimming in the capital. The waters in the stream reach an average temperature of 23C during the summer.

You can check out the current temperatures of all of Austria’s different lakes here.

View of Lake Wörthersee and Klagenfurt. Photo by Katie Archibald-Woodward on Unsplash

READ ALSO: 8 reasons why you should visit Austria’s Klagenfurt this summer

Lakes where you can really cool down 

If you are looking for a (very) refreshing dip during the hot summer months, then you need to know which of Austria’s coldest lakes are.

Austria has many Alpine lakes in beautiful spots high up in the mountains. However, while they can offer respite from scorching weather, they also tend to be quite cold. Fed by snowmelt from surrounding mountains, they often remain cold even during the warmest months of the year.

Some of the lakes known for their colder temperatures in Austria are Lake Hallstatt and Lake Grundlsee, with temperatures around 19C during the summer. 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Miguel Living (@mig_living)

READ NEXT: 4 beautiful lakes you can easily reach from Vienna by public transport

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LIVING IN AUSTRIA

The best ideas for what to do with kids in Austria this summer

From workshops at a nearby library to children's festivals and family-friendly bike routes. We list the best activities for children during the school holidays.

Published: 4 July 2024 15:39 CEST
The best ideas for what to do with kids in Austria this summer

The start of school holidays in Austria does not mean that you have to spend a lot of money to entertain the children. You can find a lot of free or at least affordable activities all over the country.

Here are our best tips for fun activities for children during the school holidays.

Hiking 

Austria has a lot to offer when it comes to nature. If you want to go on a hike with children, you have almost unlimited options.

Some of Austria’s most popular national parks are Hohe Tauern National Park, Tyrol’s Zillertal Alps Nature Park, and Styria’s Gesäuse National Park.

All national parks offer different hiking trails for all levels, so you can easily adapt the excursion for children.

Many trails also have informative signs or guided tours that teach children about the environment in an engaging and playful way. In Gesäuse National Park, for example, you can find family-friendly hiking routes with information about the limestone mountains and diverse wildlife of the area.

If you do not want to visit a national park or hiking, there are also many smaller parks and beautiful lakes where it is nice to take a walk or a smaller hike.

In parks and botanical gardens, such as the botanical garden in Graz, you can find educational paths with information about plants and ecosystems.

Gesäuse National Park. Photo by Joachim Pressl on Unsplash

READ ALSO: Four Austrian national parks worth paying a visit

Museums and cultural sites

Visiting museums or cultural sites in Austria often comes with discounts for children and families. Many museums in Austria also offer free admission on certain days – and free admissions for those younger than 19.

If you are in Vienna, for example, you can visit the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace for free. You can admire the palace, have a picnic, and relax on benches or grass.

Kindermuseum ZOOM in Vienna periodically offers different interactive exhibitions. Here, children can explore various themes and topics through play and experimentation. The entry price depends on the exhibition and whether you visit privately or with an institution. Generally, for a private visit, the price is around €6.50 per child.

Another great option for children is the Salzburg Toy Museum, where you can explore toys from different eras and cultures. Entry costs €2 for a child under 15, and you can enter together for €10 as a family.

Festivals and different events

During the Austrian summer, you can find many festivals and events suitable for children all over the country. You can visit most of them completely for free or for a small fee.

The many children-friendly festivals tend to offer a great variety of entertainment, activities, and performances for children. One of them is Nökiss, Austria’s largest children’s festival, which takes place twice: at the end of August and the beginning of September.

Nökiss offers six stages and around 60 hours of theatre, songs, puppetry, games, and ballet. If you purchase your tickets before August 19th, the price is €20 per child for the entire festival.

Another option is the Mega Kindertag festival in Salzburg, held in the city centre on July 21st. Here, children can enjoy over 70 unique stations with different themes for playing and learning.

Apart from these major events, many of Austria’s largest festivals offer something for children and are also for free, such as the Salzburg Street Theatre Festival, Linz Pflasterspektakel, and Graz International Street Theatre Festival.

 
 
 
 
 
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Lakes and public pools

During hot summer days, taking the children to one of Austria’s many lakes and public pools is a great idea.

Some of Austria’s most popular and beautiful lakes are Wörthersee, Wolfgangsee, and Millstätter See. Families can swim, enjoy water sports like paddleboarding and kayaking, use playgrounds nearby, or have a picnic.

At these lakes, you can choose to pay a small fee to enter a Freibad, a designated beach area with facilities such as toilets and showers, or find a free spot with direct access to the lake.

Public outdoor pools in towns and cities are also favourite spots for families. They almost always have shallow areas for kids to play in the water and enjoy water slides.

The pools also offer relaxation for parents since most of them have lifeguards supervising the children.

In Vienna, entry to the outdoor pools is free for children under six years old and costs €2.60 for older children up to the age of 14.

You find a list of Vienna’s public pools here. 

Lake Wörthersee, in Carinthia, Austria. (Photo by Branislav Knappek on Unsplash)

READ MORE: Eight lakes that are definitely worth visiting in Austria this summer

Outdoor playgrounds and parks

In all Austrian cities, towns, and villages, you can find various parks and playgrounds where children can enjoy swings, slides, climbing walls, and sandboxes.

Here, children can play safely outdoors while parents can relax on benches. Many playgrounds, especially those in parks, also offer shaded areas due to the bushes and trees, which can be a relief on hot days.

The playgrounds are also great spots for picnics and for children to meet other families.

Some parks and playgrounds also offer ways to cool down with splash pads and hydration stations during warm weather. Many of these stations also allow you to refill your water bottle and enjoy a refreshing mist of cold water on your face.

In Vienna, children can also enjoy 12 different Wasserspielplatze where they can play in refreshing water.

Here you can check out the different playgrounds in Vienna.

Cycling 

Cycling is a very popular activity in Austria, enjoyed by all ages.
 
All over the country, you can find well-maintained cycling paths and trails that fit cyclists of all ages and skill levels. Many of these paths are separated from the cars, which makes them safe for children.

In Austria, you can find a great variety of different family-friendly cycling routes that are relatively flat and easy to cycle. Many of them pass by beautiful castles, historic villages, and cultural landmarks, where you enjoy breaks and some different activities.

A good idea is to cycle along the Danube Cycle Path (Donauradweg). This route goes along the Danube River from Passau in Germany to Vienna and further. Here you can experience easy terrain, well-marked paths, and interesting things to see on the way, such as the town Dürnstein, known for its medieval castle ruins.

Another option is the Lake Neusiedl Cycle Path, where you can cycle relaxed on flat terrain along the largest lake in Austria. If you cycle here, you can also enjoy swimming whenever you want, historical towns like Rust, and of course, beautiful nature.

READ ALSO: The four best cycling routes in Austria

Workshops and craft activities

Many cities and towns in Austria offer summer workshops specifically for children. These workshops are normally held in community centres, libraries, museums, art galleries, and cultural institutions.

Here, children can explore painting, pottery, sculpture, and jewellery-making guided by professional artists and instructors.

A good idea is to check out what is currently happening at your local library or community centre.

If you are in Vienna Kinderwerksatt Wien is a good option where you can find a great variety of activities for children.

 
 
 
 
 
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