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.
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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