The most beautiful lakes in Germany are the perfect places to relax during your holiday and have a refreshing swim in summer. But which are the most beautiful of the German lakes?
I have put together my favorites for you. Where can you find the most beautiful sandy beaches and what leisure activities are waiting for you there? You can find the answer here.
Müritz, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania
The Müritz is the largest lake in Germany, whose area is also completely in the federal territory. It belongs to the Mecklenburg Lake District and is a beautiful holiday area for people from all over Germany who are looking for relaxation.
The Müritz National Park borders the lake and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Around the Müritz you will find a variety of bathing spots and beaches for the whole family.
You can also find nudist beaches and dog beaches around the Müritz and the neighboring lakes.
For those who want a little more action during their vacation at the lake, the Müritz is ideal for windsurfing, diving, sailing or wakeboarding.
Event tip: The big folk festival “Müritz-Sail” takes place in May. Regattas, dragon boat races or fireworks are just a few of the highlights of the Müritz Sail.
Eibsee, Bavaria
The Eibsee is located directly at the foot of the Zugspitze at an altitude of 1,000 meters and, with its unmistakable panorama, is one of the most beautiful bathing lakes in Germany.
The cable car takes you comfortably from the lake to the highest mountain in Germany. There are no sandy beaches, but there are many small bays on the mountain lake.
Children can play and splash very well in the shallow water.
Due to its altitude, the water of the 32 meter deep bathing lake only warms up slowly. Bathing here is particularly beautiful in the late summer months.
Admission: free of charge Toilets/showers: only in gastronomy/no Gastronomy: yes Parking: yes Naturist area: yes Recreational activities: rowing boat, stand up paddling, boat tour
Lake Constance, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria
It is the most famous lake in Germany and even if we still share it with Austria and Switzerland, it should not be missing from the list of the most beautiful lakes in Germany.
In addition to beautiful bathing spots and beaches, you will find a variety of sights and sporting water sports opportunities around Lake Constance.
A large number of pilgrimage and long-distance hiking trails lead past Lake Constance.
A visit to the flower island of Mainau is a must for many holidaymakers.
Event tip: Every year in August, the Bregenz Festival with an opera production takes place on or more precisely on Lake Constance.
Lake Cospuden, Saxony
The next bathing lake on our list of the most beautiful lakes in Germany takes us to Saxony near Leipzig.
The Cospudener See is a former opencast mine that was flooded in the early 2000s and, together with other former opencast lakes around Leipzig, forms a local recreation area.
Fine sand and the longest beach in Saxony await you on the north beach. You can drive or walk around the lake for around 11 kilometers on a paved circular path.
There you can enjoy good food or relax in a sauna right by the lake. Excursion steamers start from the harbor across the lake.
From the lookout tower at the Bistumshöhe you have a fantastic view of the other surrounding lakes and the nearby Belantis amusement park.
You can even book holiday homes directly on the water at the neighboring Markkleeberger See. There you will also find a canoe park. The adrenaline junkies among you can let off steam to your heart’s content on two whitewater stretches.
Steinhuder Meer, Lower Saxony
The Steinhuder Meer in Lower Saxony is about 30 kilometers northwest of Hanover. On an artificial bathing island and on the north shore you will find two beautiful sandy beaches that give you a real holiday feeling at the lake.
The bathing island is closed every evening from 10 p.m., then you have to switch to the beach on the north shore.
Beach parties or open-air cinema screenings often take place here.
Event tip: Every year in August the “Steinhuder Meer in Flammen” takes place. The high-altitude fireworks are the highlight of the three-day folk festival.
“Pack your swimming trunks, take your little sister and then head out to Wannsee.”
That’s what it sounded like in a hit from 1951 and since then nothing has changed in the popularity of Wannsee and Berliners and Potsdamers like to use the Großer Wannsee, as the lake is officially called, as a local recreation area in summer.
The Wannsee is a bulbous arm of the Havel and has been used as a lido since 1907. For a perfect holiday feeling, even Baltic Sea sand from Travemünde was heaped up at the Wannsee lido.
Of course, it should not be missing from the list of the most beautiful bathing lakes in Germany: the Chiemsee in Bavaria.
After Lake Constance and Lake Müritz, it is the third largest lake in Germany and a popular destination for lakeside holidays.
Around the lake you will find various beaches and lidos. A particularly beautiful sandy beach on Lake Chiemsee is in Übersee. Around 5 kilometers of natural beach await you here.
The water is particularly shallow, so that children can swim safely here. Overseas you will also find the only designated nudist beach on Lake Chiemsee.
If you are a water sports enthusiast, then you can surf and sail excellently on Lake Chiemsee.
You can also rent boats or explore Lake Chiemsee on a pleasure boat.
For the whole family: there are many excursions on Lake Chiemsee
Thermen Chiemgau: In Chiemgau there is a thermal spring that supplies the Thermen Chiemgau with mineral and beneficial water. They are among the most beautiful thermal baths in Bavaria.
Herrenchiemsee Palace: Herrenchiemsee Palace on Herreninsel was commissioned by the well-known King Ludwig II as a replica of Versailles Palace. It is one of the most beautiful castles in Bavaria.
Leisure Park Ruhpolding: If you want an adrenaline kick in the midst of all the relaxation, a detour to the Leisure Park Ruhpolding in Chiemgau is worthwhile. The amusement park is one of the most popular amusement parks in Bavaria.
Bleilochtalsperre, Thuringia
With a length of 28 kilometers and a capacity of 215 million cubic meters, the Bleilochtalsperre is the largest reservoir in Germany.
The dam was built in 1932 and dams the Saale. The Bleilochtalsperre is not only a popular local recreation area for hiking and other sports, but also offers you a real holiday feeling.
A total of four bathing areas are officially designated as such and offer a beautiful ambience with their sandy beach.
You can also do sports on the water. Rent boats, pedal boats or bicycles for a tour around the lake.
Admission: Free Toilets/showers: yes/yes Gastronomy: yes Parking: yes Naturist area: yes Recreational activities: boating, renting a bike, surfing
Event tip: Every August since 1997, the “SonneMondStars” music festival has taken place on the eastern shore of the lake. Around 35,000 festival visitors now come to the event.
Laacher See, Rhineland-Palatinate
The Laacher See is the largest lake in Rhineland-Palatinate. It is located in the Vulkaneifel recreation area.
The lake itself is of volcanic origin, to which it owes its almost circular shape. The volcano last erupted in 10930 BC. from. However, it is very unlikely that the volcano will erupt again.
Due to the extraordinarily mineral soil, plants and animal species have rarely settled at the Laacher See.
In summer you can go hiking or cycling around the lake or make yourself comfortable at one of the bathing spots.
Admission: €4.00 (swimming area at the campsite) Toilets/showers: yes/yes – at the campsite Gastronomy: yes Parking: yes Naturist area: yes Leisure activities: Benedictine abbey Maria Laach, sailing, mini golf
Mahndorfer See, Bremen
This gem in Bremen was created as a by-product of the construction of the Bremen Autobahn in the 1960s and 1970s.
Today’s Mahndorfer See was used as a sand extraction point for the construction work.
Today nothing reminds of its origin. A long sandy beach at the bathing lake gives you a little beach feeling.
You will also find other berths on the meadows around the lake.
On the main beach you will find a separate non-swimmer area and in the eastern part of the lake there is also an area for nudists.
Admission: Free Toilets/showers: yes/no Gastronomy: yes Parking: yes Naturist area: yes Recreational activities: BBQ areas on sunbathing lawns, diving
Scharmutzelsee, Brandenburg
The region around the Scharmutzelsee in Brandenburg is a popular local recreation destination, especially for Berliners.
In Bad Saarow, Diensdorf-Radlow and Wendisch-Rietz you will find public bathing areas and lake access, but also many small, secluded places where you can bathe undisturbed.
For families with children, it could be a trip to the Scharmutzelbob summer toboggan run.
Also near the lake you will find a bicycle museum with all kinds of curiosities.
Although not known to many, the Edersee in Hesse undoubtedly belongs on the list of the most beautiful lakes in Germany.
An entire holiday region has now developed around the third largest reservoir in Germany. The Edersee nestles perfectly in the picturesque hilly landscape of the Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park.
Not only can you let off steam on the beautiful beaches of Rehbach or the lido in the Waldeck Bay, there are also a number of leisure activities around the lake.
Dare to go on the water ski facility or row comfortably in a boat across the 27-kilometre-long reservoir.
Visit Waldeck Castle, which sits enthroned on a mountain above Lake Edersee.
Admission: Free Toilets/showers: yes/yes Gastronomy: yes Parking: yes Naturist area: yes Recreational activities: water skiing, wildlife park, hot air balloon ride
Öjendorfer See, Hamburg
The bathing lake in Öjendorfer Park is located almost 13 kilometers from the city of Hamburg. The lake is of artificial origin and was created when sand was removed there from 1925 to 1929 to increase the Horner Marsch.
Today there is a bathing area available for you on the north and south beaches. A small sandy beach creates a holiday feeling, and the adjoining lawns offer plenty of space.
There is a bird sanctuary in the northern part of the lake. Two kiosks provide you with food and small treats.
Admission: Free Toilets/showers: yes/yes Gastronomy: yes Parking: yes Naturist area: yes Recreational activities: mini golf, barbecue area
That this lake was once an ugly opencast mine is not something that everyone would suspect today.
The Great Goitzschesee is the largest lake in the lake district of the former Goitzsche brown coal opencast mine near Bitterfeld.
Today you can not only swim and relax on beautiful sandy beaches at the Großer Goitzschesee, but also take a walk through the harbor and its marina. There is a lido at the distinctive level tower.
The Pouch Peninsula on the Goitzsche is known for the annual motorboat race and associated championships.
About the Author: Elle Johnson, travel writer living in Germany, an avid explorer fueled by wanderlust, uncovers Germany's hidden treasures. From mountains to luxury hotels, spontaneous trips to meticulous planning, she embraces diverse experiences. Join her in unraveling Germany's wonders and creating lifelong memories.
