7 of the Most Beautiful Lakes in Europe to Visit

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Europe is known for many things, art, culture, history, and architecture being a few of them. Although people do realize that Europe in itself is a gorgeous destination to visit, they often discount the fact that its natural beauty does not only include high-rise peaks and green stretches of land. Lakes contribute to its irresistible charm. If you are on a trip to Europe to discover its natural aesthetic side, you must visit its lakes. The following list identifies the top seven most beautiful lakes in Europe that you must visit.

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1. Lake Annecy, France

You cannot talk about Europe’s most beautiful lakes without mentioning France’s Lake Annecy. It is not only one of the largest lakes in France, but it is also one of the best lakes to visit in Europe. Lake Annecy sits between lush green but snow-capped mountains in a breathtakingly serene setting. The calm and clear blue waters reflect the skies and mountains, inviting you to sit beside them and contemplate. The peace of the area encourages self-contemplation and reflection – two very important things to live meaningfully. You can do several things while you are here, including watersports like scuba diving, catamaran, and paddleboarding, and relaxing by the lake’s many beaches. If you are feeling adventurous, you should also venture into Annecy’s Old Town, a lovely, authentic French town.

Lake Annecy Travel Guide & Resources:

Find the best flightstrain tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Lake Annecy. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Lake Annecy to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Lake Annecy itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Lake Annecy in addition to what already mentioned here.

2. Lake Como, Italy

If you are in Italy, you must spare some time to see one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, Lake Como. People usually embark on journeys to Italy to explore its cultural and artistic sides, ignoring its wilder aspects that are closer to nature. In doing so, they often fail to realize how incredibly beautiful the country is. One excellent way to come face to face with this side of the country is by witnessing the stunning, admirable, and endlessly romantic Lake Como. Popular for its spectacular landscapes, exotic wildlife, and relaxing spas, Lake Como is that escape we always wish for but fail to get. While you are here, you may wholeheartedly adopt the famous Italian saying Dolce far niente, meaning the sweetness of doing nothing, and just sit by the lake, taking in its beauty. Or you could relax in its spas and visit its neighboring towns, which are spectacles in their own right.

Lake Como Travel Guide & Resources:

Find the best flightstrain tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Lake Como. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Lake Como to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Lake Como itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Lake Como in addition to what already mentioned here.

3. Hallstatt, Austria

Close your eyes and conjure an image of a picture-perfect lake setting. Imagine its clear, calm waters and their quiet settings. Imagine them being surrounded by gentle, green rises. Imagine the peace. This vision is the Lake Hallstatt reality, which is easily one of the best lakes to visit in Europe. The lake is tucked away from the maddening Austrian crowds in a relaxed atmosphere, which is dominated by fabulous displays of nature. The region is so gorgeous that a few people decided to settle at the foot of the lake, forming charming little Austrian villages. When you visit the lake, be sure to venture out on excursions, exploring the tiny towns that let you see how traditional Austrian living looks. You will love the people, the sights, and the ambiance!

Hallstatt Travel Guide & Resources:

Find the best flightstrain tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Hallstatt. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Hallstatt to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Hallstatt itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Hallstatt in addition to what already mentioned here.

4. Lake Geneva, Switzerland

Lake Geneva is another one of Europe’s most beautiful lakes and therefore conveniently makes it to the list of best lakes to visit in Europe. Lake Geneva is a lake worth visiting, for its setting is as gorgeous as it can get. Nestled between the Alps, the lake boasts crystal clear, icy-blue waters that send a sense of chill in your nerves. However, at the same time, the destination’s ambiance is so warm and welcoming that you feel endlessly drawn to it. Lake Geneva sports a striking crescent shape and many attractive villages along its boundary, which feature unmissable sites, including medieval castles. You should also participate in the many opportunities of watersports available here to make your experience more memorable.

Lake Geneva Travel Guide & Resources:

Find the best flightstrain tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Lake Geneva. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Lake Geneva to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Lake Geneva itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Lake Geneva in addition to what already mentioned here.

5. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Where other destinations have been flaunting one lake only, Croatia takes the lake-game to the next level with its series of sixteen lakes interconnected by a chain of waterfalls. The lakes, separated by natural dams populated by moss and algae, mix with the run-off from mountains. This thing gives them a characteristic very rare to waterbodies globally – a variety of colors at different points, from silvery gray to blue to green to azure. During different parts of the day, due to the sun’s changing position, light falls on the waters at different angles, creating a stunning orchestra of colors. You will be blown away by their sheer beauty and will be compelled to admit that they surely are Europe’s most beautiful lakes.  

Plitvice Lakes Travel Guide & Resources:

Find the best flightstrain tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Plitvice Lakes. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Plitvice Lakes to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Plitvice Lakes itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Plitvice Lakes in addition to what already mentioned here.

6. Lake Bled, Slovenia

For those looking for a magical experience during their European exploratory journeys, Lake Bled in Slovenia is god-sent. Characterized by bluish-green waters, a medieval castle standing atop a rocky cliff, a picture-postcard church on an islet, and the magnificent Alps in the background, Lake Bled looks straight out of a children’s fairytale book. Each time one looks upon it, one is taken aback by surprise, for the lake looks more charming with each passing second. You could just sit and marvel at its beauty endlessly. Come with your family here and enjoy some memorable picnic moments, watch as the sun sets into the lake, and marvel at nature’s creation. Other than this, you can also go kayaking and swimming in the lake if you are feeling adventurous.

Lake Bled Travel Guide & Resources:

Find the best flightstrain tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Lake Bled. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Lake Bled to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Lake Bled itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Lake Bled in addition to what already mentioned here.

7. Lake Garda, Italy

There are several highly motivating reasons why you would love to visit Lake Garda in Italy, the first of them being its sheer appeal. The scenery you get to witness here is incomparable in all regards, thanks to the region’s versatile topographical features. You will find everything here, from mountains to green hills to rocky beaches to cave systems. All these elements combine to give Garda an unchallenged appearance. Moreover, the climate is perfect for enjoying lazy days by the lake, where you just eat scrumptious snacks and soak in the sun. Plus, there is an endless number of exhilarating, adventurous activities that can keep you on your toes, like trekking, boat rides, windsurfing, hiking, among many others!

Lake Garda Travel Guide & Resources:

Find the best flightstrain tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Lake Garda. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Lake Garda to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Lake Garda itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Lake Garda in addition to what already mentioned here.

Video Guide: 7 Most Beautiful Lakes in Europe

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Travel Resources for Planning a Trip to Visit the Most Beautiful Lakes in Europe

To make planning your trip to some of the most beautiful lakes in Europe easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip.

Flights: 

Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.

CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!

Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.

JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.

Hotels

Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.

Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.

Transportations: 

Airport TransfersKiwiTaxiViator

TrainEuroRailTrainline or RailEurope 

BusFlixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.

Car RentalsAutoEuropeEconomyBookings, or  GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)

Bike RentalBikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals) 

Transportation ComparisonOmio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)

Tours & Activities:

TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.

Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.

Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.

GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities

Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.

Need help planning a trip to visit the most beautiful lakes in Europe?

Want to plan a trip to Europe but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!

At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a special trip to visit some of the most beautiful lakes in Europe are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.

Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our marketplace for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.

To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in  5 Easy Steps”  here.

Have questions for us? Schedule a FREE Call with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at [email protected], call/text us at (888)223-2316 today.

Private Travel Coaching & Consulting Call

Want to plan and book your upcoming trip yourself? If this is your first time traveling to any of the European destinations or you are new to multi-city, multi-country travel but prefer to manage every part of your trip on your own, this option is for you! 

For just $150 per hour, our destination expert can answer any questions you might have as you plan and book your dream trip. From assisting with route planning, and destination selection, recommending the best areas or places to stay, the best transportation options, things to do and see, saving tips and so much more! 

Ready to plan your trip with our help? Book your private coaching session with our destination expert now and we’ll confirm your appointment within 24 hours!

Travel Resources for Planning Your Own Trip

To make planning your European trip on your own easier, in addition to what already mentioned in our travel guide, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in any destination using these travel resources:

European River Cruises:

Uniworld River Cruises: The world’s best and most awarded luxury river cruise line—offers itineraries in spectacular destinations throughout Europe, Russia, Egypt, Asia, and Peru. The company’s European fleet features luxurious ships with an average capacity of 120 guests, the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry, enticing shore excursions, world-class gourmet cuisine, impeccable hospitality, and numerous other all-inclusive benefits.

Pre- and Post-cruise/Tour Extensions: Uniworld curated pre-and post-cruise/tour extensions make it easy to add a few days to the front or back end of your trip while leaving the planning to them

The packages include a variety of hotel options, transfers, and a dedicated destination expert to escort you along the way.

Flights: 

Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.

CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!

Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.

JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.

Hotels

Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.

Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.

Airport Transfers & Transportations: 

Airport Transfers: GetTransfer offers both airport transfers & car rentals with a personal driver. Other airport transfer options are KiwiTaxi and Viator.

TrainEuroRailTrainline, or RailEurope are all great sites for train tickets as well as Rail Passes if you would like to add more flexibility to your trip. They are good for most trains throughout Europe. For trains in Italy, we like and recommend ItaliaRail. As for Portugal, you will need to go to the official website for Comboios de Portugal (the Portuguese train company) to book your train tickets when traveling in Portugal.

BusFlixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.

CarRentalsAutoEuropeEconomyBookings, or  GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)

Bike RentalBikesBooking is a great site for bikes & scooter rentals

Transportation ComparisonOmio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)

Tours & Activities:

TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.

Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.

Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.

GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities

Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.

Travel Insurance:

Travel Guard:  Their comprehensive travel insurance programs, starting at $30, include per-trip & annual plans, coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, medical expenses, baggage loss & more! Travel Guard provides 24/7-customer service with a personal touch through its World Service Center.

DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links, MultiCityTrips may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Trip by Travel Experts

Need help planning a trip and find the best vacation package for your multi-city trip to Europe? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!

At MultiCityTrips, multi-city, multi-country European vacations, and complicated itineraries are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize an amazing multi-city trip to your dream destinations in Europe.

Ready for a trip? Check out our planning options and get in touch with us today!

Featured Pre-Designed Packages

These air-inclusive, pre-designed multi-city European vacation packages can be personalized to suit your needs!

Private Travel Coaching & Consulting Call

Want to plan and book your upcoming trip yourself? If this is your first time traveling to any of the European destinations or you are new to multi-city, multi-country travel but prefer to manage every part of your trip on your own, this option is for you! 

For just $150 per hour, our destination expert can answer any questions you might have as you plan and book your dream trip. From assisting with route planning, and destination selection, recommending the best areas or places to stay, the best transportation options, things to do and see, saving tips and so much more! 

Ready to plan your trip with our help? Book your private coaching session with our destination expert now and we’ll confirm your appointment within 24 hours!

Schedule a FREE Consultation

Not sure or can’t decide which planning option is right for you? Schedule a free 30-minute call with one of our travel experts to discuss your travel needs today!