Idyllic and fantastically beautiful: Cool off on the hottest day of the week: 7 bathing lakes that are still insider tips
There are more than 12,000 lakes in Germany, many of which are classified as bathing waters. Everyone knows the Chiemsee, Wannsee or the Mecklenburg Lake District. That’s why we started looking for seven lesser-known bathing lakes.
Summer has finally arrived in Germany and with it the desire to swim: Put on your bathing suit and out to the lake! Among the large number of German lakes, we have uncovered a few that are not among the best known, but entice with other attractions.
1. Hopfensee: Warmest pre-alpine lake with a Kneipp island
In Füssen in the Allgäu, most people are drawn to the Forggensee because of the view of Neuschwanstein Castle. In the immediate vicinity is the Hopfensee, just as beautifully embedded in the Allgäu mountain landscape. Since the lake, which is around two kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide, is only a maximum of ten meters deep, it heats up particularly quickly and is considered the warmest foothills of the Alps.
With its shallow banks, it is particularly suitable for families with children. And for Kneipp fans. Because an artificial Kneipp island floats on the lake. It is connected to the bank by a footbridge and invites you to tread water – a ritual that comes from the region. Pastor Sebastian Kneipp came from the Allgäu and developed his doctrine of the healing power of water here.
2. Eibsee: Maldives feeling with a glacier view
In Bavaria, the choice of bathing lakes is huge – just think of the classics around Munich such as Starnberger See, Ammersee, Tegernsee and Chiemsee. The Eibsee in Grainau is more refreshing in the truest sense of the word. The 2.5 kilometer long and around 850 meter wide lake has what no other lake in Germany has to offer: the Zugspitze is reflected in its crystal-clear water and eight small islands shine with bright beaches.
The location in a nature reserve at the foot of our highest mountain, around ten kilometers from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, makes this setting so unique. The mountain lake, located at an altitude of 1000 meters, remains refreshing even in midsummer – with water temperatures around 20 degrees. But the view of the Wetterstein Mountains warms your heart and soul.
3. Schluchsee: sandy beach in the Black Forest
Beach atmosphere in Baden-Württemberg: Lake Constance, Titisee, Mummelsee or Glaswaldsee immediately come to mind. The Schluchsee near the spa town of the same name, however, has something special to offer: an extensive sandy beach at an altitude of 930 meters in the middle of the Black Forest.
In the lido on the south-eastern bank, there is also an adventure pool with a 105-meter-long slide waiting for bathers. If you want to get an overall picture of the Schluchsee, you can hike or cycle on the 18-kilometer circular path around the lake and enjoy the spectacular views of wooded hills and the ice-blue water.
4. Blue Adriatic: a quarry pond paradise in Rhineland-Palatinate
Near Ludwigshafen, in Altrip, several quarry ponds are lined up in a row – in the Blue Adriatic recreation area. The entire water surface is more than a square kilometer and is framed by long sandy beaches with small dunes and shady trees.
Headlands divide the vast expanse of water into small, shallow bathing bays. Soft sand gives the ultimate beach holiday feeling – and that in the middle of the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis. In the spacious lake area there is a campsite, a kiosk, toilets and sufficient parking spaces. If you want to drop your covers, you can do so at the main lake, the Blue Adriatic, because large parts of it are used as a nudist bathing lake.
5. Rursee: bathing pleasure in the Eifel National Park
Superlative in the green Eifel: the Rur dam Schwammenauel, better known as the Rursee, stretches between Simmerath and Heimbach in North Rhine-Westphalia. The lake created by damming is one of the largest reservoirs in the republic due to its volume of water. The water landscape is picturesquely embedded between dense deciduous and coniferous forests and is divided into Obersee and Urftsee. Water sports fans can explore these with rented sailing or motor boats, rent canoes or stand-up paddle boards or dive into the Einruhr nature adventure pool.
Attention, since the Rursee is located in the Eifel National Park, bathing is now allowed at the signposted places – for example in the Woffelsbach Bay. Admission to the pool with the beautifully landscaped bank terraces is free and the German Life Saving Society ensures safety in the water.
6. Großer Stechlinsee: 11 meters depth of view in the north of Brandenburg
Not only in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania there is a lake district, but also in Brandenburg there is one lake after the next, connected by rivers and canals. The Great Stechlinsee stands out in the Oberhavel district. With a depth of 70 meters, it is the deepest lake in the Brandenburg Lake District. In addition, there is extremely clear water, which in places lets you see up to eleven meters deep.
Hence its name, which is said to come from the Slavic word “steklo”, which means something like glass. Swimmers, canoeists, kayakers and divers can let off steam in and on the lake, the beauty of which Theodor Fontane raved about in his works. A well-developed network of trails leads through light forests around the Stechlinsee – perfect for hiking followed by a dip in the lake.
7. Plöner See: Water sports paradise in the Holstein Switzerland Nature Park
Schleswig-Holstein is the land between the seas, which is why vacationers usually think of either the German North Sea or Baltic Sea coast. But in the northernmost state there are also 250 lakes with 340 monitored bathing areas. The largest and deepest lake is the Great Plöner See. Its location in the middle of the Holstein Switzerland Nature Park promises pure enjoyment of nature: a varied landscape with rolling hills, extensive fields and light deciduous forests.
Among the 15 official bathing spots, the Prinzenbad on the Prinzeninsel in Plön, which can only be reached on foot, is considered the most beautiful place. If you don’t just like to lie in the sun and splash around, you can rent a sailboat, canoe or surfboard, go diving or take a tour of the lake. Tip: The white Plön Castle is located on a hill high above the water – with a view and a café-restaurant.
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