The Most Beautiful Lake Towns in Europe

In Europe there are enchanting cities and regions, mountains and valleys, islands and landscapes that leave a lasting impression and that you always want to visit again. Whether a city break or active hiking trip, they are ideal destination for a holiday off the usual tourist routes. Europe is also home to some of the world’s most stunning lakes, with mountainous backdrops and quaint little towns along the shores. We've brought together some of Europe's hidden and underrated gems for you. Just take a look at the most beautiful lakeside towns across the old continent. 1Lake Bled in Slovenia Lake Bled, in Slovenia is one of Europe’s most picturesque places to travel. This beautiful little lake is surrounded by hills of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a very popular tourist destination and not far (35km) from Sloveniens capital city, Ljubljana. Reasons why you should visit Lake Bled Bled is one of Slovenia's most popular holiday resorts. The village attracted by romantic honeymooners to backpackers who come for hiking, cycling, water sportsand canyoning. Its emerald green lake, the picturesque church on a small island and a medieval castle nestled against a rocky cliff make this place incomparably beautiful. A climb to one of the surrounding peaks of the Julian Alps with the Karawanken as a backdrop offers photographers numerous motifs for postcard photos. Those who do not want to climb quite so far can climb to the top of the bell tower. He also offers a breathtaking view over the lake. 2Orta San Giulio in Italy The Village is is registered in the association "I borghi più belli d’Italia", the most beautiful places in Italy. In other words, the place is off the beaten path, but of great cultural tourism value. The Italian community with its 1262 inhabitants is located on the eastern shore of Lake Orta on a headland protruding into the lake and is a major tourist town with a picturesque old town. Reasons why you should visit Orta San Giulio The village is close to the Sacri Monti with its nine chapels that were built in the mountains in the 16th and 17th centuries. For centuries, people here have been seeking comfort and help from the miraculously revered Black Madonna of Oropa. Today they are a popular tourist attraction. A hike right along the lake shore around the peninsula is socially beautiful. In addition, the district of Legro is known as a "painted village"; the walls of many houses are decorated with painted scenes from feature films that were shot in the area of Lake Orta. The picturesque village with its village square is one of the most beautiful gems on Lake Orta, but is closed to car traffic. 3Montreux in Switzerland Montreux is a municipality in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located on Lake Geneva shoreline at the foot of the Alps. Reasons why you should visit Montreux Montreux nestles in a sheltered Lake Geneva bay, surrounded by vineyards and against the breathtaking backdrop of snow-covered Alps. The Montreux Jazz Festival, which takes place in June/July and features concerts on a variety of stages and parks is very famous. This beautiful little town has always attracted Tourists and local people as well to its shoreline, with wonderful views over the glistening waters of the lake. Don’t miss the Chateau de Chillon, a 13th century fort with a view so stunning it could be the backdrop for a movie. 4Yvoire in France Yvoire is a commune in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The medieval village is located on the south shore of the picturesque Lake Geneva on the northern tip of a promontory ranks as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Reasons why you should visit Yvoire Yvoire is part of the prestigious Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. On the edge of Lake Geneva, the cute middle-aged village is an unmissable stage. Its medieval architecture and its 14th-century castle take you back to the Middle Ages. Every summer, the village builds huge floral arrangements covering its stone buildings in colorful foliage. 5Bellagio in Italy Bellagio (also Bellaggio) is a municipality on Lake Como in Italy. The place belongs to the province of Como in Lombardy. Reasons why you should visit Bellagio Jutting out into Italy’s Lake Como the dreamy village is known for its picturesque location overlooking the Alps. At the tip of the peninsula it separates the two southern arms of the lake. Walking along its colourful waterfront promenade, you could be in a vintage Italian movie. Just make sure to take your Iconic Cat Eye Sunglasses for ultimate Sophia Loren vibes. Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Exploring Italy (@exploring.italy) am Jun 27, 2020 um 5:31 PDT 6Hallstatt in Austria Hallstatt is a market town with 774 inhabitants in Austria and is located on Lake Hallstatt. Together with the Dachstein and the Inner Salzkammergut it belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut. Reasons why you should visit Hallstatt Hallstatt on Lake Hallstatt is probably the most picturesque place in Austria and attracts many tourists from all over the world. The idyllic chocolate town is peppered with wooden houses from the 16th century and the winding cobblestone streets lead you through the old town, which is the motive for many postcards. A special highlight is a tour by cable car to Skywalk Hallstatt. From this viewing platform you have an incredible panoramic view over the lake and the mountains. 7Morcote in Switzerland Morcote is located ten kilometers southwest of Lugano in the southern part of Lake Lugano. The small mountain village is opposite the Italian Porto Ceresio, at the foot of the 822 meter high Monte Arbostora. Reasons why you should visit Morcote The once important trade center, which was once dominated by the Palearifestung, is today a tourist destination with its beautiful hillside location, Parco Scherrer, its palaces, a monumental church staircase with 404 steps, the famous cemetery and the arcades on the Embankment. Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Fabio Balassi 🌎🇨🇭📽 (@_balassi_) am Mai 2, 2020 um 11:07 PDT 8Talloires in France La Talloires is a French town in Haute-Savoie in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The small mountain town is located on a plateau on the shores of Lake Annecy and at the foot of an alpine massif. That's why tourists come here year-round for hiking, mountaineering or skiing. Reasons why you should visit Talloires As already mentioned, the idyllic town in the mountains lies directly on a lake. That is why Talloires offers numerous summer and winter activities. With its exceptional low mountain landscape, the area is one of the world's leading sites for paragliding. 9Medieval Titisee-Neustadt in Germany Try to see past the comedy name: Titisee is the largest natural lake in the Black Forest, perfect for a family pedalo outing (some come with onboard water slides). Medieval Titisee-Neustadt is a spa town with cute streets and a huge waterpark. Long-distance trails start from the Seestrasse promenade and there are spectacular views from a tower at the top of 1,190-metre Hochfirst mountain. Renting a bike is a great way to see the area: the Bähnle-Radweg path trail takes in breweries, waterfalls, farmyards and a huge viaduct. For a multi-country jaunt, Neustadt is also close to the French and Swiss borders. A boat trip in the shadow of the forested mountains is a must. With the round once around the lake, active people only got to know a small part of the sports offer in Titisee-Neustadt. Hikers and Nordic walkers, cyclists and mountain bikers, golfers and swimmers: they all find an extensive area around the climatic health resort. 10. Bad Hévíz, Hungary Hungary’s most famous spa an bath town Bad Hévíz is located on the west Hungarian bathing street, not far from the Balaton. Lake Hévítz ist the largest thermal bathing lake in the world with the longest tradition for cures in Hungary. The healing lake in Hévíz with an area of around 4.4 hectares is the largest natural and biologically active thermal lake in the world, where you can swim all year round. This is fed by a thermal spring from a crater at a depth of 38 meters. With 410 liters per second, the spring is so productive that the water exchanges completely within about 84 hours. The lake’s waters are said to have curative properties, and the town has made an industry out of health tourism. The water temperatures of the lake are around 33 to 36 ° C in summer and in winter around 23 to 25 ° C. This enables year-round swimming in the open air. Thanks to an approximately 2 Meter thick layer of steam and thermal springs emerging directly in the lake, the water never loses its pleasant warm temperature of around 35°C in summer and around 25°C in winter. So year-round medicinal bathing is possible in the sulfur- and radon-containing water. The highly effective and mineral-rich mud on the bottom of the lake is used during cures in Bad Hévíz for mud packs, which have a pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effect. The humic acid it contains also has an anti-aging effect. 11. Lucern in Switzerland Lucerne is an achingly pretty town on the edge of Lake Lucerne, with beautiful medieval architecture and a backdrop of the soaring, snowy peaks of the Alps. There are a number of famous bridges in the town, over the Reuss river, most notably the Chapel Bridge, a covered wooden footbridge that dates back to the 14th century. 12. Ohrid, Macedonia Ohrid lies on the northeastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the southwest Macedonia. The small Town is an off-the-beaten-track gem and a joy to explore. The cobbled streets and the Byzantine churches are always good for a walk. And for gourmets, the local specialties such as cabbage rolls in one of the restaurants on the lake are a wonderful experience. Today Ohrid is a nationally known tourist attraction. The well-preserved old town, the fortress with a panoramic view, the many churches, the monasteries and mosques as well as the large, million-year-old see not only strangers from the Balkans, but also from their own Europe and Asia. UNESCO declared Lake Ohrid and its surroundings a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. At the highest point in the city, the fortress of Tsar Samuil sits enthroned on the Gorni Saraj hill. The citadel was part of the fortifications that surrounded the city. Together with the city walls, the complex has around 20 wall and gate towers as well as six city and fortress gates. In summer, the fortress is a popular destination for tourists, as it offers a far-reaching panoramic view of the city, lake and mountains. 13. Asos, Kefalonia, Greece Asos is a beatifull village on the Greek island of Kefalonia. The picturesque is located on the edge of the Erisos peninsula, on which Assos Castle sits enthroned. The local community of Asos has approximately 100 inhabitants and is dear to travellers who have a penchant for everything peaceful and “secret”. Lined with bright asymmetrical houses, matched with verdant foliage against the cerulean Ionian Sea, Asos is perfect for an intimate nature retreat. Cephalonia was notoriously attracted pirate raids and Turkish threat. This led the Venetian army to build Assos Castle in the 15th century. The viewpoint is the finest stronghold, which overlooks the island of Agia Kyriaki across the bay. Today the castle is open daily with no entry fee but you have to go up there on a stone path. After the island of Lefkada was recaptured by the Venetians in 1684, the castle lost its national strategic importance, but was still used by the Venetians and the following powers as an administrative building, which is why the castle is now in a relatively complete structural condition. The two meter thick walls are remarkable. 14. Reine in Norway The small fishing village of Reine in Norway is very remote in the north of the country and has just 300 inhabitants. Nevertheless, it is visited by numerous tourists. Because the landscape is simply breathtakingly beautiful. Some say the place is the most beautiful village in Norway. The hidden town of Reine in Lofoten Islands rests above the Arctic Circle. The city is constantly changing its face thanks to the unpredictable northern weather. So the mountains are covered in fog at one moment and flooded with sunlight the next. If you want to take part in all the outdoor activities that Reine has to offer, you should bring waterproof items. From hiking to climbing and skiing to surfing in the Arctic, there are numerous outdoor activities in Reine in every season. The view of the surrounding snow-capped mountains is breathtaking. Especially in winter, the Northern Lights photographers provide a backdrop for the world-famous landscape shots. That is why the picturesque coast with its red and white fishing huts attracts more and more tourists every year. 15. Mont Saint-Michel, France As a "UNESCO cultural heritage of humanity", Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most visited tourist attractions in France. Not so with the spectacular architecture. With its spectacular architecture, the place looks like something out of a fairytale world. The former Benedictine abbey and is located on an island in Normandy. The building complex was one of the most extensive construction projects of the entire Middle Ages. The building combines styles of romanticism, gothic and classicism. Nowadays the island with its impressive towers and huge halls is visited by millions of tourists. The Mont has become a major tourist attraction and is visited by around 2.3 million people annually. To a small but growing extent, it is visited again by pilgrims. Including pilgrims on the famous Way of St. James, one of the most important Christian pilgrimages, with Santiago de Compostela, Spain, as the final destination.

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The Most Beautiful Lake Towns in Europe

11. Lucern in Switzerland

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