Weissensee

With over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year and crystal clear, emerald waters, Weissensee is a favorite lake for swimming, diving, and cliff jumping. Even better, the water temperature here can reach 25 degrees Celsius in summer, much warmer than in other parts of Austria even in early autumn. The beauty of the lake is undeniable, surrounded by the beautiful mountains of the Gailtal Alps and a beach area in the town of Stockenboi. From here, guests can rent equipment for all sorts of water sports, including windsurfing, sailing, and water biking. Weissensee deserves to be one of the best lakes to visit in Austria.

The crystal blue water of lake Weissensee is very clean, visitors can rest assured to drink. The lake also attracts lots of wildlife, including geese and herons. The Weissensee Nature Park surrounding the lake offers more than 200 km of marked walking paths for hiking, cycling, and Nordic walking. There are even booster seats to help visitors hit the higher trails if you're up for a more intense day out, and the park offers 12 routes marked specifically for runners. Weissensee is also popular in winter as well as summer. Despite its relatively large size (the lake is almost 12 kilometers long and just under a kilometer wide), it freezes frequently, turning into a spectacular skating rink. Cross-country skiing and some Alpine skiing are available around the lake.

• Location: Carinthia, Austria
• Altitude: 945m
• Max water depth: 97m