LAKE EXPECTATIONS
Europe’s magical lake districts offer myriad delights and charms. Paul Bloomfield enjoys some liquid refreshment
NORTHERN ITALIAN LAKES — TIMELESS GLAMOUR AND MOVIE-STAR LOOKS
Enjoy an elegant escape amid romantic villas and palazzi, glorious gardens and sensational restaurants. There are five major bodies of water — Garda, Iseo, Como, Lugano and Maggiore — plus about 80 smaller lakes including the dazzling-blue Orta.
You can swim, of course: Garda has the cleanest water, but also the busiest beaches — head to a private strand such as Parco Baia Delle Sirene for sparser crowds. Alternatively, explore Maggiore’s islands — roam the opulent baroque gardens of Count Borromeo’s palazzo on Isola Bella or drop anchor at Isola dei Pescatori, where Casabella is an acclaimed restaurant serving fresh lake fish.
Riva del Garda is a watersports hub: try windsurfing, sailing, kiteboarding or canoeing. To stretch your legs, take the orange-waymarked Wayfarer’s Trail, an ancient path tracing Como’s eastern shore — regular trains make tackling short sections a cinch. Bellagio, on a steep-sided promontory at the southern end of Como, is arguably Italy’s most enchanting town; join a guided tour to explore the extravagant gardens at Villa Serbelloni Park.
DALSLAND, WEST SWEDEN — PEACEFUL PADDLING
Embrace the Scandinavian outdoors ethos in this wild land of forests and mountains freckled with countless tarns. The area has more than 1000, including Vanern — Europe’s third-biggest lake.
People in glasshouses don’t want to throw stones — thus concluded the 72-Hour Cabin Project, which proved that spending three days in a glass-sided hut curbs stress and boosts creativity; canoe, fish, swim and dream to your heart’s content from a glass cabin at one of three sites. Alternatively, simply dive in — the water is chilly, but crystal clear and pure enough to drink. Then find the nearest sauna or hot tub.
The 100km Pilgrim’s Trail is a four to five-day hike through Dalsland via countless lakes and medieval churches. For higher-octane thrills — ziplines, archery, knife-throwing, horseriding.
There are limitless opportunities for wilderness canoeing across the wider Dano Lake District.
JULIAN ALPS, SLOVENIA — MEDIEVAL CASTLES AND CHURCHES
Experience Insta-perfect views and alpine hikes to bridal-veil waterfalls. There are two main lakes, Bled and Bohinj, plus seven gleaming tarns along the Triglav Lakes Valley beneath Slovenia’s loftiest peak, Triglav 2865m.
Bled was ahead of the wellness trend — 19thcentury Swiss “natural healer” Arnold Rikli promoted cold-water swimming (and nude hiking) here. Castle Beach lures today’s lakedippers, who then munch local trout and kremsnita (custard-cream-and-puff-pastry cake) at nearby Grajska Plaza. Bohinj is wilder and less touristy; after cooling off in the lake, head to Resje in Nemski Rovt to feast on seasonal fare.
Take a hike — start with the short but steep climb to Bled Castle, which has provided dramatic views over the lake for more than a millennium. Continue on the 300km circular Julian Alps Trail through narrow limestone Pokljuka Gorge into Triglav National Park. The route continues through Bohinj; alternatively, cycle between cheesemakers in the charming villages of Studor and
Stara Fuzina.
SAVOIE MONT BLANC, FRANCE — CHIC INLAND BEACHES
Roam lakeside towns and recline on peaceful beaches alongside reputedly the purest waters in France across four lakes: Bourget (France’s deepest), Aiguebelette, Annecy and Geneva (the latter in Switzerland).
Beaches fringe all the lakes. On quiet little motorboat-free Aiguebelette, Plage Du Sougey is popular with families. For landlubbers, forest bathing has arrived here, courtesy of yoga instructor and mountain guide Camille Courbion.
Savour fresh fish at La Cuillere a Omble at Annecy’s south end. Stroll narrow passages flanked by 16th century arcaded houses in Annecy’s old town, cross the lake to admire the 12th century Chateau de Menthon or get active: cycle, hike, paraglide, cruise, kayak or sail round, across or over the lakes. Ruisseling, lower-octane canyoning, is popular.
BERNESE OBERLAND & LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND — MOUNTAIN VISTAS
Drink in views of snow-capped peaks reflected in lakes of diverse hues among more than 800 lakes, dominated by central Switzerland’s three big-hitters: Lucerne, Thunersee and Brienzersee.
The natural lido at Burgseeli — a bijou lakelet
in Interlaken, where water reaches a balmy 26C — is where locals play and photosynthesise. Rigi Kaltbad Mineral Baths and Spa above Lucerne is a step up in both temperature and altitude: loll in healing waters at a toasty 35C and absorb the Alpine panorama from 1450m.
Goethe hit the nail on the kopf when he observed: “You have only been really there if going there by foot,” — and hiking is the hot ticket. Astonishing petrol-blue Thunersee and turquoise Brienzersee are best appreciated from above: ride the cog railway from Wilderswil to Schynige Platte and gaze down on Interlaken’s twin gems, then walk the marvellous 15km Faulhornweg. At Lucerne, tackle 1798m Mt Rigi — even Queen Victoria conquered it (albeit aboard a pony); today you can cheat using cog railways and cable cars.
FINNISH LAKELAND — FOR SAUNA LOVERS
Cruise, paddle or stroll through a vast, gleaming waterworld that seems more lake than land. Finland claims more than 188,000 lakes, the lion’s share of which lie in the Finnish Lakeland region across much of its south. Finland reputedly has more than three million saunas — you can’t move without tripping over a pine-clad, steam-filled cabin. Sauna etiquette mandates nudity; postroast lake dips and birchtwig whipping optional. Visit the world’s biggest smoke sauna at Spa Hotel Rauhalahti in Kuopio, where you can also try the local delicacy kalakukko at Hanna Partanen’s traditional bakery. Wildlife-watching goes large here: spot brown bears around Kuhmo, near the Russian border, while in the southeast, the country’s largest lake, Saimaa, is home to 310 endangered ringed seals. Finland’s still waters are ideal for fishing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding in summer, ice skating and cross-country skiing in winter.
BAVARIA, GERMANY — FAIRY-TALE CASTLES AND ALPINE TARNS
Trace the necklace of liquid jewels spangling southern Germany’s Alpine foothills with around 1600 lakes, a dozen or so sizeable, stretching in a line south of Munich from Lake Constance (Bodensee) in the west to emeraldgreen Konigsee in a nubbin of Germany south of Salzburg.
For swimming, head to Osterseen, a cluster of lakelets south of Starnberger See, then refuel on lake trout or pizza-like flammkuchen at Waldhaus am Fohnsee or seek out the choppedup fluffy pancakes dubbed Kaiserschmarren at mountain huts.
Consider picking up a paintbrush — artists including Kandinsky and Franz Marc found inspiration at Staffelsee and Kochelsee. Board a classic paddle steamer on Ammersee or electric boat on Konigsee.
Visit “Mad” King Ludwig II’s palaces — childhood home Schloss Hohenschwangau and his extravagant Chitty Chitty Bang Bang backdrop Neuschwanstein — looming over the Alpsee. Elsewhere, there are tempting watersports on Chiemsee and Starnberger See, and, of course, Alpine hiking trails above the lakes.