Lake Attersee, also known as Attersee, is one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in Austria. Located in the Salzkammergut region, it measures roughly 19 km in length with a shoreline of around 53 km, and in summer, the water can warm up to a pleasant 25°C. Thanks to its clear turquoise water, Lake Attersee is ideal for swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, pedal boats, and diving.
>> TOP 10 ACCOMMODATION AT ATTERSEE
Lake Attersee
Around the lake, you will find public swimming areas, family lidos, boat rentals, and diving entry points. A great advantage of Attersee is the combination of water, mountains, and culture. During your stay, you can add a boat trip to your itinerary. Stops in villages like Attersee am Attersee, Nußdorf, Weyregg, Steinbach, or Unterach, as well as sites associated with Gustav Klimt, Gustav Mahler, and prehistoric pile dwellings, are definitely worth seeing.
Accommodation near Lake Attersee
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Lake Attersee: The most beautiful places for your vacation
1. Kammer am Attersee
Kammer am Attersee, part of the municipality of Schörfling on the northern shore of the lake, is an ideal stop for a short walk along the promenade with a view of the photogenic Seeschloss Kammer. Although it is not open to the public, from the outside it is one of the most beautiful motifs of Attersee. The place is connected with Gustav Klimt, so you can follow up with a visit to the Gustav-Klimt-Themenweg, the Klimt Center, or the garden in Schörfling to add a bit of culture to your swimming holiday.
In summer, it’s great to combine Kammer with a break on the Schlosspromenade, where you’ll find shade, a playground, minigolf, refreshments, and a nearby boat stop, or continue to the Seebad Schönauer lido with its grassy areas, pier, and shallow water entry. We have also written and photographed a separate article about Kammer am Attersee for you:
2. Steinbach am Attersee
Steinbach am Attersee lies on the eastern shore of the lake below the Höllengebirge massif and is a great choice if you want to combine Lake Attersee and swimming with trips into nature. In summer, head to Solar Strandbad Steinbach in the Seefeld area, where you’ll find a solar-heated pool, a 25-meter slide, a children’s paddling pool, SUP rental, beach volleyball, and a beach bar.
More active visitors can head out on a family trip to the Nixenfall waterfall, while more experienced hikers can tackle the demanding Attersee Klettersteig Mahdlgupf via ferrata. For a cultural stop, Mahler’s House, where Gustav Mahler worked on his symphonies, is also worth a visit. You can read the full article about a vacation in Steinbach am Attersee here:
3. Stockwinkel – Restaurant and Hotel Stadler / Lake Attersee
Stockwinkel, sometimes also referred to as Stockwinkl, is a quiet location near Unterach on the southern shore of Attersee, which is worth noting mainly thanks to Hotel Stadler and its restaurant right by the water. The four-star Hotel Stadler has its own access to the lake, a private beach, a swimming pier, a boathouse, wellness facilities, and a range of water activities, making it ideal for those who want to have Lake Attersee literally a few steps from their accommodation.
Stockwinkel – Restaurant and Hotel Stadler
The Restaurant Stadler is also worth a stop here, where you can sit under chestnut trees or by the boathouse with a view across the lake to the Höllengebirge massif. We especially recommend trying the fish from Attersee or having a glass of wine at sunset.
Stockwinkel is also a good starting point for the easy Unterach – Egelsee – Stockwinkl trip, which leads through a chestnut forest, the protected peat lake Egelsee, and viewpoints over Attersee. After the walk, you can get refreshments at Stadler’s and return to Unterach by boat or bus, depending on the season. That is, if you aren’t staying directly at Hotel Stadler, which we personally recommend:
Stockwinkel – Restaurant and Hotel Stadler
4. Unterach am Attersee / Lake Attersee
Unterach am Attersee is located at the southern end of Lake Attersee and is one of the best places to enjoy a summer vacation right by the water. The main attraction is Strandbad Unterach with its large grassy area, shade, children’s non-swimmer area, small slide, and the possibility to rent a paddleboard or try water skiing or wakeboarding.
>> VIEW ACCOMMODATION IN UNTERACH
Right next to the lido, you’ll find a recreational area with a playground, beach volleyball, tennis, minigolf, and a climbing tower, so it’s fun for families with children as well as more active visitors. For a nice short trip, the sweet chestnut forest educational trail is worth it; it’s about 2.5 km long and can be extended towards the Egelsee nature reserve.
In our opinion, Unterach is an ideal choice if you are drawn to Lake Attersee for swimming in clean water, water sports, easy trips, and the calmer atmosphere of the southern part of the lake.
5. Badeplatz Kohlbauernaufsatz / Lake Attersee
Badeplatz Kohlbauernaufsatz is a simple natural swimming spot between Unterach and Nußdorf, suitable for a quieter stop if you want to experience Lake Attersee without the hustle and bustle of a large lido. You’ll find free access to the water, wooden benches and tables, public toilets, and changing rooms, so you can come here for a few hours of swimming or a picnic by the lake.
The spot is also popular among divers thanks to a separate diving entry and an underwater wall. Practical advantages include a paid parking lot right at the swimming spot and the nearby Zettelmühle bus stop.
6. Weissenbach am Attersee / Lake Attersee
Weißenbach is located in the quieter southern part of the lake at the entrance to the Weißenbachtal valley and is suitable for all lovers of nature and lake swimming. The most practical place for a summer day by the water is Europabad Weissenbach with its large grassy area, shade, separate non-swimmer section for children, wooden pier into the lake, beach volleyball, refreshments, and the Scuba Consult diving school.
In addition to swimming, you can head into Weißenbachtal to the Gimbach Kaskaden or plan a more demanding hike to Meisterebenalm and the Atterseeblick viewpoint, which offers beautiful views of Attersee and the surrounding mountains. The location is also great as a starting point for a walk to the Nixenfall waterfall.
Our tip: In Weissenbach am Attersee, they grill the best trout on a stick (in spring 2026, the fish cost €16.50)
7. Attersee am Attersee – Das Attersee
Attersee am Attersee is, in our view, a practical base for a summer vacation on the northwestern shore, where Lake Attersee is a bit busier than the southeastern side. Look forward to boat trips, water sports, and short walks along the promenade. For families, Erlebnisbad Attersee is ideal, featuring a heated pool, slide, direct lake access, water attractions, and pedal boat rental.
More active visitors can try sailing, SUP, kayaking, minigolf, or a trip to Buchberg with views of Attersee. After swimming or a boat trip, stop by our favorite restaurant, Das Attersee, right by the promenade and boat dock, which attracts visitors with its lake view, seasonal cuisine made from regional ingredients, and a relaxed atmosphere by the water.
Our tip: Several times a year, the Das Attersee restaurant organizes special breakfast brunches. We recommend planning a trip here.
8. Nussdorf am Attersee
Nußdorf am Attersee on the western shore of the lake is a great choice for a quieter summer vacation, especially if you are traveling with children or want to go on easy trips. The main attraction is Seebad Nussdorf with its shallow bay, sandy section, large children’s playground with a pirate ship, pedal boat, electric boat and sailboat rentals, refreshments, a boat stop, and parking right at the site.
Plan a short walk, for example, along the Ransonnet-Themenweg, or head out on a longer trip to Reiserbauernmühle and Egelsee, where you can enjoy the views, nature, and the calmer atmosphere of this part of the western shore.
Seebad Nussdorf
9. Weyregg am Attersee
Weyregg am Attersee lies on the eastern shore of the lake and is a great place for families and active water sports enthusiasts. Look forward to breathtaking trips with views of Attersee. The biggest attraction for us is Strandbad Weyregg with its large grassy area, shade, gradual entry into the water, children’s playground, two piers, water trampoline, changing rooms, barrier-free facilities, and refreshments by the lake.
In addition to swimming, you can try sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, diving, or golf on the course with a lake view, or perhaps plan a short stop at the Attersee Aquarium or a trip to Födinger Alm.
10. Nixenfall / Lake Attersee
Nixenfall is a beautiful and easy trip to an approximately 50-meter-high waterfall near Weißenbach/Steinbach am Attersee, which serves as a nice change of pace during a swimming holiday. The route starts at the parking lot in Weißenbach, is approximately 5.2 km long, takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and has only a small elevation gain, so families with children can manage it.
With a stroller, just keep in mind that the last section to the waterfall might not be ideal. Along the way, children will be intrigued by the legend of the Attersee mermaid, themed boards, gnomes, a water wheel, and stamps as part of the Abenteuer Wander Pass. Adults will especially appreciate the shady path along the stream and the pleasant escape from the summer bustle by the lake.
You might also be interested in:
- 7 tips for trips from Attersee
- 8 tips for trips in Styria
- 21 tips for the most beautiful lakes in Austria
Lake Attersee – boat transport
Lake Attersee and its boat transport is a great way to enjoy the lake even without a car and see places like Attersee, Kammer, Nußdorf, Weyregg, Steinbach, Weißenbach, or Unterach from the water. You can choose a shorter northern circuit via Weyregg, Kammer, and Seewalchen, which takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or a longer southern circuit via Nußdorf, Unterach, Weißenbach, Steinbach, and Weyregg, lasting approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Always check the current Attersee-Schifffahrt timetable before your trip, as departures change according to the season and weather. Boat trips also pair well with swimming, a walk along the promenade, a visit to a lakeside restaurant, or returning from a hiking trip.
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