Lake Wörthersee (Wörthersee) is Austria’s warmest and most glamorous alpine lake — a 17-kilometre-long ribbon of turquoise water in the southern state of Carinthia where summer water temperatures reach a balmy 28°C, surrounded by the forested peaks of the Karawanks and the elegant Belle Époque resort town of Velden am Wörthersee. Long the summer playground of Austrian aristocracy and today a magnet for water sports, cycling, and lakeside wellness, Wörthersee offers a rare combination of alpine scenery and Caribbean-warm swimming waters.

Quick Facts: Lake Wörthersee, Austria

• Best time to visit: June–August for swimming and water sports (water reaches 25–28°C); autumn for hiking in golden forests; May and September for fewer crowds
• Top attractions: Velden am Wörthersee, the Pyramidenkogel observation tower (100m, highest wooden viewing tower in the world), and Pörtschach’s lakeside promenade
• How to get there: ~30 minutes from Klagenfurt Airport (KLU); ~2 hours from Salzburg; ~3.5 hours from Vienna by car or train
• Lake temperature: Up to 28°C in summer — among the warmest alpine lakes in Europe
• Best for: Swimming, sailing, cycling, and wellness escapes

Wörthersee’s Resort Towns

• Velden am Wörthersee: The lake’s most famous resort, centred on the grand Schloss Velden (now a luxury hotel), with a lively promenade, casino, and high-end dining scene.
• Pörtschach: Known for its Belle Époque villas and the promontory with the landmark Johannes Brahms memorial — the composer summered here in 1877–1879.
• Maria Wörth: A picture-perfect pilgrimage village on a small peninsula with twin churches and one of the most photographed views in Carinthia.
• Pyramidenkogel: The 100-metre wooden observation tower offers 360° views of the entire Wörthersee region, the Karawanks, and on clear days as far as the Julian Alps in Slovenia.

The lake is encircled by a well-marked 45km cycling and walking path — mostly flat and suitable for families — that connects all the main resort towns with constant lake views.

Lake Wörthersee is the warmest lake in Austria. It is located in the Province of Carinthia. The area around Lake Wörthersee is also called Austrian Riviera. The water temperature in the reservoir reaches 24 – 28 °C during the summer months.

Near Lake Wörthersee you can find other lakes, which are much smaller. They are located mainly south of Wörthersee and extend to the borders of Slovenia. This area is surrounded by mountain peaks of Karawanken mountains, which together with the lake create a beautiful scenery.

Lake Wörthersee is surrounded by a number of resorts – a new modern town of Velden, Krumpendorf or Pörtschach am Wörthersee.

What to see in the neighborhood
Vintgar gorge about 26 km
Minimundus 8 km
Klopeiner See about 33 km
Ski resort Kranjska Gora about 33 km
Planica about 37 km
Waterfall Pericnik about 29 km

View Lake Wörthersee – the warmest lake in Austria in a larger map

Have you swum in Lake Wörthersee or explored Carinthia’s lakes? Share your favourite Austrian summer destinations in the comments! 🏊

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