Best Lakes in Switzerland for Swimming: 8 Lakes, Lidos & Prices (Summer 2027)

Swiss lakes are clean, clear and right in the middle of the cities, and in July and August the locals treat them as their swimming pools. At lunchtime in Zurich, office workers jump in off the wooden lido decks; in Geneva, people swim at the Pâquis jetty before work; in Ticino, families spend the whole day on the lake beaches. If you're planning a summer trip for 2027, a swim is the cheapest and most local thing you can do.

This guide picks eight lakes, from the warm southern lakes to a turquoise forest lake in the Alps, with typical water temperatures, the best lido on each and how to get there by train. Prices are for adults, from the lidos and tourist offices for the 2026 season, checked in October 2026; the 2027 rates are usually published in spring.

The best swimming lakes at a glance

Water temperatures vary a lot from year to year and from the surface to a meter down. In hot summers, the big lakes run several degrees warmer: during the August 2024 heatwave, Lake Zurich reached about 28°C (82°F) and Lake Lugano about 29°C (84°F). The cantons and lidos post daily water temperatures in season.

The warm lakes of Ticino

Lake Lugano

Lake Lugano is one of the warmest lakes in Switzerland, sheltered by steep mountains and close to Italy. The Lido di Lugano, at the mouth of the Cassarate river, east of the center, has a sandy beach, lawns, pools and lake access. Adult entry was about CHF 11 in 2026, with a reduced rate early in the morning, at lunchtime on weekdays and after 4 pm. The season runs from May to about September 20.

For a quieter swim, take a boat to the lakeside village of Gandria or Morcote and look for the small public bathing spots.

Lake Maggiore

At the northern tip of Lake Maggiore, Locarno gets more sunshine than almost anywhere in Switzerland. The Lido Locarno has heated indoor and outdoor pools (CHF 13 for adults, CHF 18 with the slides) and a separate lake beach, open from May to October, where you can rent loungers and umbrellas. Across the bay, the lake beaches of Ascona and Tenero are popular with families.

City lidos: Zurich, Geneva and Lucerne

Lake Zurich

Zurich's lido culture is unique: wooden bathing pavilions built on the water, some over 100 years old, with changing cabins, sun decks and a café. Seebad Utoquai, on the east shore near Bellevue, is the most central. Strandbad Mythenquai on the west shore has a long lawn and a sandy beach, good for families. Both cost CHF 8 for adults in 2026. In the evening, several lidos turn into bars, and the most famous, the Barfussbar at the women's lido on the Limmat, is a Zurich institution.

Arriving from the US or Canada? Zurich Airport is only about 10 minutes by train from Zurich HB, so a swim can be the first thing you do after landing. Our things to do in Zurich guide has more summer ideas, including the Limmat river swims.

Lake Geneva in Geneva

The Bains des Pâquis, a jetty with a lighthouse in the middle of the harbor, are the heart of summer in Geneva, a 10-minute walk from Cornavin station. Entry costs just CHF 2 for adults, the view of the Jet d'Eau is free, and the café serves fondue in winter, when only the sauna stays open. The season runs until the end of September. On the other side of the harbor, Genève-Plage has a big lawn, a pool and a lake beach for CHF 7 (CHF 4.50 after 5 pm, 2026 rates). See our things to do in Geneva for the rest of the city.

Lake Lucerne

The Lido Luzern, next to the Swiss Museum of Transport, has a sandy beach, lawns and views of the Rigi and Pilatus. Entry was from CHF 8 on weekdays and CHF 10 on weekends in 2026 (check the official site, prices have been debated locally). From the station, take the bus toward the Verkehrshaus or walk about 25 minutes along the lakefront. Combine it with our things to do in Lucerne.

The Bernese Oberland: Lake Thun and Lake Brienz

The two lakes on either side of Interlaken look alike from the train, but they don't swim alike. Lake Brienz, fed by glacial rivers, is the famous turquoise one, and it's noticeably cooler. Lake Thun is warmer and better for a long swim.

• Strandbad Thun: a big lido with lawns and pools at the edge of town, open from early May to about September 20, at about CHF 7 for adults in 2026.
• Iseltwald and Bönigen (Lake Brienz): free lakeside beaches, always open. Bönigen also has a heated 25 m pool in season. Iseltwald is famous for its jetty, so expect photographers in the morning.

Both are an easy add-on to our things to do in Interlaken, and you can get there by boat in summer.

A mountain lake you can actually swim in: the Caumasee

Most alpine lakes are too cold for more than a quick dip. The Caumasee, in the forest below Flims in Graubünden, is the exception: it's fed by underground springs, and the Flims Laax tourist office gives summer temperatures of about 17–24°C (63–75°F). The water is a bright turquoise, there's a small island in the middle, and you can rent rowing boats.

Take the PostBus to "Flims Waldhaus Caumasee", then walk about 15 minutes to the free Caumasee-Lift, which drops about 80 m (260 ft) down to the shore, or follow the forest path, which is fine for strollers. Entry is charged in high summer and is free out of season: check flims.com before you go. Arrive early on hot weekends, when the beach fills up.

Lake swimming safety

• Follow the Swiss lifesaving society's bathing rules: don't swim on a full stomach or after alcohol, don't jump in overheated, never leave children alone, and don't swim long distances alone.
• Stay close to the shore and keep out of boat lanes and away from ferry piers. In Ticino, the canton advises swimming within about 150 m (500 ft) of the shore.
• Use a bright swim buoy if you swim outside a lido: it makes you visible to boats and gives you something to hold on to.
• Get out at the first sign of a thunderstorm, which can build fast on summer afternoons.
• Check the river and lake conditions after heavy rain, when the water gets cold and murky.

When it rains: soak instead of swim

Even in July, Switzerland gets grey days. When the lake is too cold or the sky turns, swap the swim for a thermal bath: the water is warm whatever the weather. Near Zurich, the thermal baths near Zurich guide lists the options within an hour by train, and near Lake Thun, several hotels have their own lakeside spas:

In Ticino and Graubünden, see the thermal baths in Switzerland guide for the nearest pools.

Where to stay for a swimming holiday

Sleep on the lake you want to swim in, and walk to the water every morning. Lugano and Locarno are the best bases for warm water, Spiez and Thun for the Bernese Oberland, and Flims for the Caumasee.

See hotels in Lugano →

See hotels in Locarno →

See hotels in Spiez →

Lake swimming fits best in July and August: see Switzerland in July and Switzerland in August for the weather, crowds and events, and our summer itinerary to fit a lake day into a longer trip.