How to choose a Switzerland lake to love

Lined by medieval towns and shining mountains, the lakes of Switzerland offer a welcome point of difference to the usual seaside escapes. Linda Moon indulges in five of the best lakeside reveries.

Tinkling and streaming through mountain and meadow, water is omnipresent in Switzerland. Composed mostly of glacial melt and pure enough to drink from, about 1500 lakes dissect this ‘water tower of Europe’.

By turn mist-strewn and mysterious, wind-swept or sparkling, these lakes have as many moods as the sea.

Each lake has its own unique charms and activities and a bounty of water-based activities, from lakeside castles and vineyards to adrenalin-packed watersports and ladies-only baths.

Choose one that suits your own personal style, or visit them all.

Switzerland’s small geographic size and efficient public transport system means your next lakeside adventure is only a small distance away by any combination of rail, boat, bus or car.

And with summer’s rays lasting well after 9pm, there are more hours to enjoy this vibrant summer alter ego.

Lake Lucerne: medieval grace

Switzerland lake lucerne — One of Switzerland’s well-known feathered friends glide along Lake Lucerne.

Bounding four cantons and shadowed by Mount Rigi and Pilatus in the Swiss Alps, 114-square-kilometre Lake Lucerne is the principal lake of Central Switzerland.

Clustered at its shores are market squares and cafe-strewn terraces, skating and bicycling paths. Adorned by swans, geraniums and medieval towers and bridges, lakeside is where all the action is.

By boat is the best way to enjoy Lake Lucerne’s appeals. Aboard a 19th-century paddle-steamboat, we catch glimpses of freshwater fjords, villas, castles and mountains.

Twenty passenger ships offer lunch and sunset jaunts, themed cruises and half-day excursions, while yachts, canoes and windsurfers criss-cross the lake, enhancing the summer vibe.

At the lake’s far eastern end lie the Lorelei swimming islands – a man-made archipelago at Flüelen. You can also hike the historic Swiss Path, a 35-kilometre lakeside trail.

At sunset, gaze down on the lake from one of many elegant eyries such as the Château Gütsch, or the Rigi Kaltbad Mineral Baths & Spa.

Lake Lauenen: a nature lover’s wildeness

Switzerland Lake Lauenen — Swimmers frolic at Lake Lauenen.

Hauntingly beautiful and remote, Lake Lauenen lies at 1381 metres among pristine scenery in the Lauenen valley, a high alpine meadow.

Here within the Gstaad-Saanenland region of the Bernese Oberland, it’s a designated nature reserve popular with hikers.

Along the three-kilometre loop trail around the lake, the River Gelten bubbles, a waterfall (the Geltenschuss) tumbles 200 metres, and great mountains, including the 3237-metre Wildhorn, shadow you as you wander through giant reeds, gossamer cotton grass, heather, moor meadow and fir trees.

Above, the Gelten Hut – a further two-hour hike – peers down from impossible heights. Emerging from the serenity, the sight of swimmers frolicking in the lake creates a more ebullient mood.

It’s also possible to cycle, mountain-bike or hire a rowboat to cross the lake. In winter the water freezes over and is the site of wildly romantic sleigh rides.

Most travellers access the lake via car or public bus from Gstaad or Bern, or hike four hours through alpine meadow from Mount Wispile.

When you tire of the seclusion, if that’s even possible, head the four-odd kilometres back to the resort chalet village of Gstaad.

Lake Brienz: a jewel in the mountains

Switzerland lake brienz — Hikers take in the view of the shimmering Lake Brienz. Located in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland.

At the base of towering mountains, including the mighty 3454-metre Jungfrau, Lake Brienz shimmers like liquid topaz in the Bernese Oberland, the region already known for its striking scenery.

Edelweiss and other wildflowers stud the paths as we climb the highland trails above the lake among snow-dusted peaks.

Below, on the Brienz-Rothorn railway, Switzerland’s oldest steam-powered cogwheel train chugs along beside the water.

On and around Lake Brienz there’s plenty of action, from picturesque hikes to the Giessbach Falls or bicycling around the lake, to cruising, boating, bungee jumping, canyoning and river rafting.

During summer, culinary-themed cruises on Lake Brienz include a ‘Fondue Boat’.

Skirting the lake, traditional villages such as Bönigen, Brienz (famed for its wood-carving and quaint laneways) and Iseltwald (a fishing village) add charm and opportunities for alfresco dining, window-shopping and more.

Feast in fish restaurants on the water’s edge or try traditional alpine pasta (Älplermaggronen) atop the mountain
at Rothorn Restaurant.

Lake Zurich : Urban Vibes

Switzerland lake zurich — Terraces fringe Lake Zurich, Switzerland.

Cultural life in Zurich, Switzerland’s largest and hippest city, centres around Lake Zurich and the River Limmat.

The terrace at Quai 61, one of many restaurants and bars that fringe the lake, proves a good way to hang by the water prior to a dip at the Art Nouveau women’s Stadthausquai river pool.

There’s plenty of options for chilling in the water with 30 lake and riverside bathing facilities and almost 20 open-air swimming baths, including the Tiefenbrunnen swimming beach (with a 62-metre-long lake slide) and sunbathing on wooden platform islands erected in the lake.

At night many of the waterside baths transform into badi bars (barefoot bars) where you can drink, dance or enjoy live entertainment.

Options for exploring the lake range from solar-powered boats to aqua scooters and steam paddleboat cruises.

A leisurely four hours by boat, Rapperswil, known as the ‘rose town’ for its 15,000 roses, lies at the far eastern end of Lake Zurich. It’s also the site of the Alpamare, the largest covered water park in Europe, with 11 giant slides, a wave pool, thermal pools, and a wellness zone.

Lake Geneva: the Swiss riviera

Switzerland lake geneva — Red geraniums along the promenade of Lake Geneva.

In the French-speaking part of the country, Lake Geneva, Europe’s largest lake, basks in a Mediterranean climate, its shores painted with geraniums, petunias and roses.

The eastern section between Vevey and Villeneuve is known as the Swiss Riviera. Here, outdoor eateries and sculpture add to the alfresco lifestyle, and we stroll the lakeside promenade and browse mushrooms, berries, cheeses and other fresh produce at Vevey’s lakeside market.

We board the aptly named Vevey, one of eight charming heritage paddlesteamers, circa 1907, that cruise the lake.

Switzerland lakes — Blooms on the shores of Lake Geneva.

It’s the perfect time to sample Chasselas, the signature wine of the region, amid the vast, blue 581-square-kilometre lake as glimpses of France, shore towns and the mountains of Vaud slide past.

Thirty kilometres of UNESCO World Heritage-listed vineyards, dating back to the 11th century, line the steep banks (the panoramic vintage tourist train, the Lavaux Express, is a great way to explore once you are back on dry land). Our own tour concludes at Chillon Castle, one of the lake’s most imposing attractions.

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Where to stay (and eat) while you’re there

Lake Lauenen

Stay – Saanewald Lodge

Eat – Restaurant Lauenensee

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

How to choose a Switzerland lake to love

Lake Lucerne: medieval grace

Lake Lauenen: a nature lover’s wildeness

Lake Brienz: a jewel in the mountains

Lake Zurich : Urban Vibes

Lake Geneva: the Swiss riviera

Where to stay (and eat) while you’re there

Lake Lauenen

Lake Lucerne

Lake Zurich

Lake Brienz

Lake Geneva

The most scenic peaks and valleys in Switzerland

The world’s first vegetarian restaurant – it’s in Switzerland of course

8 ridiculously beautiful places to see in Switzerland

A 24-hour guide to Geneva in summer

5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay