In hardly any other country in Europe are there more large lakes than in Germany — an estimated 30,000 bodies of water are spread across the country. For a restful wellness holiday by the water you therefore do not have to travel far; perhaps the loveliest lake is even on your doorstep. We present the largest and some of the loveliest lakes in Germany — together with the wellness regions that surround them.
Germany's largest lakes at a glance
Sorted by area. A click on the name leads, where available, directly to the portrait further down:
| Rank | Lake | State | Area | Greatest depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Constance | Baden-Württemberg / Bavaria | 536 km² | 251 m |
| 2 | Müritz | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 112.6 km² | 31 m |
| 3 | Chiemsee | Bavaria | 79.9 km² | 73.4 m |
| 4 | Lake Schwerin | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 61.5 km² | 52.4 m |
| 5 | Lake Starnberg | Bavaria | 56.4 km² | 127.8 m |
| 6 | Ammersee | Bavaria | 46.6 km² | 81.1 m |
| 7 | Plauer See | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 38.4 km² | 25.5 m |
| 8 | Kummerower See | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 32.6 km² | 23.3 m |
| 9 | Steinhuder Meer | Lower Saxony | 29.1 km² | 2.9 m |
| 10 | Großer Plöner See | Schleswig-Holstein | 28.4 km² | 56.2 m |
Bavaria's lakes — the Chiemsee, Lake Starnberg, the Ammersee, the Königssee and many more — we have gathered in an article of their own: Bavaria's largest lakes. Here we devote ourselves to the large lakes in the rest of Germany.
Lake Constance — the three-country sea in the south
At 536 square kilometres Lake Constance is the largest lake in Germany — and the only one the country shares with Austria and Switzerland. Exactly where the border runs in the open lake, incidentally, the three neighbours have never determined to this day; the lake somehow belongs to everyone. A mild, almost Mediterranean climate, the Lake Constance thermal baths, the Kneipp spa town of Überlingen and cultural islands such as Mainau and Reichenau make the Lake Constance wellness region one of the country's most popular destinations. More at Bodensee Tourismus.
The Müritz — the little sea in the land of a thousand lakes
At around 113 square kilometres the Müritz is the largest lake lying entirely in Germany (Lake Constance is larger but belongs to three countries). It is the heart of the Mecklenburg Lake District, the “land of a thousand lakes” and the largest contiguous water-sports area in Europe. All around, the Müritz National Park with its cranes, houseboat waters and resort spas beckon. More at the Müritz National Park.
Lake Schwerin — time out beneath the fairy-tale castle
On Germany's fourth-largest lake, in the capital of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schwerin Castle thrones on its island — one of the loveliest castle settings in the country. The eastern shore offers surfers and sailors the best conditions, a long cycling and hiking trail starts at the castle, and in the fishing village of Mueß an open-air museum invites you on a journey through time. More on the wellness region of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and on the town by the water at Schwerin Tourismus.
Großer Plöner See — the lakeland of Holstein Switzerland
The largest lake in Schleswig-Holstein lies in the middle of Holstein Switzerland — a gently hilly lakeland with around 200 lakes between Kiel and Lübeck. Canoe trails, the classic five-lakes trip and a circular cycle route of some 35 kilometres open up the water; the Kneipp spa town of Bad Malente provides the wellness. Above the shore thrones Plön Castle. More at Tourismus Holsteinische Schweiz.
The Edersee — a reservoir by the UNESCO beech forest
In the north Hessian Waldeck region lies one of the largest reservoirs in Germany. The lake is crowned by the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, whose ancient red beech forests are a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site; above the water thrones Waldeck Castle, and the treetop walk leads high into the crowns. The cure is supplied by the nearby spa town of Bad Wildungen. More at Edersee-Tourismus.
The Steinhuder Meer — Hanover's water on the doorstep
The largest lake in Lower Saxony is at the same time the largest shallow lake in Germany — on average only about a metre and a half deep and therefore a popular sailing and surfing area. In the middle of the lake lies the island fortress of Wilhelmstein, all around it the Steinhuder Meer nature park with bogs and bird sanctuaries. As Hanover's favourite local recreation destination the lake is comfortably reachable. More at Steinhuder-Meer-Tourismus.