Switzerland is a mountainous Central European country, home to numerous lakes, villages and the high peaks of the Alps. Its cities contain medieval quarters, with landmarks like the capital Bern’s Zytglogge clock tower and Lucerne’s wooden chapel bridge.
The country is also known for its ski resorts and hiking trails. The country is home to about 1,500 lakes, the largest of which is Lake Geneva and Lake Constance. Let’s explore some of the beautiful lakes in Switzerland in this article.
1. Lake Lucerne
Lake Lucerne is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country. The lake has a complicated shape, with several sharp bends and four arms. It is 30 km in length and covers a total area of more than 113 square kilometres.
2. Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva is a resort city on Geneva Lake in southeastern Wisconsin. The lakeside Shore Path is dotted with Gilded Age mansions, many built by wealthy Chicagoans. Nearby, the 19th century Black Point Estate and Gardens was the summer home of Chicago beer magnate Conrad Seipp. The Queen Anne–style house has Victorian furnishings. Local beaches include Big Foot Beach State Park, which has trails and picnic areas. The surface of this lake is 268 m above sea level and it covers a total area of about 18 square kilometres.
3. Lake Thun
Lake Thun is an Alpine lake in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland region. Its shore is dotted with towns, including Thun, and Romanesque churches. In Thun’s old town, 12th-century Thun Castle houses a museum exhibiting prehistoric and medieval artefacts. To the south, Schadau Park has the Thun Panorama, a 19th-century 360-degree painting of the town. Farther south is Spiez Castle, with furnished 15th-century courtrooms. Its surface elevation is over 500 metres and has a length of 17.5 kilometres.
4. Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano is a glacial lake which is situated on the border between southern Switzerland and northern Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore. The depth of this lake is 271 metres and the lake covers a total area of 48.7 square kilometres. The volume of water is estimated to be 6.5 cubic kilometres.
5 Lake Brienz
Lake Brienz is a lake just north of the Alps, in the canton of Berne in Switzerland. It has a length of about 14 kilometres, a width of 2.8 kilometres and a maximum depth of 260 metres. Its area is 29.8 square kilometres, and the surface is 564 metres above sea level.
