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The best lakes in the world for a holiday
Just sitting beside a lake has been proven to make us feel happier and calmer. And no wonder, when you consider some of the beautiful lakes dotted around the world, from apparently endless stretches of blue to mountain lakes, others which are a haven for wildlife or home to unique cultures.
If you’re tempted, we’ve picked out the 10 best lakes in the world for a holiday, with options from around the world.
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Lake Garda, Italy
Italy’s lakes are famous, beloved of the rich and famous and tourists alike. But if you have to choose one, make it Lake Garda. The largest of the Italian lakes, Lake Garda stretches for 32 miles and covers 143 square miles, and is home to historic castles, picturesque towns and Roman ruins. Soak up the views from the cable car from Malcesine, looking down onto the shimmering blue expanse from the mountain, or head out onto the water on a boat tour to enjoy a closer look. There are walking routes around the lake too, and beaches where you can swim in the clear waters.
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Lake Titicaca, Peru & Bolivia
The largest lake in South America, Lake Titicaca is also the highest navigable lake in the world, located 12,500 feet above sea level on the border of Peru and Bolivia. According to Inca myth and legend, this spot was the birthplace of the sun, and it’s still a great destination to discover more about local culture, meeting some of the area’s indigenous people who still live here. The Uros villages are unmissable, where the inhabitants live on floating totora-reed islands and where traditional hand-weaving is still practised to make everything from souvenirs to furniture.
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Lake Louise, Canada
The vibrant milky turquoise shade is what sets Lake Louise apart from Canada’s countless other lakes, a result of glacial ‘rock flour’, made from sediment that reflects the light. Named for one of Queen Victoria’s daughters, you can also gaze onto the Victoria Glacier during your visit to the Canadian Rockies just outside Banff. Surrounded by towering peaks, the bravest can choose to take a dip - best during the summer months, as the lake is always on the chilly side – or climb into a kayak to paddle out onto the still waters. There are also hiking and biking trails around the lake, as well as a chance to learn more about the area’s indigenous history.
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Lake Bled, Slovenia
Lake Bled in Slovenia could be the inspiration for a thousand fairytales, a gleaming blue lake surrounded by mountains and forests with a tiny tear-shaped island at its heart. Set in the Julian Alps, the glacial lake is one of the iconic sights of the country; overlooked by Bled Castle, which dates back to the 11th century, you’ll also find a 15th century church on the island in the lake’s centre. It even has its own legend, that this area was once a lush green meadow where fairies danced, until they transformed the valley into a lake, to keep it safe from hungry sheep.
Lake-lover’s bonus: It’s easy to combine a visit to Lake Bled with nearby Lake Bohinj. Less famous than its neighbour, the largest glacial lake in Slovenia is another beautiful spot.
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Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Choosing the most beautiful lake in New Zealand isn’t an easy task, even if you narrow it down to the South Island alone, with fierce competition for the title including Queenstown’s Lake Wakatipu, sparkling turquoise Lake Pukaki, Lake Wanaka and Lake Matheson with its reflections of Mount Cook.
But the loveliest is arguably Lake Tekapo, which turns a spectacular shade of blue under blue skies, a result of the fine particles of glacial rock-flour suspended in the water. Set in a dark sky reserve, it’s also wonderful for stargazing after night falls.
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Lake Michigan, USA
The only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States, Lake Michigan might not be the largest or deepest of the string of vast lakes lying along the border with Canada, but it’s easily one of the most interesting to visit.
Bordered by four states and stretching for around 22,300 square miles, you’ll find everything from attractive lakeside communities with vineyards and cherry orchards to traffic-free Mackinac Island. But one of the biggest draws is a chance to visit Chicago, where you can cruise out onto the lake in between soaking up the city’s attractions, or before setting off on a Route 66 road trip.
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Lake Nakuru, Kenya
One of the lakes in Kenya’s Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru is an ornithologist’s paradise, with hundreds of exotic species calling its shores home. It’s not only birds that you’ll see here though, as a sanctuary for endangered black rhinos and white rhinos, while lions and leopards can also be spotted on the banks. But what really sets the lake apart is the dazzling pink flocks of flamingos drawn by the algae in the waters. At times, thousands, if not millions, of the birds nest along the shore, a shifting rose-coloured ribbon around the banks that’s magical to behold.
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Lake Constance, Germany, Austria & Switzerland
Central Europe’s third-largest freshwater lake, Lake Constance – or Bodensee, as it’s known locally – is bordered by Switzerland, Germany and Austria and lined by historic towns and beautiful lakeside scenery. A 162-mile cycle path loops around the lake, and it’s possible to discover every corner on two wheels, pedalling past vineyards and orchards, medieval castles and baroque churches, although bird-lovers will want to head straight to the wetlands. Historic Konstanz is one of the larger settlements, but you’ll find countless picturesque towns, such as Lindau in Germany, and Bregenz in Austria.
Jökulsárlón, Iceland
Few lakes are quite as magical as Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon on Iceland’s south-east coast, lined with black volcanic sand, and dotted with eerie blue-white icebergs which float on the surface. With everything from huge jagged shapes to smooth swirls of ice, a boat trip on the lake feels as if you’re entering another world, surrounded by ice formations that are sometimes thousands of years old. Glittering pieces of ice sparkle on the beach, giving it the name ‘diamond beach’, while you can also spy seals in the icy water as you explore.
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The Dead Sea, Jordan
Despite its name, The Dead Sea is actually a huge saltwater lake rather than a sea, and one of the highlights of a trip to Jordan. Famous for its high saline levels, which leave visitors floating effort-free in the water, it has also been famous for the health-giving properties of the water and mud for thousands of years. Set 400m below sea level, the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are thought to be buried beneath its waters.
Discover more beautiful lakes for yourself on one of our lakes and mountains touring holidays
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Cathy Winston is a London-based travel journalist, who’s steadily working her way around the world – 60+ countries visited so far.
Cathy Winston | About the author
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