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Excellent: 251Good: 7Sufficient: 1Poor: 1
⚠️ Rated Poor in Austria — think twice
A Poor classification means persistent contamination across recent seasons. Authorities must advise against bathing, or ban it, at these sites.
- Pleschingersee, Steyregg Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
✅ The safest bets in Austria
Sites that have held the top rating five seasons in a row — not a one-year fluke.
- Neufelder See Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Stausee Forchtenstein Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Donau Altarm, Weitenegg Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Lunzer See, Lunz Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Badeteich, Horn Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Neusiedlersee, Rust Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Neusiedlersee, Mörbisch Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Neusiedlersee, Podersdorf Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Badesee, Traismauer, Südufer Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Thurnberger Stausee, Idolsberg Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Aubad, Tulln Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Badeteich, Gerasdorf Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
📍 Destinations in Austria
- Salzburg
45 excellent of 46 within 35 km - Salzkammergut
42 excellent of 43 within 35 km - Carinthia Lakes
26 excellent of 26 within 35 km - Vienna
24 excellent of 25 within 35 km
Common questions about swimming in Austria
Is it safe to swim in Austria?
Mostly yes. 97% of Austria's 260 officially monitored bathing sites hold the top "Excellent" class in the 2025 assessment, but 1 site is rated Poor — bathing there is advised against or banned all season.
Which beaches in Austria should I avoid?
The 1 rated Poor: Pleschingersee, Steyregg. Poor means the site failed the minimum standard across four seasons of sampling.
Where is the water cleanest in Austria?
241 sites have held the top rating five seasons running — a far better signal than a single good year. Around Salzburg, Salzkammergut, Carinthia Lakes you will find the densest clusters.
How often is water quality tested in Austria?
Through the whole bathing season. National sanitary authorities sample each official site for E. coli and intestinal enterococci, report to the European Environment Agency, and the published class reflects the last four seasons combined.
Ratings are the official season-long classification, computed from the last four seasons of sampling — not a live reading. After a storm any site can be temporarily worse; local advisories win.