The largest lake in the Austrian Alps, Attersee comes alive in summer when a sports-loving crowd flocks to the resort town that bears the lake's name. In our opinion, the lake is too cold for swimming almost all the time (although Polar Bear Club members might disagree), but it's a great draw for boaters in summer. Attersee is 50km (31 miles) east of Salzburg and 69km (43 miles) west of Linz.
Those interested in fishing will appreciate the lake's clear alpine waters, with trout, char, and, in little tributaries, brook trout just beneath the surface. At many guesthouses along the shore you can have the fish you caught for dinner.
The blue-green see (lake) is 20km (13 miles) long and about 2km (1 1/2 miles) wide, with many orchards growing on its uplands. There's a road around the entire body of water. From the southern part of the lake to the west of Burgau, you can take a 12-minute walk to a beautiful gorge, the Burggrabenklamm, with a waterfall, one of the most scenic sights along the Attersee.
