Beach Vacation: Europe’s 10 Best and Worst Countries for Swimming

Global EAT - Beach Vacation: Europe’s 10 Best and Worst Countries for Swimming
The call of the wild is irresistible when it comes to taking a plunge in the refreshing waters. (pixabay.com)

First Published: July 04, 2018 | Updated: June 15, 2022

Planning to hit the water on your European beach vacation?  Check out Europe’s 10 best and worst countries for bathing water quality.

A beach vacation without a dip in the water is no fun.  Clean salt water or fresh water refreshes your mental and physical well-being including improving your cardio and overall health.

Magnesium in seawater helps moisturize and improve skin appearance.  Vitamins, mineral salts and trace elements in natural waters can help boost the immune system.

In Europe, taking a dip in the city river is popular especially on a hot summer day. Not only does it invigorate the body and soul, but it also reduces the stress of commuting in congested traffic said Benjamin David who swims to work daily.

Related: Swim to Work on the Isar: Alternative Urban Commuting

The European River Swimming Day organized by Big Jump encourages people to swim in rivers on the same day and hour in all European rivers. The project aims to reconciliate people with their rivers. The next big pan-European Big Jump events will take place at 3:00 p.m. (French time) on July 10, 2022.

GlobalEAT - Beach Vacation: Europe's 10 Best and Worst Countries for Swimming
Lake Fleesensee, an ideal family vacation spot situated in Northeastern Germany’s scenic Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, dubbed ‘Land of a Thousand Lakes’. (Dirk Topel Kommunikation GmbH /Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V.)

Top 10 Cleanest Countries to Swim in Europe

According to the European Environment Agency, 85% of European bathing waters are of excellent quality.  For a map showing bathing water locations and their quality, click here.

When it comes to having the best bathing water quality for swimming, Austria tops the European Union (EU) list of countries, according to the European Environment Agency 2021 bathing water quality report released in June 07, 2022.

Below are the top 10 European countries with excellent bathing water (coastal and inland) quality among 28 EU countries and two non-EU nations: Albania and Switzerland.

  1. Austria
  2. Malta
  3. Greece
  4. Croatia
  5. Cyprus
  6. Denmark
  7. Germany
  8. Bulgaria
  9. Lithuania
  10. Portugal

Top 3 Destinations: Lakes, Bays and Beaches

Austria’s most beautiful bathing lakes are “so clean you can see all the way to the ground”.  Top nine lakes for a summer dip. Among them are Lake Achensee in Tirol, a natural lake craved by glaciers some 20,000 years ago; Lake Attersee in Upper Austria and Lake Neusiedler See in Burgenland.

First runner up, Malta offers plenty of  swimming spots with clean water, amazing beaches and bays to keep cool in the summer heat. The country boasts of 11 Blue Flag Beaches.   Blue Flag is an international Quality Award given to beaches that are managed through sustainable beach operations, have excellent bathing water quality, safety and services.

Second runner up, Greece has always been a popular holiday destination.  Whether it’s sand, pebble or rocky beaches, Greece’s islands cater to virtually every taste.  The country has the longest coastline of any Mediterranean nation.

Global EAT - Beach Vacation: Europe’s 10 Best and Worst Countries for Swimming
Zakynthos Island is one of the most exotic and popular Greek islands. This charming Ionian destination with a rich past, boasts stunning beaches and landscapes. (pixabay.com)

Top 10 Countries in Europe with Filthy Bathing Water Quality

  1. Poland
  2. Slovakia
  3. Hungary
  4. Estonia
  5. Albania
  6. Latvia
  7. Netherlands
  8. Sweden
  9. France
  10. Ireland