~ Top 10 Lake Towns in Europe ~

[MysteRy]

Top 10 Lake Towns in Europe

When traveling around the world or even choosing a place to live or retire to, there is something about being near a body of water that just relaxes the soul and refreshes the mind. This top 10 list will show you the ten best lake towns in Europe, you may want to visit and maybe even move to, so you can enjoy the everyday benefits of the quaint towns. There is more than just grand lakes in these towns but many of them have a great amount of history that makes the towns quite intriguing in more than way than one. These palaces are sure to satisfy your needs spiritually, mentally and physically.


1. Thun, Switzerland   



The area that is now known as Thun has been and continues to be inhabited since the 3rd century BC; the town still reflects some of this deep history. Asking around the town can lead you to some of the great sites and ruins that are located just on the outskirts of the quaint town. The citys name comes from the Celtic language, although not spot on but it means "fortified city”. The town holds Switzerlands main army training facility and it has since the early 1800s. Thun rests on the banks of the giant Lake Thun, an interesting fact of the lake is that there are about 3,000 pounds of unused ammunitions sitting at the bottom of it and this happened just after WWII as the government had stored a lot of munitions in the town but after the end of the bloody war decided to get rid of the huge stockpile, the government then decided to dump the munitions into the lake.

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2. Bellagio, Italy   



Bellagio, Italy may be one of the most well-known towns on this top 10 list and this is because of its grandeur and popularity with tourists. The city is set right on the edge of Lake Como, a Y- shaped lake that is quite popular for watersports and just plain relaxing. The lake as that Bellagio sets on is regarded highly as the most gorgeous lake in all of Italy, that is of course a hard claim to defend as there are many spectacular lakes in Italy but celebrities from around the world seem to agree as many of them have or have had a home in one of the cities on the lake. Bellagio itself has been a very important and popular town since the times of the Roman Empire and is known as "the jewel of the lake”. One of the more notable businesses that is headquartered in Bellagio is the Rockefeller foundation which has been operating from the town since 1960.

[MysteRy]

3. Lucerne, Switzerland   



Switzerland reigns supreme in this list of top European Lake Towns and another one of the grand towns on this list is the lake town of Lucerne, Switzerland. The towns history has long developed since the early 6th century and continues to grow on a small level. The total population of the town is around 76,000 people making their homes in the town. The town sits right on the shore of Lake Lucerne and because of this perfect location the town has a direct line of sight to the Swiss Alps. For 200 years, starting in the year 1700 the city had many revolutions that quintessentially led to its independence and incorporation into the Swiss Monarchy. These revolutions have paved the way for the stature that the city holds to this day and will most likely continue to hold throughout the coming years. Tourists love to visit the city because of its hospitable culture, historical past and of course its proximity to the Swiss Alps.

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4. Bled, Slovenia   



High up in the Julian Alps of Slovenia is the nice little lake town named Bled, which is quite attractive to people from around the world looking to have a quiet place to let loose the stresses of everyday life. The town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country of Slovenia. This is easily earned as the town rests on the most beautiful lake in the country, Lake Bled. The town has an abundant amount of history and is home to many historical sites and structures such as the Bled Castle, which is set on the top of a protruding rock formation of the town. There is also the famous little island off the coast of the city which has a 99 stone stairway to the flat ground of the island; it is actually a wedding tradition for the groom to carry his bride up the 99 steps of the stairway without her saying a word.

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5. Keszthely, Hungary   



With only 21,000 inhabitants the town of Keszthely in Hungary is one of the most secluded and quiet lake towns in this list. The town has much history to discover and it is the second largest city on Lake Balaton, it is the main hub for education and economic growth. Since the year 1247 the town has been known as a market town, having everything from agriculture exports to fine linens being exported from the city. The city is very close and easily accessible from the capital of Budapest and even Vienna in Austria. The town is also in very close proximity to the wine producing region of the country, which produces high quality wines from the vines of local farmers. Aside from the many other sites there are to see in the town there is one that sticks out above all and that is the Festetics Palace. The grand palace was built in the year 1745.

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6. Montreux, Switzerland   



At the foot of the Swiss Alps and right on the shore of Lake Geneva is the wonderful town named Montreux which is another great lake town in Switzerland. During the early Roman Empire in the 2nd century the town was an important settlement for those travelling to the Roman capital Aventicum. The town itself is really small just around 2 miles squared. There are many historical buildings and castles that are located in the town, most of which are very well preserved. Even though about 25% of the land of the city is made up of farmlands most of which contributes to the agricultural exports of the city. When you are looking for a pleasant place to have a stroll on Lake Geneva then Montreaux is the place to be as it is known throughout the country as being the best stretch of land on the lake.

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7. Lappeenrata, Finland   



Finlands top lake town is the town of Lappeenrata with a total population of around 72,000 people the town is quite large in residency and the quality of life is great as well. The town is just 19 miles from the Russian border so the town has many Russian residents among the long list of other nationalities that make their home in the city. Lake Saimaa is the lake that the grand little city makes its home, resting on the peaceful shores of the lake many residents like to take a fishing pole out to the lake and do some daylight fishing. The city is filled with history as well like many of the other cities on this list. The most noticeable ruins are from the Russian- Swedish war, which was fought in 1741 and ended with the Russians being the victors. The town is a great place to relax and live if you are looking for a great place to stay while in Finland.

[MysteRy]

8. Bregenz, Austria   



Sitting right at the foothills of the Pfänder Mountain is the small town of Bregenz in Austria, which holds the most famous music festival in Austria. The festival draws in around 100,000 people each year sometimes even more depending on the weather at the time the festival takes place. The towns history dates back to the year 1500 BC, the Celts actually settled in the area in the 5th century as well and in fact the town was one of their most heavily fortified settlements during the time they inhabited the area. Bregenz has extended its territory much more since the first inhabitants made their home in the land, now it runs all the way into the country side, versus just being at the shore of Lake Constance. The oldest parts of the town hold structures that date back to the 13th century and up and the architecture that can be is remarkable to say the least.

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9. Ohrid, Macedonia   



Sitting on the eastern side of Lake Ohrid is the lake town in Macedonia that has brought in tourist to the country for centuries. The town is named after the lake, Ohrid, which actually is taken from one of the Slavic languages, most popularly believed to be of Albanian decent. The town is referred to by the nick name "Jerusalem” and this is mainly due to the cluster of churches in the city that cater to the 42,000 population. The total amount of churches in the city is around 365, quite a lot of churches for such a small population. The most prominent of the churches is the St. Vraci Cathedral. The belief is that the churches were established in such quantity so that there would be one for each day of the year. History buffs will love this lake town as there are 28 UNESCO world heritage sites in the town.

[MysteRy]

10. Verbania, Italy   



Verbania is a lake town in Italy is like a garden on a lake as most Italians would say, the greenery and flora color the town in shades of greens and almost all the colors of the rainbow. The buildings and structures of the town accent the uniqueness of the town in such a way that it truly does seem too picturesque to be true. Throughout the towns early history many aristocrats and wealthy traders built there summer homes in the town and escape the cold seasons. Many of the historical structures still stand to this day and can be seen as you stroll through the city. The town has within its walls many gardens, museums and parks for visitors and residents to enjoy. Many of the parts of landscapes of the town have remained in their century old states while some of the areas in the town have been designed by landscape artists to express a different touch of beauty.


As you can see these lake towns in Europe are some of the best to relax and for history buffs to travel and enjoy the history they offer. They are also a great place for the naturist at heart to spend time out in the wild forests and mountains surrounding these cities. The towns in this top 10 list are perfect for about anyones needs in about every aspect. So next time you are planning a trip or even looking to settle in a destinations consider some of these places in your list of possible locations. The fact is that you will not be disappointed in any way when you visit any one of these ten great destinations. They all have great accommodations as they know how attractive the towns are to travelers and potential residents alike and they are great for all ages.