Lake Como

Blue skies and blooming oleander: at Lake Como, you can marvel at one magnificent mansion after the other – such as Villa Monastero (pictured). © Shutterstock

I own several villas on the shores of this lake, but there are two that I particularly like. One is perched on a rock overlooking the lake, the other actually touches it.” When Pliny the Younger raved about his property on Lago di Como in a letter to a friend, he had no idea that the lake would be a bustling centre of attraction for the rich and beautiful two millenia later. Until the 1980s, the “Lario,” as the locals call it, was relatively sleepy and quiet.  

Lac d'Annecy

Ahoy, water sports enthusiasts! Arguably the most beautiful body of water in France, Lac d'Annecy is a paradise for active vacationers. © Lac Annecy Tourisme/Gilles Piel Photographe

"It's too beautiful. All this beauty can be exhausting" – a sentence that made history, at least in French cinema, as uttered in the multiple award-winning film Le Genou de Claire, which was filmed at Lac d'Annecy in 1970. The beautiful alpine lake in the Haute-Savoie is more than just a beautiful backdrop: it's the place where the diplomat Jérôme can finally conquer the object of his desire ... The film helped show to the world what enthusiastic summer visitors have always known: Lac d'Annecy is not only an extremely romantic body of water, but also a multifaceted one. 

Lake Tegernsee

German idyll: the good life, relaxation and an authentic Bavarian lifestyle are celebrated around Lake Tegernsee. © Dietmar Denger

A mere 50 kilometres from the Bavarian capital, Munich, lies Lake Tegernsee, a spectacular body of water with an unruffled surface that reflects the myriad stars – in this case, the human stars of German culture, business, sports and entertainment. It pays to keep your eyes open as you slip into the temperate (up to 20C) water, as you might just spot a real VIP: German sporting legends Uli Hoeness, Manuel Neuer and Philipp Lahm all own properties in the Tegernsee valley, likewise entrepre- neurs such as Willy Bogner junior.

Lake Lucerne

Landmark on the lake: the covered wooden Chapel Bridge across the Reuss River is a very popular tourist attraction in Lucerne. © Getty Images

In spring, fruit and almond trees burst into bloom, their delicate pink and white blossoms exuding a beguiling fragrance. In summer, palm trees sway gently in the wind, while banana trees thrive even into autumn. This seemingly Mediterranean paradise is explained by the microclimate that can be found around Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland. With its four arms and a series of twists and bends, this unusually shaped lake is spread out over four Swiss cantons: Uri, Schwys, Unterwalden and Lucerne lie along its shores. 

Lake Wolfgang

Like summers long ago: with an area of 13 sq km, Lake Wolfgang is one of the biggest lakes in the Salzkammergut region. © Im Weissen Rössl on Lake Wolfgang

Austria is a country that sets great store by tradition, and as a result boasts an incredible number of historic sights and monuments and a tangible sense of former pomp. In many places, the spirit of the former Habsburg monarchs still feels close enough to touch – like in the Salzkammergut region close to Salzburg. Emperor Franz Joseph I was a fan of this idyllic lake region, and every summer would move his household here to a summer residence to take a break from the exertion of ruling. In those days, summer holidays were a new fashion, but one that was emulated by the bourgeoisie who started eyeing the countryside with new interest.