Traunsee

The Traunsee is about twelve kilometres long and a hundred and ninety metres deep, which makes it the deepest lake in Austria, held in a steep trough at the northern edge of the limestone Alps with the Traunstein rising to 1,691 metres straight off the eastern shore - a wall that has a long and grim history in Austrian climbing. Gmunden at the north end is a ceramics town, known for the green-striped Gmundner pottery, with Schloss Ort standing on a small island connected by a wooden footbridge, which is the picture everyone takes. Lake steamers have run since 1839 and one paddle steamer from 1871 still operates. Traunkirchen on the western shore has a baroque church with a pulpit carved as a fishing boat and net.

Highlights

• Austria's deepest lake - 190 metres, under the wall of the Traunstein.
• Schloss Ort - the island castle at Gmunden reached by a wooden footbridge.
• Gmundner ceramics - the green-striped pottery made in the town.
• Historic lake steamers - services since 1839, including an 1871 paddle steamer.

When to go

May to September. A day.

Practical notes

The lake is deep and cold; swimming is bracing even in August. The eastern shore road is narrow and busy. Weather here is wet - this is the northern edge of the Alps.

Nearby

Bad Ischl and the Salzkammergut lakes are south; Linz is north.

Key facts