Lake Neusiedl
Swimming in a unique steppe lake

Locals affectionately call it the "Cappuccino Lake" due to its milky brown colour. But don't worry—the lake isn't "dirty" at all! In fact, Lake Neusiedl boasts excellent water quality for swimming.

The murkiness has a straightforward explanation: It's a steppe lake, characterised by a shallow basin and fluctuating water levels, depending on rainfall and evaporation. This makes Lake Neusiedl extremely shallow, with a maximum depth of just two metres, even in the centre (so never dive headfirst!). Waves stir up the sediment from the lakebed, which consists of mud rather than gravel, keeping particles in constant suspension.

And that’s the simple, yet fascinating, secret behind its unique appearance.

1. Its reed belt is the second-largest continuous reed area in Europe, after the Danube Delta.

2. The natural landscapes are diverse, featuring reed beds, lakeside meadows, and saline, periodically dry depressions.

3. The flora and fauna are extraordinary, with Alpine, Pannonian, Asian, Mediterranean, and Nordic species thriving around the lake.

4. Grey steppe cattle, white donkeys, and Przewalski's horses graze in the lake's conservation areas.

5. The steppe lake crosses the border from Austria's Burgenland into Hungary.

6. Lake Neusiedl is the westernmost steppe lake in Europe and the largest lake in Austria. The region, including the national park, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

7. The region is Austria’s warmest, with around 60 hot summer days each year, creating ideal conditions for viticulture, plants, and wildlife.

8. The eastern shore of the lake is one of the windiest areas in Europe, with the southerly wind being particularly favoured by water sports enthusiasts for sailing.

Some 16 million years ago, the area now known as the Vienna Basin and parts of the Hungarian Plain were submerged under the ancient sea. As the sea receded, it left behind an inland body of water, which gradually lost its salinity, allowing the first vegetation to take root in the Seewinkel area. Evolution took its time, and it wasn't until 13,000 years ago that a classic steppe lake emerged, periodically drying out and refilling with rainwater.

The famous salt flats formed through various processes involving temperature, precipitation, evaporation, groundwater, and dry periods. Only specialised plants adapted to these conditions can survive on these saline soils, making Lake Neusiedl's biodiversity truly unique.