Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedler See)

The basics

Neusiedl am See is the main town and gateway for Lake Neusiedl and is located at its northernmost end. Visitors often use the town as a springboard for activities such as cycling, sailing, and windsurfing, while bike ferry boats also leave from its pier to other market towns along the lake’s shore. Neusiedl am See is also the central hub for the Neusiedlersee wine region, with a broad selection of wineries and heurigen—traditional Austrian wine pubs.

Summer sees thousands of tourists come to Lake Neusiedl to swim and cool off, with pebble beaches scattered around the northern side of the lake. In winter, the lake’s frozen surface lures in ice skaters.

Things to know before you go

• Bicycles can be rented from rental outlets or “nextbike” stations in most towns around the lake, which are unlocked with a smartphone app.

• Much of the accommodation near Lake Neusiedl is found at its southern end near Mörbisch am See, Rust, and Illmitz, rather than Neusiedl am See.

• The area has 15 different themed cycling trails, covering more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers), leaving plenty of options for where you go.

• Many restaurants around Lake Neusiedl are seasonal and may close outside of summer.

How to get there

From Vienna, Neusiedl am See is the most accessible place to reach on Lake Neusiedl. The town is situated just off the A4 motorway, roughly 1-hour’s drive from Vienna. Getting there by train is just as easy, with frequent direct services to the Neusiedl am See train station. Bike ferries operate from Podersdorf to Neusiedl am See, Rust, and Breitenbrunn during summer.

When to get there

With such a diverse offering of things to do at Lake Neusiedl, the best time to visit will depend on what you want to do there. Things like visiting wineries in Rust and Neusiedl am See can be done throughout the year. The best months for winter activities like ice skating are January and February, while water sports and swimming are best done between June and August, although it gets busy then.

Opera and theatre at Lake Neusiedl

Although outdoor activities are a big part of the appeal of Lake Neusiedl, two of the biggest events held near the lake each summer revolve around the theater. Opera in St. Margarethen Quarry is an event where, as the name suggests, open-air opera performances are held on Europe's largest natural stage. Meanwhile, the Seefestspiele Mörbisch festival hosts musical theater performances by the water’s edge.