Being close to water can have a positive impact on our mental health, with a calming effect that even helps reduce stress levels and anxiety, according to Visit Scotland’s study.
With water covering 71% of the earth, trends such as wild swimming and paddle boarding are becoming more and more popular in 2025 with many vacationers renting a car and traveling to destinations with gorgeous blue waters.
As Europe is home to many breathtaking bodies of water, there truly is a perfect shade of blue for everyone – from the turquoise waters of Lake Thun to the deep blue hues of the Bay of Cadiz, we’re sure you’ll find your next adventure in our ranking.
THE TOP 10 BLUEST WATERS ACROSS EUROPE
To help inspire road trippers and vacationers this summer, we color-picked 100 of the most beautiful bodies of water across Europe and found the nearest shade of blue to uncover exactly what the extraordinary continent’s vacation destinations have to offer.
Whether you’re craving clear aquamarine, dark teals or green hues, we’re sure you’ll find your next vacation spot in our ranking.
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10
Find your Perfect shade of water
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1
Bay of Kotor
Montenegro (Measured at Perast)
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2
The Blue Grotto
Malta
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3
Lake Bled
Slovenia (Measured at Bled)
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4
Derwentwater
England (Measured at Keswick)
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5
River Rhine
Germany (Measured at Cochem)
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6
Bay of Biscay
Spain (Measured at Cape Villano)
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7
Bay of Vigo
Spain (Measured at Vigo)
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8
Kielder Water
England (Measured at Northumberland)
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9
Calanques de Cassis
France
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10
Galway Bay
Ireland (Measured at Galway)
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11
River Vistula
Poland (Measured at Krakow)
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12
River Loire
France (Measured at Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)
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13
Lake Thun
Switzerland (Measured at Canton of Bern)
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14
Geirangerfjord
Norway (Measured at Ørnesvingen Viewpoint)
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15
Lago di Bracciano
Italy (Measured at Anguillara Sabazia)
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16
Gulf of Lyon
France (Measured at Marseille)
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17
Lake Neuchâtel
Switzerland
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18
Ullswater
England (Measured at Cumbria)
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19
Lac de Vassivière
France
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20
Plage de Miramar
France (Measured at La Croisette)
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21
Sognefjord
Norway
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22
Loch Erne
Northern Ireland
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23
Playa de Ses Illetes
Spain (Measured at Formentera)
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24
Lake Müritz
Germany
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25
Lake Constance
Germany (Measured at Lindau)
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26
Lake Heviz
Hungary
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27
Bay of Cádiz
Spain
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28
Lac de Gaube
Spain
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29
Lake Garda
Italy (Measured at Garda Town)
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30
Lac de Tignes
France
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31
Lake Vättern
Sweden (Measured at Jönköping)
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32
Lake Skadar
Montenegro (Measured at Virpazar)
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33
Gulf of Saint-Tropez
France (Measured at Grimaud)
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34
River Thames
England (Measured at Westminster)
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35
Lac de Grand-Lieu
France
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36
Bay of Naples
Italy (Measured at Procida Island)
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37
Lake Geneva
Switzerland (Measured at Vevey)
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38
Loch Lomond
Scotland
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39
La Concha Bay
Spain (Measured at San Sebastián)
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40
Lagos de Covadonga
Spain
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41
Lac d'Aydat
France
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42
Lake Doxa
Greece (Measured at Peloponnese)
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43
Buttermere
England
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44
River Liffey
Ireland (Measured at Dublin)
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45
Lake Ohrid
North Macedonia (Measured at Old Town Ohrid)
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46
Lake Lucerne
Switzerland (Measured at Wegis)
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47
Étretat Cliffs & Beach
France
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48
Lake Bourget
France
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49
Lake Windermere
England (Measured at Bowness-on-Windermere)
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50
River Douro
Portugal
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51
Laguna de Fuente de Piedra
Spain
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52
Lake Como
Italy (Measured at Verginate)
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53
The Zrmanja River
Croatia
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54
Lake Viljandi
Estonia
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55
Lake Vlasina
Serbia
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56
Plage de Palombaggia
France (Measured at Corsica)
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57
Lake Annecy
France
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58
Charco Azul
Spain (Measured at La Palma)
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59
Cala Comte
Spain (Measured at Sant Josep de Sa Talaia)
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60
River Seine
France (Measured at Paris)
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61
Morecambe Bay
England (Measured at Carnforth)
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62
Llyn Padarn
Wales
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63
Lake Chiemsee
Germany (Measured at Gstadt am Chiemsee)
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64
Lake Vyrnwy
Wales
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65
Durdle Door & Lulworth Cove
England
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66
Lake Saimaa
Finland
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67
Lago de Sanabria
Spain
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68
Blue Lagoon
Iceland
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69
Loch Ness
Scotland (Measured at Drumnadrochit)
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70
Lake Usmas
Latvia
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71
Estany de Banyoles
Spain
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72
Kynance Cove
England
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73
Lac de Pareloup
France (Measured at Aveyron)
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74
Lac de Sainte-Croix
France
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75
Lac de Pontcharra
France (Measured at Bréda)
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76
Luskentyre Beach
Scotland (Measured at Harris)
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77
Gulf of Finland
Finland
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78
Lac du Salagou
France
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79
Playa de las Catedrales
Spain
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80
Embalse de Yesa
Spain (Measured at Tiermas)
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81
Albufera de Valencia
Spain
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82
Llyn Tegid
Wales (Measured at Gwynedd)
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83
Lake Plitvice
Croatia
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84
Cala Macarella & Cala Macarelleta
Spain (Measured at Menorca)
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85
Cardigan Bay
Wales (Measured at Llangrannog)
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86
Lake Killarney
Ireland
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87
Gorges du Verdon
France
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88
Embalse de Cijara
Spain
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89
Congost de Mont-rebei
Spain
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90
Lake Königssee
Germany (Measured at Pilgrimage Church of St. Bartholomew, Bavaria)
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91
Dublin Bay
Ireland
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92
Lake of Menteith
Scotland (Measured at Inchmahome)
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93
Playa de Gulpiyuri
Spain (Measured at Asturias)
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94
Estany de Sant Maurici
Spain
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95
Embalse de El Chorro
Spain (Measured at Málaga)
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96
Lake Balaton
Hungary
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97
Kravica Waterfalls
Bosnia and Herzegovina
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98
Göksu River
Turkey (Measured at Silifke)
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99
Lake Vänern
Sweden (Measured at Kållandsö)
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100
Gulf of Riga
Latvia/Estonia
The bluest waters in Europe, ranked
From Kotor Bay in Montenegro to Switzerland’s Lake Thun, find your next vacation spot based on your favorite blue shade.
1
Bay of Kotor
Montenegro (Measured at Perast)
The Bay of Kotor is a stunning bay on the Adriatic Sea in Southwestern Montenegro and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known for its breathtaking beauty and blue hues, this sweeping fjord is perfect for those looking for sweeping landscapes and dramatic views on their next getaway.
Discover the full list of the bluest waters in Europe
Review the methodology below
| Rank | Location | Country | Colour Shade | L | A | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bay of Kotor | Montenegro |
|
47.06 | -40.8 | -48.59 |
| 2 | The Blue Grotto | Malta |
|
40.14 | -9.84 | -47.4 |
| 3 | Lake Bled | Slovenia |
|
38.39 | -29.82 | -47.04 |
| 4 | Derwentwater | England |
|
51.1 | -1.33 | -46.51 |
| 5 | River Rhine | Germany |
|
57.78 | 0.92 | -45.45 |
| 6 | Bay of Biscay | Spain |
|
52.16 | -23.3 | -41.99 |
| 7 | Bay of Vigo | Spain |
|
46.1 | -8.68 | -38.85 |
| 8 | Kielder Water | England |
|
53.71 | 3.67 | -38.31 |
| 9 | Calanques de Cassis | France |
|
58.89 | -22.38 | -37.94 |
| 10 | Galway Bay | Ireland |
|
50.93 | -1.91 | -37.22 |
| 11 | River Vistula | Poland |
|
26.52 | -10.58 | -37.12 |
| 12 | River Loire | France |
|
54.99 | -16.06 | -36.37 |
| 13 | Lake Thun | Switzerland |
|
59.17 | -13.9 | -34.78 |
| 14 | Geirangerfjord | Norway |
|
63 | -20.28 | -34.69 |
| 15 | Lago di Bracciano | Italy |
|
47.96 | -16.69 | -34.44 |
| 16 | Gulf of Lyon | France |
|
32.69 | -14.94 | -34.36 |
| 17 | Lake Neuchâtel | Switzerland |
|
38.67 | -6.46 | -34.1 |
| 18 | Ullswater | England |
|
39.75 | -3.38 | -33.87 |
| 19 | Lac de Vassivière | France |
|
17.52 | -7.11 | -30.38 |
| 20 | Plage de Miramar | France |
|
61.22 | -17.05 | -30.18 |
| 21 | Sognefjord | Norway |
|
57.91 | -28.05 | -29.65 |
| 22 | Loch Erne | Northern Ireland |
|
35.03 | -5.05 | -29.39 |
| 23 | Playa de Ses Illetes | Spain |
|
48.46 | -16.98 | -27.96 |
| 24 | Lake Müritz | Germany |
|
42.45 | -5.76 | -27.7 |
| 25 | Lake Constance | Germany |
|
55.47 | -6.59 | -27.51 |
| 26 | Lake Heviz | Hungary |
|
36.32 | -36.78 | -27.07 |
| 27 | Bay of Cádiz | Spain |
|
43.95 | -39.41 | -27 |
| 28 | Lac de Gaube | Spain |
|
51.58 | -9.84 | -26.99 |
| 29 | Lake Garda | Italy |
|
30.71 | -9.77 | -26.81 |
| 30 | Lac de Tignes | France |
|
36.25 | -21.56 | -26.58 |
| 31 | Lake Vättern | Sweden |
|
47.69 | -6.08 | -25.98 |
| 32 | Lake Skadar | Montenegro |
|
37.45 | -26.2 | -24.91 |
| 33 | Gulf of Saint-Tropez | France |
|
40.12 | -16.02 | -24.78 |
| 34 | River Thames | England |
|
37.55 | -4.12 | -24.25 |
| 35 | Lac de Grand-Lieu | France |
|
52.35 | -6.11 | -24.09 |
| 36 | Bay of Naples | Italy |
|
61 | -25.62 | -24.04 |
| 37 | Lake Geneva | Switzerland |
|
69.09 | -9.81 | -23.28 |
| 38 | Loch Lomond | Scotland |
|
64.46 | -6.05 | -22.87 |
| 39 | La Concha Bay | Spain |
|
45.05 | -23.51 | -22.31 |
| 40 | Lagos de Covadonga | Spain |
|
48.42 | -56.38 | -22.13 |
| 41 | Lac d'Aydat | France |
|
39.83 | 0.26 | -21.79 |
| 42 | Lake Doxa | Greece |
|
27.07 | -14.47 | -21.64 |
| 43 | Buttermere | England |
|
33.78 | -5.8 | -21.34 |
| 44 | River Liffey | Ireland |
|
59.53 | -5.08 | -21.2 |
| 45 | Lake Ohrid | North Macedonia |
|
44.43 | -41.72 | -21.1 |
| 46 | Lake Lucerne | Switzerland |
|
53.91 | -12.35 | -20.84 |
| 47 | Étretat Cliffs & Beach | France |
|
52.98 | -14.03 | -20.25 |
| 48 | Lake Bourget | France |
|
53.04 | -23.61 | -19.74 |
| 49 | Lake Windermere | England |
|
59.06 | -13.82 | -19.66 |
| 50 | River Douro | Portugal |
|
44.18 | -5.27 | -18.16 |
| 51 | Laguna de Fuente de Piedra | Spain |
|
48.78 | -1.55 | -18.1 |
| 52 | Lake Como | Italy |
|
59.81 | -14.57 | -17.69 |
| 53 | The Zrmanja River | Croatia |
|
63.57 | -14.67 | -17.6 |
| 54 | Lake Viljandi | Estonia |
|
46.53 | -5.06 | -17.58 |
| 55 | Lake Vlasina | Serbia |
|
50.79 | -8.19 | -17.12 |
| 56 | Plage de Palombaggia | France |
|
62.57 | -20.06 | -16.64 |
| 57 | Lake Annecy | France |
|
70.96 | -28.44 | -16.6 |
| 58 | Charco Azul | Spain |
|
55.18 | -28.47 | -15.47 |
| 59 | Cala Comte | Spain |
|
50.09 | -29.63 | -14.8 |
| 60 | River Seine | France |
|
67.5 | -18.11 | -14.7 |
| 61 | Morecambe Bay | England |
|
72.05 | -11.59 | -14.31 |
| 62 | Llyn Padarn | Wales |
|
61.14 | -7.08 | -14.3 |
| 63 | Lake Chiemsee | Germany |
|
84.78 | -2.9 | -14.25 |
| 64 | Lake Vyrnwy | Wales |
|
28.87 | 0.25 | -13.91 |
| 65 | Durdle Door & Lulworth Cove | England |
|
48.61 | -11.34 | -13.74 |
| 66 | Lake Saimaa | Finland |
|
39.01 | -2.51 | -13.72 |
| 67 | Lago de Sanabria | Spain |
|
55.29 | 0.6 | -13.61 |
| 68 | Blue Lagoon | Iceland |
|
83.57 | -16.08 | -13.32 |
| 69 | Loch Ness | Scotland |
|
62.88 | -4.52 | -13.03 |
| 70 | Lake Usmas | Latvia |
|
66.03 | -4.31 | -12.95 |
| 71 | Estany de Banyoles | Spain |
|
35.43 | -20.62 | -12.8 |
| 72 | Kynance Cove | England |
|
58.48 | -29.86 | -12.04 |
| 73 | Lac de Pareloup | France |
|
56.81 | -10.24 | -12.02 |
| 74 | Lac de Sainte-Croix | France |
|
53.59 | -33.08 | -11.98 |
| 75 | Lac de Pontcharra | France |
|
41.7 | -7.9 | -11.74 |
| 76 | Luskentyre Beach | Scotland |
|
63.39 | -9.36 | -11 |
| 77 | Gulf of Finland | Finland |
|
60.73 | -12.84 | -10.65 |
| 78 | Lac du Salagou | France |
|
59.09 | -7.07 | -8.29 |
| 79 | Playa de las Catedrales | Spain |
|
65.99 | -13.63 | -8.28 |
| 80 | Embalse de Yesa | Spain |
|
68.63 | -29.88 | -7 |
| 81 | Albufera de Valencia | Spain |
|
73.48 | -5.07 | -6.98 |
| 82 | Llyn Tegid | Wales |
|
24.2 | -5.06 | -5.41 |
| 83 | Lake Plitvice | Croatia |
|
52.34 | -57.95 | -4.89 |
| 84 | Cala Macarella & Cala Macarelleta | Spain |
|
73.1 | -53.58 | -3.01 |
| 85 | Cardigan Bay | Wales |
|
55.82 | -12.77 | -2.77 |
| 86 | Lake Killarney | Ireland |
|
51.09 | -5.29 | -2.37 |
| 87 | Gorges du Verdon | France |
|
72 | -47 | -2 |
| 88 | Embalse de Cijara | Spain |
|
68.87 | -0.15 | -1.06 |
| 89 | Congost de Mont-rebei | Spain |
|
47.97 | -33.18 | -1.05 |
| 90 | Lake Königssee | Germany |
|
25.25 | -23.37 | 1.78 |
| 91 | Dublin Bay | Ireland |
|
43.78 | -8.41 | 2.54 |
| 92 | Lake of Menteith | Scotland |
|
86.26 | -1.5 | 3.18 |
| 93 | Playa de Gulpiyuri | Spain |
|
30.62 | -13.61 | 3.27 |
| 94 | Estany de Sant Maurici | Spain |
|
33.38 | -14.77 | 7.25 |
| 95 | Embalse de El Chorro | Spain |
|
44.69 | -31.92 | 8.62 |
| 96 | Lake Balaton | Hungary |
|
41.13 | -9.38 | 11.94 |
| 97 | Kravica Waterfalls | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
|
24.15 | -20.85 | 15.58 |
| 98 | Göksu River | Turkey |
|
58.3 | -19.33 | 17.5 |
| 99 | Lake Vänern | Sweden |
|
50.05 | -8.32 | 24.17 |
| 100 | Gulf of Riga | Latvia/Estonia |
|
35 | 4.5 | 27.46 |
Take a trip to the bluest waters
Whether you choose to road trip across Europe to visit as many of the blue waters as possible this summer, or if you have your sights set on one blue hue in particular, consider renting a car to make your vacation as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Get ready for stunning sights and relaxing moments as you take a visit to some of the most beautiful locations the continent has to offer.
METHODOLOGY
We color-picked high resolution photographs of 100 of the most beautiful bodies of water across Europe to illustrate the various colors of water available across the continent. Through color-picking, we determined the LAB color values to understand the depth of blue for each location.
LAB is a color model that uses three different color components to achieve a desired shade: L=Lightness, A = Red-Green Axis, B = Yellow-Blue Axis. We used the Yellow-Blue Axis value to determine the volume of blue present and then created a ranking order.
Colors are accurate as of 15th May 2025.
