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New study: these are Europe’s cleanest swimming spots – and the dirtiest

Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
Looking for the best places to swim in Europe this summer? A new study has revealed the countries with the cleanest swimming waters – and a few destinations that might leave you thinking twice before diving in.

Whether you’re a dawn dipper or freestyle floater, nothing takes the buoyancy out of a swim like questionable water quality. As millions of travellers make a beeline for Europe’s beaches, lakes and rivers this summer, fresh rankings reveal exactly where you’ll find the continent’s cleanest waters. And the results may surprise you.

Every year, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and European Commission release a report on the European countries with the cleanest water for bathing, to encourage safe summer swimming. This year’s report was based on data collected from more than 22,000 bathing sites across all 27 EU member states in 2025, along with non-EU countries Albania and Switzerland. 

Swimming water quality is classified as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’ based on detected levels of microbiological pollutants such as E. coli and intestinal enterococci, which signal health risks. 

General findings

beach in greece
Soaking in crystal-clear waters in Faliraki, Greece. (Credit: Unsplash/Tatiana Tochilova)

Fortunately, the report found that the vast majority (85 per cent, to be precise) of European beaches have ‘excellent’ water. 

Four countries – Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria and Austria – scored above 95 per cent when it came to their proportion of water bodies classed as ‘excellent’. Meanwhile, Belgium, Hungary, Poland, Estonia and Albania ranked among the lowest countries for bathing water quality. 

Water quality tends to be better in coastal regions rather than inland. A total of 89 per cent of coastal areas were classified as ‘excellent’, compared to 78 per cent of rivers and lakes – which are more susceptible to short-term pollution caused by rains and droughts. 

The European countries with the cleanest water, ranked

best places to swim Europe
Cyprus has some of Europe’s best swimming waters. (Credit: Unsplash/Dating Scout)

The country with the highest overall water quality was Cyprus, with all 123 of its monitored swimming sites classed as ‘excellent’. Beyond its crystal-clear beaches and coves, one factor that may have contributed to the country’s win is the fact that there are few inland swimming spots (which tend to have poorer quality than coastal waters), and none were monitored in the study. A total of 1198 water samples were collected and analysed from the nation’s designated bathing areas.

Greece, Bulgaria, Austria and Luxembourg rounded out the top five, with Denmark, Germany, Italy and Malta respectively following as top performers. 

Below is the report’s full list of rankings, based on each country’s percentage of ‘excellent’ monitored swimming sites. 

  1. Cyprus (100%) 
  2. Greece (97.1%) 
  3. Bulgaria (96.9%) 
  4. Austria (96.5%) 
  5. Luxembourg (94.1%) 
  6. Denmark (92.4%) 
  7. Germany (90.9%) 
  8. Italy (89.8%) 
  9. Malta (88.5%) 
  10. Lithuania (86.7%) 
  11. Spain (86.6%) 
  12. Croatia (86.2%) 
  13. Lativa (84.7%) 
  14. Finland (84.5%) 
  15. Switzerland (84.4%) 
  16. Romania (84.0%) 
  17. Portugal (82.0%) 
  18. Czechia (79.7%) 
  19. Ireland (78.4%) 
  20. Sweden (77.7%) 
  21. Slovenia (75.5%) 
  22. France (74.4%) 
  23. Netherlands (70.9%) 
  24. Slovakia (70%) 
  25. Belgium (67.9%) 
  26. Hungary (64.0%) 
  27. Poland (58.7%) 
  28. Estonia (56.9%) 
  29. Albania (16.8%) 

The countries with the poorest water quality

albania beach
While popular for its beaches, Albania scored the lowest overall in Europe for its water quality. (Credit: Unsplash/Elion Jashari)

Just five European countries scored less than 70 per cent when it came to their proportion of excellent bathing waters: Belgium, Hungary, Poland, Estonia and Albania.  

At the bottom of the scale was Albania, which had the poorest overall water quality of all 29 countries, with just 16.8% of its bathing waters classified as ‘excellent’ and 23.5% classed as ‘poor’. The country has recently been touted as an emerging tourist destination known for its wonderful beaches, so this may come as a surprise to some travellers. For visitors still keen for a dip, the cleanest places to swim in Albania are along the country’s southern riviera (below Vlorë down to Sarandë). Meanwhile, the poorest water quality was found on the coast between Durrës and Golem, and near Pogradec in the Lake of Pogradec. 

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Eleanor Edström
Eleanor Edström is International Traveller’s Associate Editor. El began her career writing for national magazines including Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel, and has since developed a soft spot for wild landscapes, thoughtful design and the human stories that bring them to life. She holds an honours degree in English and philosophy from the University of Sydney, and has lived abroad in both Switzerland and France – ostensibly to sharpen her French, though the pastries made a strong supporting case. One day, she hopes to swim with humpback whales off the coast of Mo'orea.
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What the European heatwave means for your summer travel plans

    Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
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    Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK. 

    Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.

    And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.

    Why is it so hot in Europe?

    Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

    France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

    In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

    The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

    Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

    How travel is impacted

    A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius
    A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

    During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

    If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

    Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

    people swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris
    People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

    With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

    Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

    How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

    Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

    Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

    Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.