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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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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.