Thematic guide · Germany
Best Lakeside Campsites in Germany
Germany does lake camping better than almost anywhere — hundreds of sites sit right on a Badesee, from the Black Forest and the Allgäu in the south to the vast Mecklenburg Lakes in the northeast. The eight below rank highest in our dataset, sorted from public guest-comment analysis on what makes a lake stay: quiet, scenery, cleanliness and friendly staff are near-universal strengths at the best sites — and value is the recurring watch-out (Germany's nicest lake pitches aren't the cheapest). We kept the list spread across the country so there's one within reach wherever you're headed. Pick by region first, then by the catch you can live with.
At a glance
| Camp | Region | Lake setting | Strong on | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Höhencamping Königskanzel | Black Forest (BW) | Hilltop above a swim lake | Quiet · Scenery · Space · Staff · Value · Clean | The lake's a walk downhill; no pool |
| Camping Eifel Ferienpark Prümtal | Eifel (RLP) | Lakeside holiday park | Quiet · Scenery · Space · Staff · Clean · Sanitary | Larger park, not a hideaway; Wi-Fi patchy |
| Camping Paulfeld | Thuringia | Forest lake | Quiet · Scenery · Staff · Family · Clean | Popular — books out early |
| Camping Kirnbergsee | Black Forest (BW) | Right on the Kirnbergsee | Quiet · Scenery · Space · Staff · Family · Clean | Premium pricing — the steepest here |
| Camping Zeh am See | Allgäu (Bavaria) | Alpine lakeshore | Quiet · Scenery · Staff · Family · Clean | Short alpine season; on-site food basic |
| Campingplatz Ideal am Edersee | Hesse | Big reservoir lake | Quiet · Scenery · Privacy · Staff · Family · Clean | Reservoir levels drop late summer; some dated facilities |
| Inselcamping Werder | Mecklenburg Lakes | Island in the lake | Quiet · Scenery · Staff · Family · Clean | Mosquitoes by the water |
| Ferienpark Teutoburgerwald | Teutoburg Forest (NRW) | Lakeside leisure park | Quiet · Scenery · Space · Staff · Family · Clean | More holiday-park than wild; busy in season |
#1 · Black Forest (BW)
Höhencamping Königskanzel — Black Forest (BW)
Best for: the best all-round lake site in the dataset.
A calm, panoramic Black Forest height-camp with a swim lake below — quiet, spacious and, unusually for the top tier, genuinely good value.
The catch — it's a hilltop site: the lake is a walk downhill and there's no pool, so it's for swimmers who don't mind earning the dip.
#2 · Eifel (RLP)
Camping Eifel Ferienpark Prümtal — Eifel (RLP)
Best for: a polished lakeside base with spotless facilities.
A well-run Eifel lake park — roomy pitches, excellent sanitary blocks, easy lake access.
The catch — scale: it's a larger Ferienpark rather than a quiet hideaway, and Wi-Fi is patchy.
#3 · Thuringia
Camping Paulfeld — Thuringia
Best for: a central-German forest-lake escape.
A quiet, scenic forest lake in Thuringia — family-friendly and tidy, well placed for the middle of the country.
The catch — it's popular and on the small side, so it books out early in peak weeks.
#4 · Black Forest (BW)
Camping Kirnbergsee — Black Forest (BW)
Best for: a pitch right on a Black Forest swim lake.
Directly on the Kirnbergsee — spacious, calm and scenic, with the lake a few steps away.
The catch — value: the steepest pricing of the eight; you pay for the lakeside position.
#5 · Allgäu (Bavaria)
Camping Zeh am See — Allgäu (Bavaria)
Best for: an alpine-lake setting in the south.
A relaxed Allgäu lakeshore with mountain views — friendly and well-kept.
The catch — the alpine season is short and the on-site food is basic; come high summer and self-cater.
#6 · Hesse
Campingplatz Ideal am Edersee — Hesse
Best for: a big-lake setting with privacy.
Set above the Edersee — private, peaceful pitches with wide water views.
The catch — it's a reservoir: water levels can drop noticeably by late summer, and a few facilities show their age.
#7 · Mecklenburg Lakes
Inselcamping Werder — Mecklenburg Lakes
Best for: a genuinely wild island night in the northeast lakes.
A tiny island site in the Mecklenburg Lake District — about as close to wild lake camping as it gets, reached over the water.
The catch — mosquitoes: it's an island in a lake, so midsummer evenings get buggy; pack repellent.
#8 · Teutoburg Forest (NRW)
Ferienpark Teutoburgerwald — Teutoburg Forest (NRW)
Best for: a lakeside base in the northwest with full facilities.
A spacious lakeside leisure park in the Teutoburg Forest — easy for families, good range on site.
The catch — it leans holiday-park rather than wild lakeside, and it's busy in season.
How to choose (names only)
- Best all-rounder: Höhencamping Königskanzel.
- Spotless facilities: Prümtal.
- Right on the water: Camping Kirnbergsee.
- Alpine views: Zeh am See.
- Big-lake privacy: Edersee.
- Wild island night: Inselcamping Werder.
- Central Germany: Paulfeld.
- Northwest + families: Teutoburgerwald.
Lakeside camping in Germany — common questions
Where are the best lakeside campsites in Germany?
The strongest clusters are the Black Forest and the Allgäu in the south, the Eifel and Hunsrück in the west, and the Mecklenburg Lake District in the northeast — but good lake sites are spread right across the country, including Hesse (Edersee) and Thuringia.
Can you swim in the lakes at these campsites?
Yes — these are Badesee sites with direct or very close lake swimming. A couple (the hilltop and big-reservoir ones) involve a short walk down to the water, and the reservoir lakes can sit lower by late summer.
When is the best time for lake camping in Germany?
June to September for warm-enough swimming. Southern alpine lakes have a shorter, later season; the northeastern lakes are warmest in high summer but that's also when mosquitoes are most active near the water.
Are German lakeside campsites good value?
Value is the recurring trade-off: the best-rated lake pitches tend to run higher, and the most lakefront positions are the priciest. Höhencamping Königskanzel is the standout that pairs a top setting with genuinely fair pricing.
Re-rank Germany around your priorities — pick the magnets that matter and we'll sort every German camp in our dataset to fit them.