A lake steamer and sailing boats on Lake Lucerne
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Lakes and Marinas

Lake Como, Lake Geneva, Lake Lucerne and the other great Alpine lakes, with their marinas and private boats.

Last checked October 2026.

A lake steamer and sailing boats on Lake LucernePhotograph: Pexels

France

Lake Annecy

None that meets our standard yet.

Switzerland

Lake Geneva

  • Société Nautique de GenèveGeneva

    Founded in 1872, the club won the America's Cup in 2003 and defended it in 2007 through Alinghi, and runs the Bol d'Or Mirabaud, one of the largest lake regattas in the world. Its harbour facing the Jet d'Eau holds about 1,000 boats; it is a members' club (over 3,800 members), so berths and facilities are for members and their guests. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

  • CGN Belle Époque fleetLausanne

    The Compagnie Générale de Navigation keeps a Belle Époque fleet of eight paddle steamers, among them La Suisse, Savoie, Montreux and Rhône (1927), and offers them for private cruises with crew. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

Lake Lucerne

  • SGV paddle steamer charterLucerne

    The Lake Lucerne Navigation Company charters its five paddle steamers privately all year, including DS Uri, the oldest active paddle steamer in Switzerland, DS Stadt Luzern with its restored Art Deco interior (a listed monument), and DS Schiller with its Art Nouveau salon; catering and crew are provided. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

  • MV BürgenstockLucerne to Kehrsiten

    The catamaran, in service since 2018 with a first-class saloon, runs an hourly year-round shuttle from Lucerne to Kehrsiten, where a funicular climbs to the Bürgenstock Resort. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

Lake Zurich

  • ZSG private charterZurich

    The Lake Zurich Navigation Company charters its ships with captain and crew for private and corporate events; its fleet includes the paddle steamers Stadt Zürich (1909) and Stadt Rapperswil (1914). Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

Lake St. Moritz

  • Segel-Club St. MoritzSt. Moritz

    Founded in 1941, the club sails on Lake St. Moritz and Lake Silvaplana and hosts class, Swiss, European and world championships for dinghies and catamarans; in 2018 it hosted the final of the Sailing Champions League, Europe's club sailing championship, with 31 teams from 12 countries. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

Lake Lugano

  • Circolo Velico Lago di LuganoLugano

    At the mouth of the Cassarate overlooking the lake, the club has almost 700 members, is one of Switzerland's leading sailing clubs, and runs racing through the season, closing it each late summer with the IBSA Cup.

Italy

Lake Como

  • Villa d'Este boat fleetCernobbio

    The hotel runs private boat tours from its own pier in a fleet that includes a Riva Aquarama, a Riva Aquariva, Tullio Abbate powerboats and a 1975 wooden Vaporina; guests can also take small Riva motorboats out themselves. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

  • Il Sereno boatsTorno

    The hotel keeps two Riva Jetto wooden boats that guests can drive without a special licence, and the Vaporina del Lago, a water limousine with interiors by Patricia Urquiola, for transfers and dinners around the lake. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

  • Riva Private DeckLezzeno

    Riva opened its first Italian Private Deck in 2023 inside the historic Yacht Club Eriolario, near Bellagio, as a lounge for Riva owners with several Riva boats for hire.

Lake Maggiore

  • Piroscafo PiemonteLake Maggiore

    Built by Escher Wyss of Zurich and launched in 1904 as the Regina Madre, renamed Piemonte after the Second World War, the paddle steamer keeps its original engine and two Liberty-style salons seating 150 for dinner. Back on the lake after a two-year restoration, it is run by the state lake navigation company, Navigazione Laghi, which hires it out privately for events and ceremonies with a custom route. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

Lake Garda

  • Fraglia Vela RivaRiva del Garda

    Founded in 1928 by Gabriele D'Annunzio, the club has 100 berths for inshore and offshore boats on its two outer piers and has run the International Sailing Week since 1951. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

  • Circolo Vela GargnanoGargnano

    The club organises the Centomiglia del Garda each September, Italy's longest-running inland-waters regatta, raced by yachts under ORC rules across Lombardy, Trentino and Veneto.

Germany (Bavaria and Lake Constance)

Lake Constance

  • Württembergischer Yacht-ClubFriedrichshafen

    Founded in 1911 by King Wilhelm II of Württemberg as the Royal Württemberg Yacht Club, it keeps its own yacht harbour in Friedrichshafen, and the Duke of Württemberg remains its honorary commodore. Members Jörg and Eckart Diesch won Olympic gold in the Flying Dutchman class in 1976. It is a members' club. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

Tegernsee

None that meets our standard yet.

Austria

Lake Constance (Austrian shore)

  • DS HohentwielHard

    Built in 1913 by Escher Wyss of Zurich for King Wilhelm II of Württemberg, the paddle steamer was restored by a cross-border effort and has sailed under the Austrian flag since 1990; she is a listed cultural monument. From her home port of Hard, near Bregenz, she sails from April to October with gourmet dinner cruises and Bregenz Festival cruises that moor at the lakeside stage, and she is available for private charter.

Wolfgangsee

None that meets our standard yet.

That makes 15 entries in all.

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