The Lake Neusiedl is, like Lake Balaton, one of the few steppe lakes in Europe and the largest lake without an outflow in Central Europe. It lies predominantly on Austrian territory and to a lesser extent on Hungarian territory.
The lake is characterized by its reed belt, its shallow depth and its mild but windy climate. Its unique fauna and flora is protected by the establishment of the two national parks Lake Neusiedl-Seewinkel and Fertő-Hanság and by being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the designation Cultural landscape Fertő/Neusiedler See protected. The Austrian part of the lake is largely owned by the Esterházy family.
Sports
Summer:
Tourism benefits from the lake mainly through events and facilities for sailing, surfing, kitesurfing, paddling, beach volleyball, inline skating, horse riding and cycling. There is, for example, a cycle route around the lake, the Neusiedler See cycle path, with a length of 135 km.
Well-known sporting events include the annual lake crossing from Mörbisch to Illmitz and the Austriathlon in Podersdorf. The Surf World Cup takes place in Neusiedl every year at the end of April. Every two years, the Austrian youth sailing championship takes place in a yacht club.
During the summer months, there is a regatta somewhere on the lake almost every weekend, and there is a lot to see, from state championships to joint cruising trips.
Winter:
In winter, the lake becomes a largest ice skating rink in Central EuropeIn good years the surface is as smooth as glass and free of snow, but sometimes when there is too much wind it is rough over long stretches like a washboard with flat surfaces in between. In some places, ice blocks up to one and a half meters high can even form. In addition to ice skating, winter sports include ice sailing, ice surfing, ice kite surfing and even cycling with spikes. Cross-country skiing is possible on a 15 km long groomed slope in Podersdorf.
Water temperature
The water in the shallow lake (approx. 2m) quickly takes on the temperature of the air. On particularly hot days, water temperatures can easily reach 30°C; however, the lake cools down again quickly when a thunderstorm passes through. In summer, temperatures average between 22 and 23°C.
Lake Neusiedl is not a freshwater lake, it has a slightly increased salt concentration; at 0.2%, it is approximately 100% salt. Due to the turbidity, despite the shallow depth, hardly any sunlight reaches the lake floor, which, in addition to the salt content, prevents algae growth and reed formation.
Annual course
Spring is characterized by high water levels and the arrival of migratory birds.
In summer The water level drops by up to 80 centimetres and tourists and water sports enthusiasts populate the lake. In the reed belt, clear pools with no outlet are formed, the so-called Blänken, in which the birds find their food. The young slowly fledge in the reeds.
Because the lake stores heat, autumn usually comes late and is mild, the migratory birds leave and the lake slowly begins to fill up. The water level is regulated to prevent flooding in the flat surrounding areas.
Almost every year the lake freezes in winter for a few days or weeks. When it snows and storms, the whole area is covered in snowdrifts. Winter is over when the thawed ice sheets, driven by the strong northwest wind, pile up on the eastern shore of the lake to form a meter-high ice pile.
The lidos on the lake were expanded, partly with Objective 1 funds from the European Union. Podersdorf am See has established itself as the center of tourism on Lake Neusiedl. The community has the highest number of overnight stays, the widest range of offers and is located on the only reed-free stretch of beach on the lake.
Lake Neusee is often called the “sea or bathtub of the Viennese”.