Lake Fertő (Neusiedler See)
Fertő tó
The largest steppe lake in Central Europe, with vast reed beds. It is a World Heritage site shared by Austria and Hungary, ideal for cycling around the lake and birdwatching.
Lake Fertő, known in Austria as Neusiedler See, is the largest steppe salt lake in Central Europe. Its average depth is less than 2 meters, and it is surrounded by broad reed belts. The lake area is listed as a World Heritage cultural landscape, and the Hungarian side is part of the Fertő-Hanság National Park. The most convenient access point from Sopron is the Fertőrákos lakeside pier, where a wooden boardwalk crosses the reeds to the shore. In summer you can take boat trips, go rowing or swim. The lake-circling cycle route is about 120 kilometers long and can be extended across the border to Rust and Mörbisch on the Austrian side, so carry your passport. Spring and autumn are migration seasons, when you can see great egrets, spoonbills and other migratory birds.
Opening hours
All day (pier facilities open in summer)
Nearby sights
- Fertőrákos Quarry & Cave Theatre
- Pan-European Picnic Memorial Park
- Rust
- St. Michael's Church
- Central Mining Museum
- City Walls & Várkerület
- Old Synagogue
- Firewatch Tower