This species can be found in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests, bushlands and meadows, floodplains and grasslands, pastures and Mediterranean maquis. At low elevations this species lives in deciduous forests, at higher altitudes it is more often found in coniferous forests and highland glades. The species uses many types of wetland, including lakes, ponds, swamps, rivers, stream pools, springs (including mineral and thermal springs), puddles, reservoirs, gravel pits, drinking trough, concrete tanks, ditches and even water filled wheel ruts. The breeding habitats are typically unshaded temporary pools within, or close to, woodland. The species can tolerate slight water pollution, and has been recorded at very high densities in areas of cleared woodland in the Carpathian Mountains. It breeds by larval development.

This species is distributed over much of central and Southern Europe. It is generally present from central France through southern Germany and northern and western Switzerland, much of Italy, the Balkan region and the Carpathian Mountains. Isolated subpopulations are present in northwestern Italy, and Hungary (Vörös et al. 2006), and its range in northwestern France is now severely fragmented. Its range has been expanded in Türkiye, where it is found in Karacahasan Mountains (Edirne) near the Greek border (Bülbül et al. 2018), and it has been reported from Moldovian Romania (Pop et al. 2019).

It is probably extinct in Belgium (former range not mapped), and some subpopulations have been lost in the south of France. The presence of isolated subpopulations in southwestern France (Medoc and Landes) requires confirmation, and they have been mapped as 'Presence Uncertain' until their identity is determined.

It has been introduced to the United Kingdom, but it is not known if the species is still present and is not mapped here. Maiorano et al. (2013) estimated the species' extent of occurrence (EOO) as 1,211,800.76 km². It occurs between 100–2,100 m asl.

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species is listed on Appendix II of the Bern Convention and on Annexes II and IV of the EU Natural Habitats Directive. It is protected by national legislation over much of its range and is present in many protected areas. There were several EC-funded LIFE-projects targeting the species or its habitats: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/search/get?basicSearchText=bombina+variegata.

Conservation Needed
Re-introductions of the species might be needed in parts of the range.

Research Needed
There is a need to monitor population changes in this species, especially in the hybrid zone between B. variegata and B. bombina. The impact of collection for trade and scientific purposes also needs to be researched. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis& related population declines should be investigated, especially focusing on tadpoles or early development phase, as detectability of mortality at this age is very difficult (Harmos et al. 2021).