Forget the lakes, Switzerland’s best rivers are great for swimming
In the lobby of a venerable grand hotel in Switzerland, people in soaking wet bathing suits and flip-flops mostly drew shocked looks. Not so in Basel, where it’s perfectly normal for the concierge at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois to ask if you’ve had a refreshing dip in the Rhine.
In the Swiss city, people in bikinis and swimming shorts are part of the picture in the summer, when Basel, known for its art museums, is transformed into an urban swimming pool.
Even in one of the oldest city hotels in Europe, the guests are encouraged to do the same as the locals: Take the “Wickelfisch” swimming bag to the office and then take a swim in the Rhine, says the concierge.
The wrap fish is a waterproof swim bag that you can use to store your clothes so they don’t get wet. It also acts as a buoyancy aid thanks to the trapped air. The bag is available in countless shapes and colors.
On hot summer days, the people of Basel make a pilgrimage with their beach bag along the right bank of the Rhine, which they affectionately call “Bach”. In the blazing sunlight, the river sparkles turquoise blue and emerald green. Information boards mark the ideal entry point at the bend in the river just before the Black Forest Bridge. This is where the collective striptease begins, with people taking off their suits, dresses and shoes before throwing themselves into the gently sloping riverbed.
The water of the Rhine is around 20°C in summer, and even 25°C in hot years. Athletes swim against the tide, but most just go with the flow and enjoy the view.
On the right bank lies Kleinbasel with its villas, on the left Grossbasel, where the red sandstone cathedral towers over the maze of alleyways in the old town.
However, you should not try to swim across – it is far too dangerous due to the strong current and the large cargo ships.
Behind the middle bridge, most climb out of the water using the steps by the water. This is also the perfect spot for an aperitif. The banks of the Rhine are lined with bars, cafés and restaurants – from simple taverns to traditional pubs such as the Gasthof zum Goldenen Sternen and gourmet temples such as the three-star Hotel Cheval Blanc.
A little further east in Zurich, the Limmat flows right through the old town. However, swimming is only permitted in certain areas, the so-called “Badis”. Only once a year are Zurich residents allowed to float through the old town during the Limmat swim in August.
Thanks to the steadily growing number of hotels on Lake Zurich, which can be reached from the city by regular boat, the Swiss banking metropolis has developed into a true holiday destination for water lovers. There are also several large swimming areas along the Limmat.
Bern doesn’t have that many bathing spots. However, they are all free, and the Aare, which flows through the Swiss capital, is also freely accessible. The «Aareschwumm», popular with locals, begins outside the city center at the Eichholz campsite. From there you float back towards the city center with a view of the dome of the Federal Palace.
Fed by glacial water, the river rarely has a temperature above 18°C. For local journalist Laura Fehlmann, that’s heartfelt. As a founding member of a local association of Aare fans, she even goes swimming in the river in winter.
While that may not be a problem for accomplished swimmers like her, everyone else is better off taking a dip in the summer months. – dpa