In Switzerland, this little-known river is a local favourite — and it’s wonderfully unspoilt (you’ll want to dive in straight away!)

In Bern, locals slip into their swimsuits after work, tuck their belongings into a waterproof bag, and let themselves drift along the Aare, Switzerland’s longest river. Along the way, they pass the UNESCO-listed Old Town, as though the Swiss capital had its very own open-air swimming pool.

In Bern, Switzerland’s understated capital, the end of the working day often begins with a quick glance at Aare Guru, the app that provides real-time information on the river’s flow rate and water temperature. Those planning a swim pull on their swimwear, seal their belongings in a waterproof bag, and check the signs, ladders and lifebuoys. There is the Aare itself — and then there is the proper way to enter it.

An evening on the Aare

Most people begin at one of the city’s free riverside bathing areas, Marzili or Lorraine, which have existed since the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Clothes are left on the grass, waterproof bags are secured, and swimmers join the line of people walking upstream towards a bridge or staircase chosen in advance.

At an unspoken signal, everyone climbs down a ladder, stretches out in the water, and lets the current carry them to a clearly marked exit point.

From glacier to capital

The Aare rises in the Oberaar glaciers in the Bernese Alps. It flows through Lakes Brienz and Thun, loops around Bern, follows the southern foothills of the Jura Mountains, and eventually joins the Rhine after 295 kilometres.

It is the longest river flowing entirely within Switzerland, and its distinctive meander forms the medieval peninsula on which the capital stands.

In summer, this sweeping bend becomes a moving water park, with the current serving as swimming lanes and lifeguards stationed along the banks.

A carefully managed tradition

The city closely monitors the quality of the Aare through regular testing for bacteria and micropollutants. This helps ensure that urban river swimming remains a well-regulated activity rather than a spontaneous summer whim.

Swimming in the Aare is listed among Switzerland’s official living traditions, as documented by the Federal Office of Culture. The office also highlights the risks posed by the river’s sometimes powerful current, which makes it suitable only for confident swimmers.

Entry and exit points are clearly marked, and the guidelines issued by the Swiss Lifesaving Society are displayed throughout the area.

A city in swimwear

Eighteenth-century accounts already describe the Aare packed with bathers on fine summer days, stretching from Elfenau to the peninsula like one long seasonal swimming pool.

Today, Bern residents’ favourite routes typically cover between 350 and 500 metres, running from one bridge or staircase to another. Detailed route information is provided by both the city authorities and the local tourism office.

It is not unusual to spot neighbours, colleagues, or even a Federal Councillor or Mayor Alec von Graffenried taking a few strokes. In summer, the Aare resembles a complete cross-section of the city — all dressed in swimming costumes.

The float downstream lasts only a few minutes, just enough time to glide silently past UNESCO-listed façades before climbing out, wrapping up in a towel, and catching the tram home.

One last dip

For the most dedicated enthusiasts, the season does not end when autumn arrives.

At the end of November, the Zibeleschwümme brings together around a hundred supervised swimmers for a few hundred metres in cold water on the Sunday before Bern’s famous Onion Market.

The event marks the close of the year for the river’s most devoted followers, while everyone else packs away their waterproof bags and waits for the return of warmer days, when the country’s longest river once again becomes their favourite swimming lane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvZSGrfF6s

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