Aare River Swimming
Aare River Swimming is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Bern audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~90 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type nature
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Bern Bern guide
About Aare River Swimming
Bern's beloved summer tradition, swimming in the crystal-clear glacially-fed Aare river, letting the current carry you through the old town bend, practised by thousands daily in summer.
Swimming in the Aare river is one of Bern's most distinctive and beloved summer traditions, practised daily by thousands of residents from late spring through early autumn. The Aare, fed by Alpine glaciers and snowmelt, runs crystalline and cold even in summer, and it flows in a dramatic horseshoe bend around the old town peninsula. The traditional swim involves entering the river upstream at the Marzili outdoor pool area, allowing the current to carry you downstream through the city, and exiting at one of several points. The Marzili Freibad is a free outdoor facility at the river's edge that provides changing facilities, lawns for sunbathing, and access to the river. Swimming in the Aare is considered a Bernese rite of passage, it is enjoyed by locals of all ages and is as much a social as an athletic activity.
Did you know? The Aare river flows at roughly 120 cubic metres per second on average (higher in the summer melt season) through Bern and is fed by Alpine glaciers, keeping it crystal clear and cool even in summer.
How long should you spend at Aare River Swimming?
Plan about ~90 min at Aare River Swimming. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Aare River Swimming worth visiting?
Aare River Swimming is one of the 22 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Bern, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Bern
Hear the story of Aare River Swimming
Preview the Bern tour free in the Gingerguide app.