Wild swimming in Switzerland

Summer has started in Switzerland and with temperatures rising above 30°C, all over the country people are jumping into rivers and lakes to cool down. With crystal clear water coming from the mountains there are many beautiful places to go for a dip, even in the big cities. In this episode we talk about what it's like to go wild swimming in Switzerland, how to find the best spots and how to stay safe. If you've just moved to Switzerland as an expat, or you're coming here on holiday, it's best to know a little bit about what's involved before jumping into the next river.

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Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland

What is wild swimming and what's special about wild swimming in Switzerland

• A. "Badis": supervised swimming areas in naturally occuring water, with facilities

• B. Wild-ish swimming: no lifeguards, but some facilities such as steps into the water

• C. Completely wild swimming: for example in a mountain lake or stream

Where to go and what to take

• Rent an inflatable boat on the River Aare

• A video about swimming in the Aare by BR3

• The best pools, rivers and lakes for swimming in Switzerland

Think about safety

• 2016: 58 dead and 2017 40

• Aare safe swimming course

Useful apps

• MeteoSwiss

• Splash°

• Special Bernese words: aare.guru

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