Bern’s outdoor swimming pools

Leap into the turquoise, glacier-fed water, let yourself be carried along by the current through the Old Town and marvel at the gorgeous scenery. Wow! Or would you rather swim laps in a 50-metre pool and then treat yourself to a well-deserved “Badi” burger? Whether it’s the Wyler, Lorraine or Marzili – there's a swimming pool to suit everyone in Switzerland’s capital. Diving boards, Badi burgers and Aare fun: here we come!

It seems that “all” of Bern meets up at the Marzili. On peak days, over 10,000 visitors descend upon what is considered to be the most beautiful riverside pool in Switzerland, right below the Parliament Building. As early as the 18th century Bern residents liked to spend time in the Aare at the “Akademische Badeanstalt”, a swimming facility that still kept genders strictly separated. Today, a colourful mix of students, families, pensioners and tourists sprawl out on the sunbathing lawn. Women who prefer a little more privacy can enjoy the “Paradiesli” section reserved for them in the rear area of the Marzili. For the full experience, those in the know make a pilgrimage along the riverbank path upstream to the Eichholz campgrounds, where they can slip into the cool water and be carried back to the starting point (and your towel!). A helpful tip: Thanks to the swimming channel, getting out at the Marzili stop is now somewhat easier. Although the Aare is the undisputed star of the Marzili, there is also a 50-metre pool for the athletically ambitious, one with diving boards for fun-lovers, and a separate children's pool for the little ones. And for those with a sweet tooth, Gelateria di Berna has set up shop just opposite the main entrance. Yummm.

The Lorraine pool is the city’s second-largest riverside pool after the Marzili. Situated just below the Lorraine district, it's where offbeat souls and free spirits meet up for an uninterrupted soak in the sun far removed from the city's hubbub. The Lorraine also has a good many years of history behind it. The facilities were constructed at the end of the 19th century for school swimming lessons. However, the lessons were soon put on hold because the city’s entire waste water flowed through the Lorraine pool. Luckily, that’s no longer the case, as the swimming pool is now fed by spring water. The graffiti-covered walls, wooden loungers and retro change rooms combine to create a cosy charm. This time-honoured swimming facility offers two sunbathing areas, a naturist section for both sexes and the legendary pool, where you can swim with the fish from the Aare that enter the Lorraine pool by slipping through the grates. Everything moves more slowly here – just like Bern itself. Thanks to the gentler current, this section of the river is ideal for floating down on your back, and you’re guaranteed not to miss the exit point at the Lorraine pool. A stop here is definitely worthwhile. Rumour has it that the chips at the Buvette are the best in town. Have you tasted them yet?

The Weyermannshaus, affectionately known as the “Weyerli” by the locals, is one of the really big ones – literally. With a water surface area of 15’500 square metres, it is one of the largest outdoor pools in Europe! The impressive pool, which is surrounded by large lawns and shady trees, almost looks like a lake. Children and teenagers can splash around in the children's play pool or whizz down the wide, water-covered slide. While they celebrate the “up-and-down game”, the large lawn invites them to sunbathe, play football and eat ice cream. Did you know? The cult Gelateria-di-Berna is always on site with a mobile ice cream stand. If the weather doesn't play ball, swimming fans can simply head to the indoor pool. In addition to several lanes for swimming, there is also a small pool where children can splash around carefree.

This popular neighbourhood pool in the north of the city has a lot to offer, including a volleyball court, ping-pong tables – and the cosy Wylerbeizli pub, of course, with its fabulously delicious burgers. You can paddle around, swim and dive in pools of various lengths and depths, then dry off and laze in the sun on the spacious lawn. The Wyler pool and its surroundings feel like a large park, and you can usually find a shady spot under the trees. If you settle down on the hill in the upper area, you can watch the exciting activity on the sports field at the same time. A useful insider tip: Visitors will do themselves and all the neighbourhood residents a favour by leaving their cars at home. On nice summer days, the parking spaces disappear faster than a melting ice-cream cone, anyway, and the Wyler is also easily accessible on foot, by bike or by bus (number 20 bus line).