In which German cities can you swim in the river?

Local Germany

16-07-2025

Munich
The Isar river that winds its way through the Bavarian city is well known for its swimming – and
river-surfing
– opportunities. And, of course, this much-loved summer hotspot comes with the added bonus of never being much more than a hop, skip and a splash from a beer garden.
These are the areas where you can get in and enjoy the clean, icy-cold waters:
Upwards from the Flauchersteg to just before the Wittelsbacherbrücke – this spot just south of the city centre is probably the most popular area for swimming, sunbathing and picnicking
From the Marienklausensteg to the Thalkirchner bridge
A few metres downstream from Wittelsbacherbrücke to the Reichenbachbrücke
Downstream from the Großhesseloher railroad bridge to just before the Marienklause
From the Max-Joseph bridge to just before the Oberföhring weir
A day-tripper jumps out of their floating tyre to take a swim in the Isar river in Munich. Photo: Matthias Balk/dpa
And if you prefer to embrace Germany's FKK culture and let it all hang out, then there are several
nude bathing areas
along the river, including by the large gravel bank east of the Flauchersteg.
One word of caution, though: the Isar can have strong currents, so do check conditions before you go in and only swim in the designated areas.
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Children swim in the Marli open-air pool with the city's skyline in the background. Photo: COLORplus / dpa-Bildfunk
Lübeck
Lübeck's love affair with swimming has been going on for a long time – the first river pool in the maritime city was opened in 1899 and the city fully supports swimming in its waters.
There are four open-air pools along the slow-flowing Wakenitz river in this medieval north-German city:
Krähenteich
,
Falkenwiese, Marli and Eichholz,
with water quality being particularly excellent in the last three.
The historic Krähenteich pool is in the old town area, right by the former city wall. The much-loved supervised bathing facility also has a sauna and café.
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The busy Falkenwiese is also close to the city centre, so it's ideal if you want to get your strokes in/cool off on a daily basis.
The Marli is on the opposite side of the river – and its historic changing area, the Alte Magazin, has been lovingly restored, serving as a perfect reminder of 19th century bathing culture. Head here to enjoy the view over the old town and some glorious sunsets.
The Eichholz pool is slightly further out, on the not-so-small Kleiner See, technically an area where the Wakenitz widens. It might not be that tiny, but it's still got a more peaceful intimate feel to the other two with added forest views.
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All the pools – most of which also have beaches, lawns and areas for non-swimmers – are open from May to September.
Swimmers bathe in the Spree canal during a demonstration to mark the 100th anniversary of a ban on swimming in the Spree river, in Berlin on June 17, 2025. The demonstrators are pleading for a lifting of the ban. (Photo by Lilas TANTUSSI DEVOS / AFP)
Berlin
Swimming in the inner city
is generally
verboten
,
but there's a growing movement called
Fluss Bad Berlin
that's organised demonstration swims. It's been calling for Spree to be cleaned up since 2012 and it looks like this might actually happen by 2026 with plans to open up a section for recreational swimming on track.
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For now, there's the popular floating
Badeschiff pool
right on the Spree, at Arena Berlin.
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There are also plenty of clean and calm swimming lakes to choose from on the outskirts of the city, such as the open-air lido at Wannsee, actually a bay in the Havel river.
Or check out
Wild Swim Berlin
, which takes you to some of the over 3,000 lakes in and around the city.
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A paddler paddles in a kayak in Dresden, on the banks of the river Elbe on July 4, 2025. (Photo by JENS SCHLUETER / AFP)
Dresden
Boat traffic, currents and water quality can impact swimming in the Elbe river that runs through the eastern city of Dresden, but there are still a couple of (unofficial) options:
For example, there are a few calm stretches of the Elbe downstream from the Blaues Wunder bridge which some locals favour. Just be aware, these aren't official swim spots, so take care if you go in.
Since 1998, though, there's been an
official 3.5km Elbe swim
every August from the bridge down to Fährgarten Johannstadt.
The Prießnitz estuary, where the stream flows into the Elbe, is a calm spot, that's perfect for paddling rather than full-on swimming due to the shallow waters.
The same goes for the scenic Rabenauer gorge to the west of the city.
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Many locals head to the safer Carolasee lake rather than risking an Elbe swim outside of the organised event.
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And a few to avoid:
The Elbe river in Hamburg is a very busy waterway. This picture shows the "Hamburg sud" carrier sailing on the Elbe in the city. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)
Hamburg
Swimming in the Hanseatic city isn't officially recommended because the maritime river's a major commercial waterway. That means strong undercurrents and not the best water quality, so you'll see warnings strongly advising against getting in.
Even though some people do swim – cautiously – by the beaches along the banks of the river, the Elbstrand,
the city says it's not suitable
for swimming or bathing.
Most people who fancy an outdoor swim, head to nearby supervised lakes, such as Boberger See and Eichbaumsee.
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Düsseldorf, Cologne and Bonn
Swimming is off limits in several parts of the busy Rhine in these neighbouring cities, but even where it's not prohibited it can be extremely dangerous – even for experienced swimmers. Several people drown every year because they didn't heed the warnings.
[embed]https://youtu.be/UfdrK8HsY50[/embed]
The city administrations and fire brigades
regularly remind people not to swim in the river at all
and there are notices up – in English, too – warning tempted tourists of the dangers.
Dangers include strong undercurrents, hidden obstacles forming treacherous whirlpools and shipping traffic, such as large freighters and tankers, creating strong currents and suction effects.
If you want to swim, you're better off visiting one of the cities' nearby lakes or lidos.
READ ALSO:
How to stay safe while swimming outdoors in Germany this summer
Wherever you swim, remember to check conditions before you go in and follow the usual advice to keep yourself and others safe: be careful about going in if you're too hot (due to the extreme temperature difference) and never swim if you've been drinking alcohol or have just eaten.
Do you have a favourite city swimming spot? Let us know in the comments!