Beach in Basel

Rhine Swimming

Swimming in the Rhine is a Basel summer tradition: locals put their clothes in a waterproof “Wickelfisch” bag, enter the river upstream, and float downstream through the city center past the Minster and the old town. Free. The current carries you. Entry points and exit ladders are marked along the riverbanks. Budget travelers join the locals, float through the center of a Swiss city, and get one of the most unique free urban swimming experiences in Europe.

Practical

Before you go

Address
Gempenstrasse, 4104 Oberwil BL
Good to know

Nearby

More in Basel

Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.

Basel Old Town

Basel's old town sits on a hill above the Rhine, a compact area of half-timbered houses, the red sandstone Minster (free entry, views from the terrace over the Rhine into France and Germany), and the painted Town Hall (Rathaus) on the Marktplatz. Free to walk.

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