A Spree change: from Berlin to Oslo, Europe’s urban swimmers take the plunge

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:00:58 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/19/spree-berlin-urban-swimming-europe-paris-oslo-amsterdam-copenhagen>

"The last time there was full-scale river swimming in Berlin’s city centre,
before access was outlawed a century ago, there were probably fewer inflatable
unicorns and fluorescent pool noodles.

But this week, a “Dip-Dip-Hurrah” demonstration to push for the lifting of the
roaring 20s-era ban saw about 300 people, many with colourful swimming caps and
assorted flotation devices, bob down the Spree river as the golden-hour sun
bathed the old Prussian monuments of the historic Mitte district in a warm
light.

Across Europe, emboldened by a nine-year plan to clean up the Seine River in
time for last year’s Paris Olympics, city residents are pushing authorities to
make their waterways swimmable.

Here, Guardian reporters detail some of urban Europe’s wild swimming hotspots
– both those that are coming, and those that have been delighting city swimmers
for years."

Share and enjoy,
               *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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