Floating Down the Aare River: Our Three Favorite Routes

Bern locals and their Aare – it’s a very special love story. Want to trade your business suit for a bikini or swim trunks on your lunch break? How about a jump into the refreshing water right after work? Nobody would bat an eye in Bern. It’s even rumored that swimsuits used to be hung out to dry on the balcony of the Swiss Parliament Building on a regular basis. Jumping in the Aare is a must-do Bern experience for visitors who know how to swim. If you really want to get to know the city, you should head to – or rather into – the Aare.

You can start your float down the Aare from one of Bern’s riverside swimming pools or any spot you choose along the Aare. Put your swimsuit on, pack your clothes and valuables in a waterproof dry bag and then jump in the Aare at the spot you choose (entry and exit points are marked with a red pole or with steps for helpful for climbing in and out). Be careful, though. River swimmers should definitely allow their body to adjust to the water’s somewhat cool temperature before starting their float by wetting themselves first.

Then, Aare fans can let themselves drift along, literally, since floating down the river is when you can truly leave all of your worries behind. Surrounded by nature yet in the middle of the capital city, urban swimmers are carried effortlessly down the river – with the impressive UNESCO-recognized Old Town as a backdrop.

The classic, the leisurely and the long route: The Aare offers something to suit every swimmer’s mood. These are our three favorite routes.

This is where everybody in Bern meets up on hot summer days. In what looks like a mass exodus from the city, hundreds of locals walk approximately two kilometers upriver from the Marzili riverside pool to Camping Eichholz. They pass by the “Dampfere” (Dampfzentrale cultural center and restaurant), watch the sporty types playing beach volleyball under the Monbijou Bridge, and wave to the distant pelicans at the Dählhölzli Zoo. The crowd begins to thin somewhat, since a number of swimmers prefer to jump into the Aare at the Schönausteg (pedestrian bridge). However, if you march a good kilometer further you’ll reach the gravel beach at Camping Eichholz. It’s time to enter the refreshingly cool Aare hesitant step by hesitant step and then leap in all at once with a shriek. Now is when the extra walking distance pays off, since you can enjoy the Aare for a few extra, sublime minutes. The view of the Parliament Building is always breathtaking as it sits enthroned above the Aare. It doesn’t get much lovelier!

Somewhat further downriver, directly under the Kornhaus Bridge lies the Altenbergsteg pedestrian bridge. Since the current is not as strong here, this section of the river is especially suited to newcomers and those who like to take it easy. You can enjoy the trip while floating on your back and watching the clouds drift by. The natural calm around you makes this section particularly relaxing – and gives you the feel that you are far removed from the city’s hustle and bustle. On the right slope of the Aare, the Botanical Garden extends all the way down the riverbank, while the Blutturm (Blood Tower) on the left evokes grisly associations. This guard tower from the 15th century is actually referred to in literature as the Witches’ Tower as well, although both names may be based more in myth than reality. However, none of that really matters today, since you’re now floating beneath the Lorraine Bridge and waving to the train passengers crossing the Aare high above on the railway bridge and casting longing eyes down at the cool heads below. When graffiti-covered concrete walls appear on the right side, it’s your last chance to get out of the water. You’ve arrived at the Lorraine pool, Bern’s second riverside swimming pool, and a meeting place for families and lovers of leisure.

The Bremgarten Loop is definitely an insider tip, but you’ll need stamina and warm water temperatures for this 20-minute swim in the Aare. Nevertheless, the time spent in the river is priceless and will seem everlasting. So let yourself drift down the Aare, through the lush, green forest, while you listen to the whistling of the birds. This is how you get there: you can ride your bike or take bus No. 21 to the Fährstrasse stop, after which you follow the Felsenau bridge up until the right-hand bend. Here, you’ll have to cross the road and then take a hairpin turn to the left to walk towards the Aare. Then you pass underneath the Felsenau bridge and make your way about 200 m upstream until you reach the entrance of the Aare tunnel. This is when you change your clothes, quickly walk through the tunnel in your bathing suit and finally jump into the Aare, to enjoy a glorious 20 minutes in this natural paradise. After your swim, you’ll be back at the starting point where you can put on dry clothes. Our tip for afterwards: take the ferry to the Enge peninsula and treat yourself to a delicious snack in the cosy Zehendermätteli restaurant.