Swiss Badis
Everyday since the sun returned to Switzerland, I’ve been trying to get out and get some exercise by walking on the trails beside the Limmat. I usually walk about 2 miles one way, then I turn around and follow the trails back. I’ve quickly learned that Swiss people spend their summer days outside. Seriously outside. All along the Limmat, people are sunbathing, reading, having lunch, chatting, drinking beers, etc. Wherever there is a place to sit, there are people. And wherever there is water, people are in it.
Right where we step out the door of our temporary apartment, there is a pedestrian bridge over the Limmat that goes toward the Platzspitz park and the Hauptbanhof. Every day, there are people perched up on the railing to jump over into the water. I’ve even seen people bring a cable and tether it to 2 places across the water so they can try to balance on it. Of course, this would never happen in the US because there would be daily lawsuits over injuries. But somehow the Europeans are able to have nice things and enjoy them too. There also are cafes all along the river, so the sunbathers can eat and drink outside. It’s all very casual and really nice.
There are outdoor swimming pools all over Zürich and throughout Switzerland called Badis. As far as I can tell, it’s just a designated swimming area. Some are free, some cost a fee, and some are private clubs. Some are in the lake (Zürichsee), and some are on the rivers. There is a Badi just for women (Frauenbad), and a Badi just for men (Mannerbad), and at night they both turn into barefoot bars (Barfussbarren).
The Limmat has a current that is pretty strong, so most people jump in at one point and float way down before they get out. They have waterproof bags so they can put all their stuff in it, seal it up, and use it as a float on the way down. The further you go down the Limmat, the stronger the current becomes, but it doesn’t deter swimmers at all.
These are the Badis that I pass by daily:
Flussbad Oberer Letten - This one is the closest to our apartment. It’s just a platform on each side of the river. The opposite side from us is the one that has the facilities, which I understand are dressing rooms, lockers, and a restaurant. Right beside it is a sand volleyball court, and a skate park.
Flussbad Unterer Letten Swimming Area - My reading tells me that this one is the oldest river bath in Zürich, and that it began as a men’s pool area. It’s enclosed all the way around by platforms, and they limit the number of people inside to keep it from getting too crowded. Sometimes they show movies at night at the open air cinema (Filmfluss), which is a screen they put up in the middle of the river. There is an upper pool for wading, but I haven’t been up on the street in that area to see what it looks like.
Here’s a link for all of the Badis ini the Kanton of Zürich.
Wipkingerpark - This isn’t technically a river Badi (Flussbad), but it’s a nice area to sit outside. There are steps that go down into the water and plenty of green space for lounging. There’s also a playground for kids with a splash pad and even a petting zoo. I hadn’t really seen much swimming action in this area because the current is stronger here, but today I saw some brave souls getting on floats in this area and floating by really fast. There were even some people stand-up-paddling, and they just flew by.
The water in the Limmat is so clear, and there is no trash to be seen anywhere. You can see to the bottom all along it. It’s pretty impressive. It may be a while before I get in the water - Cass jumped in the other day, and he said it’s pretty cold. According to the Google, it’s 20ºC, which is about 68ºF.
Prost!