Swiss Summer Fun

The mouth-wash blue Aare River winds it way into Bern from the Alps and is a playground for the Swiss on hot summer days. We have been fascinated with this beautiful river since we arrived last Fall.

We were determined to see where and how the people of Bern enjoy the river. We figured out how to get to it and then learned that the Bernese swim, river surf, raft, paddle board, and tube in its cool, clear water and walk and bike the trails that border it. 

The river flows swiftly with a strong current and is only for experienced swimmers. We loved this message that we saw painted on the trail next to the river! It can be dangerous and there are designated places for getting in and out and there are parts of the river that too dangerous and are off limits.

Right in the heart of Bern, in the shadow of the Parliament Building (which you can see in the background) is the public swimming complex which is a great place to exit the river and then take advantage of the pools (there are four of them), showers, lots of lockers, W.C.s, changing rooms, lawn for sunning, trees for shade, playgrounds, picnic areas, snack bars, etc. The really great part of this complex is the cost....it is FREE!!! The Swiss really know how to have fun in the summer!