Take the Plunge: A First-Timer’s Guide to Swimming the Scenic Rhine River in Basel, Switzerland

Travellers looking to dive into wild swimming for the first time should head to the banks of the beautiful Rhine this summer for the famous Basel Rhine Swim. There are plenty of reasons why Basel is the ideal swim destination for those dipping a toe into the world of outdoor swimming - here are just five ways that beginners can get started. 

1. Download the BachApp

Knowledge is power, so downloading the free BachApp for Apple or Android is a great way to get up to speed on everything you need to know. BachApp will keep you updated on water temperature and levels of the Rhine, as well as providing you with a map of entry and exit points, bathrooms and barbecue areas for post-swim dining. It’ll even give you key safety information and update you on any events happening on and off the water - such as the floating Floss festival in August.

1. Get a Wickelfisch bag

Wondering what to do with all your belongings while you’re floating down the Rhine? Bring them with you in a waterproof Wickelfisch bag! These clever, colourful bags have been a signature of Basel outdoor swimming for decades - simply buy one for less than £20, pop your clothes inside, wrap it seven times and then bring it into the water where it will float alongside you. 

1. Pick your point of entry

On the map provided by BachApp or the Swiss Lifesaving Society, you can see all the Rhine points of entry and exit, but for the easiest we recommend starting at Schaffhauserrheinweg 93, just below Museum Tinguely. From May to September, you can also easily enter and exit the water via the Rheinbad Breite and St. Johann bathing houses, which allow you use their showers, toilets and changing rooms for a small fee. 

1. Book a free guided swim

First-timers who don’t feel confident going it alone can register for a spot on an accompanied Rhine swim, which take place every Tuesday evening in July and August. Swimmers of all ages can meet at 5.45pm below the Tinguely Museum at Chez Jeannot restaurant and swim the kilometre down to the Wettstein Bridge alongside a trained lifeguard. 

1. Join the official Basel Rhine Swim!

Although swimming in the Rhine can be enjoyed throughout the year, once a year there is an official summer event where up to 5,000 swimmers gather on the Kleinbasel bank to dive into the refreshing water and float down the river. After their dip, swimmers dry off in the sun and enjoy a beer or ice cream at one of the riverside buvettes (small open-air eateries). This year’s Basel Rhine Swim starts at 6pm on Tuesday 13 August 2024. 

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Editors notes

Basel, Switzerland, is city of exciting contrasts. Modern day architecture sits alongside historical buildings and a young and dynamic art scene exists alongside world-renowned museums.

With 40 museums, the highest concentration of museums in the country, Basel is regarded as Switzerland's cultural capital and is also the home of the well-known international art fair – Art Basel.

Classic modernism meets street art in Basel. You can find art around every corner throughout the city - Pablo Picasso, Jonathan Borofsky and Jean Tinguely are just a few of the artists who enrich the cityscape with their works.

With an event calendar filled with festivals, street parties, open-air concerts and open-air cinemas, it is a city that loves the outdoor life. At the heart of this lies the Rhine river, Basel’s unofficial emblem and where tourists and locals alike flock to in spring and summer.