Some places I travelled to specifically for a swimming pool or bathing facilities. However, travelling to non-swimming-related destinations can lead to great dips too. To conclude my list of swims from 2025, here are some destinations that are fairly easy to reach by public transport, offering nice swimming or bathing spots.
The Belgian coastline struggles with its reputation for concrete and boring boulevards at times. Compared to the Dutch areas with dunes and nature reserves I travelled to as a kid, they are different. But of course, they have their own charm. Much like some English seaside towns, most of them are a mix of history and tourism, with their own sense of humor.
Part of this mix is the Strandbad Oostduinkerke. Built between 1953 and 1960, this outdoor pool is situated right on the beach. The building’s design reminds one of the streamline moderne-style, with a symmetric, rounded pavilion with changing rooms and showers.
The pool is a regular 25m, which can get quite crowded on busy days. However, going from a sandy (in my case, also windy and grey) beach to a pool in a few minutes is worth it, regardless. The idea of swimming in an enclosed basin next to the endless North Sea is ridiculous and delightful at the same time.
This strandbad can be reached from Oostende (Ostend) or De Panne via the kusttram, the coastal tramline, getting off at Oostduinkerke Bad. Make sure to check opening hours beforehand and don’t make the same mistake I did: The changing room doors swing inwards, possibly hiding your swim suit when you leave…
Swimming in an outdoor pool, on the beach? I’ve also seen this on the northern Italian coast, in Marseille, and at the banks of Lake Geneva, and it’s on my to-swim list, of course. Would love to hear about more of these!
When visiting Düsseldorf, I did not have high expectations regarding its aquatic facilities. Its museums, bookshops and architecture are great though. Definitely worth the trip. But in the end, I was able to add three new swimming spots to my list. Düsseldorf did not disappoint!
The first swim was at Europaplatz, where, apart from the big conference centre, there are some sports facilities, including indoor and outdoor pools. When I visited in September, the outdoor pools were closed off, but I got to swim in a quiet, brightly lit indoor basin. This is a great pool for a quick training session or after a museum visit. I rode to the pool from the city centre using Nextbike, but you can also take the metro to Merkur Spiel-Arena/Messe Nord.
A little bit less public transport-friendly (but I got there!) is Düsseldorf’s Vabali Spa. This chain of slightly offensive but hard to resist ‘Bali-inspired’ spa facilities also has locations in Berlin and Hamburg. I got there by taking the U-Bahn to Schloss Benrath and continuing to Vabali on a Nextbike. Before getting into the water, I visited the gardens and garden museum at Schloss Benrath, a good combination for a day trip from the city centre.
Each Vabali spa is a collection of saunas, bathing pools, relaxation areas, a restaurant and whatever else is needed for a day in bath robes. I’ve also visited the Berlin location, and the offer is quite similar. If you like saunas and reading in quiet with other people reading in quiet around you, this is a lovely place. Unique here is that the location is on the side of a lake, so it has a great view from the outdoor pool and some of the saunas.
The last pool I visited in Düsseldorf was the Münster-Therme. You can reach this one by walking from the city centre or by taking the tram to Dreieck. It’s a historic pool that was renovated and is still in use. You can see the different stages in which the renovations took place: the entrance is modernist, but once inside, you find the 1902 Art Nouveau Schwimhalle and more contemporary showers.
Apart from the basin, there are some saunas on one side of the building, and a salt grotto, for which you pay separately. I enjoyed a swim in the main bassin, a dip in the outdoor salt bath (which has sun in the morning!) and then moved on to the sauna area. The facilities are small but nice, and I don’t think these Therme are in many tourist guides.
Swimming has been slow this year, as I’ve been busy with other types of exercise. I’d love to get back into it, especially once the outdoor pools in Antwerp open up again.
Here’s a random selection from my to swim list. Let’s hope adding this helps me to finally take the time to go!
Charleroi: Le Bains
Lambersart (FR): tournesol Jean Guérécheau (near Lille)
Diest: Halve Maan
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