Swimming in the Spree? Berlin-Mitte plans bathing area for 2026
Friday, 16 May
Could Berliners be swimming in the Spree as soon as summer 2026? Ephraim Gothe (SPD), the district official for urban development in Mitte, thinks so. If Paris can reopen the Seine for swimming, he argues, Berlin should be able to do the same. “There’s still a lot to clarify, but we should aim to get this done,” he stated on Thursday.
He argues that the water quality has improved significantly over the past ten years, and modern monitoring techniques can now track contamination levels- especially after rainfall, when sewerage overflows remain a concern.
Gothe’s concept involves a stripped-down plan: a basic pilot swimming spot in the central Spreekanal, accessible via ladder and without major construction work.
But it’s far from being implemented. The Senate Department for Urban Development has flagged a laundry list of issues to resolve, from water safety to heritage protection- not to mention the fact that the Spree is technically a federal waterway, and bathing there is currently prohibited under Berlin’s water regulations. Changing that would require huge support from the environmental authorities, who have so far shown skepticism.
The Flussbad Berlin association continues to advocate for swimming in the Spree and is marking the 100th anniversary of the original swimming ban with a public event on Tuesday. The ban was first introduced in 1925 due to, what was then considered, alarming levels of pollution- something the city is still trying to combat.
