In 2023, Amsterdam had only one designated outdoor swimming area. This summer, the city has 13 legal spots for people to swim in canals, ponds, or rivers, although residents frequently use dozens of other unofficial locations.
Tucked away from the Ij waterway, a short walk from Amsterdam's central train station, Marineterrein, a former 17th-century naval base, is one of the newest officially sanctioned swimming areas.
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People swim to cool off during a hot summer day in Amsterdam on 13/8. Photo: AP |
People swim to cool off during a hot summer day in Amsterdam on 13/8. Photo: AP
On a hot August afternoon, the nearby piers and parks are filled with locals swimming, sunbathing, and relaxing in the shade, next to a replica of an 18th-century Dutch East India Company cargo ship.
"I saw a video on Instagram showcasing some swimming spots and this one was close to home, so I decided to try it out," Noortje Mol said.
In Amsterdam, a city known for its egalitarianism, the beaches are free for everyone, but there are no showers or lifeguards on duty. This former naval base was only designated a legal swimming area earlier this year. Before that, people swimming here could be fined 170 euros (approximately 200 USD).
The city regularly tests the water quality and publishes the results on a national website.
"People think the water is dirty, but it actually isn't," Mike von Hütter, from Argentina, said while sitting on the pier.
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The beach next to the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam is crowded on 13/8. Photo: AP |
The beach next to the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam is crowded on 13/8. Photo: AP
Early morning swimmers tend to be older and more athletic than those who swim recreationally in the afternoon. One woman jogging stripped off her workout clothes and dove in, swimming a few laps before getting dressed and continuing her run.
Many swimming areas in the Netherlands allow nude bathing, and some "nude beaches" even require visitors to be naked. The former naval base requires swimwear, but some morning swimmers don't comply.
"There is a changing area, but no one uses it in the morning," Myra de Rooy, 68, said.
Many locals jump into the nearest water when they want to cool off, even if it's not an official swimming area.
On the other side of the city, Hans, who declined to give his last name because he was swimming in an unofficial spot, swims daily in a canal alongside passing boats.
"I swim every day and have never had any trouble," he said.
Hong Hanh (According to AP)
