You can swim in any river, but you’d be a darned fool. Many have carnivorous beasts and deadly parasites as well as fast powerful currents that might sweep the inexperienced away.
Luckily there are a few rivers where you’ll probably survive and even some where a dip is encouraged. So, without further blabbing, here are a few famous rivers in Europe you can swim in.
The Rhine
This famous river flows through Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands and by the time it gets to the end, you probably wouldn’t want to sniff it.
But near its start in Switzerland, the part of the Rhine that flows through Basel is host to a large annual swimming competition every August as well as weekly swimming tours throughout summer.
The Danube
Although marathon swimmer Martin Strel swam the length of the Danube in protest at water pollution, much of the river is reasonably clean. The closer you are to the source in Germany’s Black Forest, the better, but people still enjoy a swim as far as Novi Sad in Serbia.
The Loire
The longest river in France runs through many picturesque spots amid chateaux and grassy hills, most notably the Loire Valley. Many sections and tributaries have designated swimming areas, such as in Touraine, but the currents are too dangerous in other parts such as Amboise.
(Featured image by Daquella manera)
