Favourite Places to Swim in Berlin (updated)
I thought I'd write a short updated post about the many great places to swim in Berlin as after a year living in the city I have discovered some new favourite places to swim (and also revised my opinion on some of the places in my original 'Best Pools in Berlin' post).
Stadtbad Neukölln and Stadtbad Mitte (top of my original 'Best Pools' list) I still love for their beautiful architecture and surroundings but I now find too busy to have space to focus properly on my TI swimming technique. Stadtbad Mitte in particular is still a favourite but only on the rare occasions when it's really quiet.
(A tip - after 3pm is quieter in nearly all Berlin public pools as it is the start of 'peak time'.)
1. Liepnitzsee, Berlin-Brandenburg
My favourite lake and place to swim so far is located about 20km outside of Berlin city centre so you'll need to drive or catch the S-Bahn and then a regional train to get there. But it's worth it! Situated in the middle of a forest it has clear clean water and an island you can swim to/around (3km distance approx). It's great to spend the whole day there. Fantastic for open water /triathlon training!
2. Schwimm- und Sprunghalle im Europasportpark (SSE)
In a many ways this pool is the obvious choice for training in Berlin, I like it for the wide lanes and shallow area. It can get busy however, so if you can go on a weekday afternoon you should find you have space to be able to focus.
3. Schwimmhalle Fischerinsel
Located close to Museum Island in Mitte this is a newly renovated pool in a convenient location. It also has a decent-sized training pool.
4. Kombibad Seestrasse
This 50m + 25m pool, although at first glance unspectacular, is an ideal place for drill training and TI practice because of its large shallow area and choice of pool lengths. It's also often less busy than the more centrally located pools (inc. weekends).