...and, with it, the strong potential for an uptick in the number of sunny, warm days and summery vibes across the great nation of Denmark - and from what we’ve heard, the staff at Generator Copenhagen are excited to get out and do some harbour swimming.

This wouldn’t have been the case in the 90s: Copenhagen’s harbour was a grubby mess full of all kinds of harbour and drainage-related nastiness until a concerted effort from the authorities and the public to clean it up and make sure no more gross stuff got in there made it swimmable. Now there are four different public facilities around the harbour where you can launch yourself into the water – a huge credit to the city.

The first one to open in 2002 was the Islands Brygge, and is still considered by many to be the best. It was designed by the renowned architect Bjarke Ingels and in good weather thousands of Copenhageners come here to swim and sunbath. It boasts a 75 metre swimming pool, a diving pool, a smaller children’s pool, and a paddling pool, and is surrounded by lawns to hang out on when you’re not in the water.

It is in the middle of the city and so you’ll find yourself swimming surrounded by high-rise buildings, and at night a party atmosphere develops: the smell of BBQs and the sound of music wafts through the air from the surrounding lawns, and the whole place feels like the essence of summer distilled. Check it out. 


Photo: milgrammer. Licensed under Creative Commons.