Havnebadet Islands Brygge

Harbour swimming in the heart of Copenhagen

Havnebadet Islands Brygge is the original Copenhagen harbour bath, a floating complex of pools and decks set directly in the city’s inner harbour at Islands Brygge 14. Here, instead of a traditional pool, you slide into filtered harbour water with unobstructed views to the city skyline and passing boats. The concept is simple and very Danish: turn an old working harbour into your urban summer living room. The bath stretches along the quay with about 85 metres of basins framed by pale wooden walkways and railings. Beside it, a broad strip of lawn in Havneparken acts as the beach, where people spread out towels, fire up disposable grills and linger until the long northern evenings fade. Even outside peak season, the piers remain a favourite pause point on a waterfront stroll.

Pools, diving towers and family‑friendly zones

The facility is cleverly divided into several distinct pools so different swimmers can share the space comfortably. There is a long, straight basin with lap lanes reserved for fitness swimmers who come to clock their distances before or after work. Nearby, two shallow children’s pools offer a gentler introduction to the water, with depths starting around 30 centimetres and fenced access to keep little ones contained. At the far end, a deep jumping pool is the social heart of the bath. A wooden diving tower rises above the water with platforms at roughly one, three and five metres, drawing an enthusiastic line of jumpers on warm days. From the deck you can watch arcs of bodies plunge into the dark water, framed by apartment blocks, office facades and the curve of bridges around the harbour.

Seasonal rhythms and cold‑water traditions

In the classic Danish summer, the harbour bath runs long hours from early morning to late evening, with lifeguards on duty through the main holiday months. Entrance is free, and the water quality is monitored daily, with red flags signalling any temporary closure. For many locals it becomes part of a daily rhythm: a quick dip on the way to work, a lunchtime swim or a sunset plunge before heading home. When temperatures drop, the atmosphere shifts but does not disappear. Hardy winter bathers use the basins for short, bracing dips, often combining them with nearby saunas run by local winter‑bathing clubs. Mist on the water, bare trees in Havneparken and lights reflected from the opposite quay give the harbour bath a stark, Scandinavian beauty.

Life on the waterfront around Havneparken

Havnebadet is inseparable from its setting along the promenade of Islands Brygge, once an industrial dockland and now a residential and cultural neighbourhood. Around the pools, the promenade continues with benches, small lawns and access points where kayakers and paddle‑boarders launch into the canal. On sunny days the whole stretch hums with joggers, cyclists and groups sharing takeaway food from nearby cafés. The lawn in front of the bath functions as an extended living room. You might see casual ball games, yoga sessions, or families spreading out elaborate picnics while keeping an eye on older children in the water. Across the harbour, the modern facades of Kalvebod Brygge and the distinctive angles of contemporary office buildings underline how closely the city and its water are now entwined.

Practicalities, safety and simple facilities

Facilities at Havnebadet Islands Brygge are deliberately minimal, reinforcing its feel as a public space rather than a closed pool complex. There are basic changing options and ladders into the water, but no extensive spa amenities. The focus is on access to clean harbour water and generous open decks rather than infrastructure. Safety is a central part of the design. The children’s areas are separated from deep water, entry points are clearly marked, and lifeguards patrol during the main summer season. Signage reminds visitors that swimming elsewhere in the harbour is not permitted, and that the baths may close temporarily if water quality drops after storms. Simple rules against glass, smoking and alcohol help keep the decks safe for bare feet.

An everyday escape for locals and visitors

What makes Havnebadet Islands Brygge distinctive is how seamlessly it fits into everyday Copenhagen life. Office workers swing by in swimsuits under their clothes, families arrive with prams and picnic baskets, and students lounge on the grass with books between dips. For visitors, it offers a chance to join that rhythm: to experience the city not just as streets and museums, but as a community that treats its harbour as a shared backyard. Whether you come for a serious swim along the lanes, to watch brave divers launch from the tower, or simply to dangle your feet in the water and take in the skyline, the harbour bath embodies Copenhagen’s easy blend of urban living and outdoor culture.