Samichlaus-Schwimmen Zurich

Samichlaus-Schwimmen (St. Nicholas Swim) Zurich is a charity swimming event taking place in early December each year in Zurich.

Around 300 fearless swimmers jump into the freezing cold Limmat River wearing red Santa hats, raising money for charity. COVID-19 prevented the event from taking place in 2020, but this year, the 21st edition of Samichlaus-Schwimmen is set to be a very memorable one!

A charity swim in the Limmat River in December

The brave swimmers swim from the Barfuss Bar at the Women's Baths in Stadthausquai on the iconic Limmat River in Zurich. The water flows from Lake Zurich into Limmat River, providing very clean water, so the conditions for swimming are optimal.

Samichlaus-Schwimmen was founded by Zürileu Swimming Events in 2000. Nowadays, it's the second most popular winter swimming event in Switzerland - only the Geneva winter swim has more participants.

The annual charity swim is named after St. Nicholas (Samichlaus in Swiss German), a Christian saint whose name day is celebrated in many European countries, including Switzerland, on December 6. That's why the event is held in early December, usually on a weekend as close to December 6 as possible!

Participate in Samichlaus-Schwimmen

You can participate in Samichlaus-Schwimmen by either swimming, donating money to charity or both! Check out the Zurich visitor information site for more information.