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. 

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 the lake into the river, providing very clean water, so the conditions for swimming are optimal. Let's hope the weather is suitable on the day, too!

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

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! If you're not up to taking an icy plunge yourself, you can also support swimmers as a spectator. Check out the Zurich visitor information website for tickets and more information about the event.