Last updated on 06/29/2026
Especially in dreary weather, Berlin's pools are ideal for keeping fit, and some of them are real bathing palaces. The Stadtbad Neukölln on Ganghoferstraße has been captivating visitors since 1914 with its neoclassical halls, columns and mosaics, and is considered one of the most beautiful swimming pools in Europe. In Mitte, the Stadtbad "James Simon" combines Weimar-era architectural history with serious sports swimming over 50 metres. The Stadtbad Charlottenburg, in turn, is Berlin's oldest pool still in operation and has delighted swimmers since 1898 with its Art Nouveau hall and glass roof. Freshly renovated, the Stadtbad Tiergarten awaits you in Moabit. Whether sporting ambition or aesthetic pleasure: swimming in halls like these is both. In which pool do you swim your lengths?
Ellen Mehrhoff-Roddewig
I love pools that offer history and atmosphere alongside clean water. It is important to me that the lanes are properly sorted and that even an ambitious swimmer has enough space. I look at opening hours, because an early swim is part of it for me. And a beautiful building turns a bit of exercise into a little experience.
Stadtbad Neukölln in Ganghoferstrasse is no ordinary swimming pool, but a listed bath palace whose neoclassical halls with columns, arcades and mosaics seem to have sprung directly from ancient Rome. Those swimming laps in Neukölln have been doing so since 1914 in one of Europe's most beautiful swimming pools.
In Berlin-Mitte, not far from Nordbahnhof, awaits one of the city's most beautiful indoor pools: The Stadtbad Mitte "James Simon" combines Weimar architectural history with serious competitive swimming over 50 meters. Light, air, and high ceilings included.
Freshly renovated and with a planned outdoor pool in Moabit: The Stadtbad Tiergarten, just a few steps from the main train station, combines a 50-meter sports pool, a separate diving pool, and a five-meter-high climbing wall under one roof.
In Prenzlauer Berg, Europe's largest swimming pool is almost invisibly hidden in a green hill: The SSE at Europa-Sportpark combines two 50-meter competition pools, an Olympic diving tower, and pools for every skill level. World-class architecture, competition history, and daily operations under one roof.
The Stadtbad Charlottenburg is located on Krumme Straße in Charlottenburg and is Berlin's oldest swimming pool still in operation. Since 1898, the listed Art Nouveau hall has attracted swimmers and history enthusiasts alike. High arched windows, artfully laid tiles, and a glass roof make every visit an experience for the eyes and muscles.
The Kombibad Seestraße in Wedding is both an indoor and outdoor pool: Swimmers can enjoy 50 meters of water surface here all year round, while in winter, a spectacular air-supported hall covers the outdoor pools, doubling the offerings.
Berlin's swimming pools boast glamour and grandeur, but in the Fennpfuhl district of Lichtenberg, the Anton-Saefkow-Platz swimming hall proves that good swim training doesn't need a grand staircase. Clear lanes, clean water, and GDR architecture as a backdrop: here, the essentials matter.
A swimming pool that tells a story: The Stadtbad Spandau Nord in the Hakenfelde district is one of Berlin's oldest indoor pools, captivating swimmers with its Wilhelminian villa architecture, vaulted ceilings, and a historically preserved atmosphere.
The Fischerinsel swimming pool in the heart of Berlin-Mitte is a popular training spot for hobby swimmers. Visitors will find a well-maintained 25-meter pool near the Nikolaiviertel, which even allows early birds into the water from 6:30 AM.
A swimming pool with history: The Finckensteinallee swimming hall in Lichterfelde (Steglitz-Zehlendorf) is one of Berlin's most remarkable indoor pools. The listed building from 1937/38 today houses a publicly accessible 50-meter pool, which equally attracts competitive swimmers and casual lane swimmers.
