Swimming options Private swimming pools are not so popular in Germany, but there are good public swimming options available. Public swimming pools / Öffentliche Schimmbäder / Freibad Freiseitparks like Europapark Baggersee (Man-made lakes) Lakes The ocean / Nordsee or Ostsee Rules for swimming in Lakes Never dive/jump into a lake without knowing the depth of the water first. Many lakes are quite shallow, especially near the shore. Bring a sun umbrella or some form of shelter, and of course sunscreen. Bring swimming shoes or flip-flops, to avoid stepping on broken glass or other sharp objects that may be there. Don’t stay in the water too long. Children sometimes don’t realise how cold they are and lakes may remain quite cool, even in summer.  Bring plenty of towels to dry off after your swim.  Bring warm clothes for after your swim Bring a picnic, some lakes have benches and tables, but not all do, so bring a big blanket to sit on. Toilets are often available near the lakes. Food stalls sometimes have ice cream or snacks. Just be careful, sweets, drinks, beer, etc. attract insects (bees and wasps)   Most facilities will allow smoking and alcoholic drinks, check for signs prohibiting. Some lakes do have currents and undertows – don’t overestimate your ability, stay close to shore if you are not a strong swimmer. Careful with floating mattresses, toys, etc. Water toys do not keep children as safe as watchful eyes! Be careful with your alcohol intake. WATCH YOUR KIDS – many lakes do not have lifeguards patrolling the area. Your kids are your own responsibility! In an emergency call the national emergency number –  112 Tidbits to know Nude sunbathing is allowed in some areas around lakes Look out for FKK (Freie Körper Kultur) Zone. At public pools swimwear is obligatory Freibad does not mean for free Sommerbad means it is only open in the summer Bring coins with to public pools to make use of the lockers Some public pool facilities have hair dryers that you can use (not free) You are expected to shower before and after using a public pool Wear swimming shoes or flip flops at the pool Public pools are mostly overcrowded. Opt for indoor pools in summer if you only want to swim Some areas in pools are restricted to those who cannot swim, for example children still learning to swim No toys are allowed in public pools Food and drinks can be bought at most public pools The ground of the grass areas around lakes are usually a bit damp, so if you take a picnic blanket make sure it is lined. (Picknickdecke Wasserdicht) Related content

Sports in Germany South Africans are generally a sport-crazy bunch. Not just watching it, but also actively taking part. Participating in sports here in Germany has its challenges, mostly due to the weather. But, as the German saying goes – there isn’t something like bad weather, only bad clothing and many South Africans in Germany live by this motto and go out for a run or a cycle in what would be considered “stay home and light the fire” weather back in South Africa. We will try and list some resources for some sports activities here to help you get “back into the saddle” here in Germany. Running Running in Germany is a popular sport, even though it can get quite cold in Germany in winter. That being said, it also has a certain magic about going for a run in the snow – not to talk about the good training it is to run in ankle-deep snow, similar to running on beach sand! The winter attire for running might be a little unusual for South Africans, especially the men, with tights galore. However, one runs not to look good while you run, but afterwards, right? Anyway, one overly freezing run without tights, convinces one to accept and adapt very fast. In summer running is really a pleasure in Germany, since the tons of cycling routes available in Germany provide an excellent way to explore and build your running capacity without having to battle vehicular traffic. Another great pleasure of running in Germany is the fact that often a lake is normally not all too far away, so a quick dip to cool down is a real option on many running routes. Running events and race day Taking part in official running events (races, like half-marathons or marathons, etc) in Germany is a little less formalised than in South Africa, in the sense that you don’t have to belong to a club to join official runs. Most running events are organised by sports clubs and the participation fee covers all elements of the run. Generally speaking, the earlier you enter the race, the cheaper it becomes. Often you can also enter on the day of a race (as long as the maximum capacity has not been reached), at approximately double the cost of an early entrant. What sometimes takes some getting used to is that races in Germany normally start much later in the day (a race starting at 10:00 or even later is not unusual, especially in winter) than in South Africa. Water supply during a race is also quite different in Germany than in South Africa, with cups being used rather than sachets as in SA, making it much harder to run-and-drink in our opinion. What you can also often do at many of the longer races is to prepare and drop off your own drinks a day before the race (normally when you pick up your race number) which the event organisers will then position for you along the route. This is a good way to get around the cup-drinking-mess if you are so inclined. Most larger races also offer good race logistics, such as bag drop services and shower facilities after the race. Some good race listing sites suggested by our members are: Lauftreff: http://www.lauftreff.de/laufkalender/ (where you can sort the races by your postal code (PLZ)) MyRaceLand: https://www.myraceland.com/en/running-calendar/germany/ Everyday running and our Strava club For your everyday running, the app Strava can help a lot to help you find routes in your local vicinity. We also have our own “South Africans in Germany” running club listed on Strava under the following link: https://www.strava.com/clubs/956800. Feel free to join our online running club there and share your running ups and downs with us. The Strava app is also the most popular app in South Africa, so you can follow and support both your friends back in South Africa as well as South Africans in Germany easily in one app. Cricket Yes, cricket is played actively here in Germany.  Cycling Read more about cycling on our cycle page Feel free to join our Strava group under the following link where you can share your passion directly with other South Africans in Germany: https://www.strava.com/clubs/956800. Swimming Swimming is a great low-impact workout that helps improve cardiovascular health and promote mental wellness. It is very unlikely for Fitness clubs (Gyms) to have swimming pools. If you would like to train for swimming as a sport, you will need to join a Swimming club (Schwimmverein)Another option is to contact the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) or join a sports club like Urban Sports Club, which partners with many other clubs and sports facilities.The Facebook group “Bist du heute shcon geschwommen” is very informative Rugby, Soccer (Football) and other team sports If you participate in team sports (especially rugby) here in Germany, please reach out to us via our contact form – we would love to share your club or events or experiences here. Groups and Forums There is a Sports forum on this website, that is open to everyone to read. To add content you need to be a registered member (no member fees) We also have groups on our website. Currently, the sports-related groups are hiking, rugby, and cricket. Only members can see these groups. They can also great new groups and invite friends  Watching sports Related content