VisitNyhavn
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No swimming from the quay in Nyhavn
Swimming in Copenhagen harbour is forbidden except at places the harbour authority has approved, and jumping in from the quay is forbidden too (harbour regulations, sections 16 and 17). The Nyhavn canal is not a bathing spot. By & Havn, which runs the harbour, says the police can fine you 1,000 kr.
The nearest spot: Havnegade
Eight minutes' walk from the anchor at the end of Nyhavn, at Havnegade 45, there is a small bathing zone: a 4 × 6 metre pool about one metre deep, with fixed steps and handrails. It is open 06:00–22:00 all year. There is no lifeguard, so you swim at your own risk.
The big one: Islands Brygge
Havnebadet Islands Brygge, at Islands Brygge 14, is about 2.2 km away – roughly half an hour on foot. Entry is free, it is open 06:00–22:00 every day all year, and there are lifeguards from 1 June to 31 August, 10:00–18:00. It has a 75-metre lane pool, a diving pool with 1, 3 and 5 metre platforms, and pools for children.
Check the water first
The water quality at the official spots is checked continuously, and By & Havn's app KBH Havn shows a green or red flag. Copenhagen Municipality adds a rule of thumb: don't swim if you can't see your feet when you stand in water up to your knees – even with a green signal. It can be a sign of toxic algae.
Why only there?
The harbour is an old industrial port, and the seabed is still polluted. So an approved bathing spot must be at least 4 metres deep or have a fixed bottom, and it must lie at least 180 metres from the nearest sewage overflow. And as a swimmer, you are the slowest traffic in a harbour full of harbour buses, tour boats and kayaks.
All year round
All the bathing spots here are open all year, and the bathing zones La Banchina and Søndre Refshalebassin on Refshaleøen are open around the clock – about half an hour's walk from Nyhavn. The Islands Brygge harbour bath has its own winter-swimming club, Vinterbad Bryggen. Nyhavn in summer
Other ways onto the water
Would you rather stay dry? Take a canal tour from Nyhavn or steer your own GoBoat – but remember that swimming from a GoBoat is not allowed either. Canal tours from Nyhavn · GoBoat near Nyhavn
Can you swim in Nyhavn?
No. In Copenhagen harbour you may only swim at the approved bathing spots, and the Nyhavn canal is not one of them. The nearest is the bathing zone at Havnegade 45, about eight minutes' walk away.
Does it cost anything to swim at Islands Brygge?
No, entry to Havnebadet Islands Brygge is free. Lifeguards are on duty from 1 June to 31 August, 10:00–18:00.
Is the harbour water clean?
In many places, but not everywhere – which is why you should only swim at the official spots, where the water quality is checked continuously. Check the green or red flag in the KBH Havn app before you swim.
