Must See Swim Holes in Europe
If you have ever traveled to Europe in the summer, you know it can get hot! I mean melt your skin off hot in some places! When it’s sweltering outside the best way to cool off and entertain everyone is to find a cold swim hole and dive in! Here are some not to miss swim holes in various countries around Europe. Each one is unique and well worth the adventure!
Spain:
If you are traveling in Southern Spain in the summer, expect it to be hot! The good thing is you will be relativily close to the beach! Find a beach, grab a towel and an umbrella for some shade and get in the water!
Ronda Spain:
If you are near the historic town of Ronda, there is a hidden gem that will knock your socks off! It’s called Cueva del Gato (Cat’s Cave). La Cueva del Gato is a river pool, that flows from the mouth of a cave that resembles the face of a cat (hence the name). The water is beautiful, clear and COLD! This is an oasis in the desert and can be very busy during the summer, especially on the weekends. This is a great place for a picnic and a dip in the water. There are also cave tours available, otherwise they advise people not to go inside the cave.
France
Verdon Gorge:
The Verdon Gorge in Southern France is compared to the Grand Canyon of the USA. While the mighty (muddy) Colorado river flows through the Grand Canyon, the Verdon river named for its aqua color flows through the Verdon Gorge. The color of the water is really incredible! The most impressive part of the canyon is between the two towns of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and Castellane.
Adventuring:
The Verdon Gorge has tons of opportunities for adventures! There is a road that follows the top of the canyon and offers great views to those who don’t want to journey into the canyon. There are numerous outfitters who offer canyon tours during the week. They control the water flow within the canyon, so depending on the day will depend on whether you go rafting, or canyon hiking.
Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon:
At the end of the river is the Lake of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon. The lake is very busy with tourist in the summer months, but there is enough beach area to enjoy the sun and the water. There are numerous companies renting kayaks, little drift boats, pedal boats, paddle boards, and other water vehicles all over the beaches. Just put your name on the list and go explore! We rented a kayak and paddled into the canyon in the late afternoon! There are tons of jumping rocks and fun exploring to do along the shoreline.
Cascade de la Vis:
Located in South Central France is an incredible crescent shaped waterfall called Cascade de la Vis. Nobody we knew had ever heard of this place before, and there wasn’t a ton of information on it when we were researching for our trip. We were hoping this was going to be a secret little place in the middle of nowhere with very few people. The closer we got to the falls, the more we realized that TONS of people know about the waterfalls, and LOVE them (for good reason). There is a paid public parking area at the entrance, and a couple of places to purchase snacks and water. While there will probably be a lot of people if you go in the summer, it is still well worth the drive. There are plenty of rocks to lay out a towel or a blanket, and there is SO much fun swimming, jumping, and waterfall playing to do! We would for sure recommend this incredibly picturesque swim hole!
Switzerland:
Not only does Switzerland have some of the most incredible mountains you will ever see, we can also tell you that it has some of the most incredible rivers! We may be a bit biased in our love for all things Switzerland, but if you love nature, mountains, alpine sheep and cows with bells, you would be biased also. We originally did not plan on going to this river while we were in Switzerland because it was a couple hours out of the way, but this might be one of our favorite places we have ever been.
Valle Verzasca:
The river is in the Valle Verzasca near the super quaint town of Lavertezzo. If you google either of those names you are sure to see the double arched stone bridge that spans the river as well as the crystal clear waters and smooth rocks that rest there. Yes, it is as beautiful as the pictures! Like other beautiful places, if you go in the summer, you will not be alone. There are a lot of people!
Avoid the Crowds:
We decided in order to get away from the crowds we would first adventure up river a few miles and play around on the giant boulders that are in and near the water. This was a great choice! We were able to find some solitude, and who doesn’t like playing on giant boulders in the river?! We had SO much fun. There were jumping rocks, and smooth rocks that we used for slides. The water was SO crystal clear you could see forever. After spending most of the day adventuring up river, we decided to head to the famous bridge and play around for a bit. This is quite a magical place. The stone bridge is amazing and even though there were tons of people, the swimming near the bridge was wonderful. The boulders in the water make really fun chutes and waterways to swim in. The best part is the water is so clear, you can see your kids no matter where they go.
Slovenia:
Soca River Valley:
The Soca River Valley in Slovenia is one of our favorite places in Europe. Sitting at the base of the Julian Alps is the quaint little village of Bovec. Bovec is a magical little town full of outdoor adventures waiting to happen! Just outside of Bovec is the Soca River. The first thing that grabbed our attention about The Soca River is the incredible emerald blue color. Not only is the river crazy blue, it is also crystal clear. Most alpine rivers are cloudy, not the Soca! The water was SO inviting we couldn’t help ourselves, and had to get in! Needless to say it was a little chilly, but super refreshing!
Even though the places we thought were going to be “secret” places ended up being very well known, we were never disappointed! Each swim hole has it’s own unique qualities, and there are good reasons why there are so many people. These places are incredible!
Let us know if you know of any other “must visit” swim holes around the world and we will add them to our list!
