waterfrontleafy

Islands Brygge: Havnebadet to Sluseholmen — the summer swim walk

The 2002 wooden harbour bath that proved Copenhagen's water was swimmable, and the canal-and-lock pool to the south.

Drafted by Claude — the editor hasn’t walked this one yet. We’ll update this notice once it’s been verified on the ground.

Distance

3.5 km

Time

~ 90 min

Start

Islands Brygge metro (M1/M2)

End

Islands Brygge metro (M1/M2)

Best at

morning

Right now

23°C· Partly cloudy

Open in Maps for turn-by-turn, or take it offline as GPX.

Islands Brygge is the southern harbour-bath Copenhagen — Havnebadet, the 2002 Plot/JDS-designed wooden swim platform that made Copenhageners realise the cleaned-up harbour was actually swimmable, opened the floodgates for the half-dozen swim spots now strung along the inner harbour. The walk covers Islands Brygge's stretch and pushes south to Sluseholmen for a second swim if you want.

Three and a half kilometres along the water — summer only, May through September when the swim baths are open. Start at Islands Brygge metro (M1/M2) and walk west to the harbour edge. Havnebadet is the famous one: long wooden deck, ladder-and-platform pools, lifeguards in summer.

Walk south along the harbour path. Bryggebroen (the pedestrian-cycle bridge) crosses west to Fisketorvet if you want the detour. Sluseholmen's swim bath is the southern endpoint, fifteen minutes further along — newer, less crowded, the canal-and-lock architecture giving the swim a different feel.

Walk back to Islands Brygge or grab a bus. The newer Nordhavn-side swim spots like Sandkaj are an entirely different walk — see the Nordhavn route for that side of the harbour.

The route

On the map.

A soft dashed line, numbered stops. It’s a suggestion, not a turn-by-turn.

Stops along the way

Things to notice.

01
1
Islands Brygge metro
M1/M2 stop on Amager, two minutes from the harbour edge. Walk west; the water opens up immediately, with *Havnebadet* visible to the south on the wooden deck.
01
Islands Brygge metro
M1/M2 stop on Amager, two minutes from the harbour edge. Walk west; the water opens up immediately, with *Havnebadet* visible to the south on the wooden deck.
02
2
Havnebadet
Copenhagen's original harbour swim, opened in 2002, designed by *Plot/JDS* (Bjarke Ingels' early firm). Long wooden deck, ladder-and-platform pools, lifeguards on duty May–September. Free, no booking. The single thing that proved the harbour was clean enough to swim in.
02
Havnebadet
Copenhagen's original harbour swim, opened in 2002, designed by *Plot/JDS* (Bjarke Ingels' early firm). Long wooden deck, ladder-and-platform pools, lifeguards on duty May–September. Free, no booking. The single thing that proved the harbour was clean enough to swim in.
03
3
Havneparken (the harbour edge)
The narrow park strip between *Islands Brygge* and the water — grass, benches, the city skyline framing the view across. Joggers, dog-walkers, lunchtime sandwich-eaters from the offices behind. Walk south along the path.
03
Havneparken (the harbour edge)
The narrow park strip between *Islands Brygge* and the water — grass, benches, the city skyline framing the view across. Joggers, dog-walkers, lunchtime sandwich-eaters from the offices behind. Walk south along the path.
04
4
Bryggebroen
The 2006 pedestrian-cycle bridge crossing west to *Fisketorvet*. Currently the most cycled bridge in Copenhagen (overtaking *Dronning Louises Bro*). Detour across if you want a different angle on the harbour; otherwise stay on the Islands Brygge side and push south.
04
Bryggebroen
The 2006 pedestrian-cycle bridge crossing west to *Fisketorvet*. Currently the most cycled bridge in Copenhagen (overtaking *Dronning Louises Bro*). Detour across if you want a different angle on the harbour; otherwise stay on the Islands Brygge side and push south.
05
5
Sluseholmen swim bath
At the southern end of Islands Brygge, in the canal-and-lock district *BIG* and *Sjoerd Soeters* laid out. Smaller, less crowded than *Havnebadet*; the swim feels more private. Open May–September; check tide before swimming.
05
Sluseholmen swim bath
At the southern end of Islands Brygge, in the canal-and-lock district *BIG* and *Sjoerd Soeters* laid out. Smaller, less crowded than *Havnebadet*; the swim feels more private. Open May–September; check tide before swimming.
06
6
Back to Islands Brygge
Walk back along the harbour path (the way you came) or take the 5C bus from *Sluseholmen Strand* back to *Islands Brygge* metro. The southern swim is the closing payoff; the walk back is the contemplation.
06
Back to Islands Brygge
Walk back along the harbour path (the way you came) or take the 5C bus from *Sluseholmen Strand* back to *Islands Brygge* metro. The southern swim is the closing payoff; the walk back is the contemplation.

Islands Brygge: Havnebadet to Sluseholmen — the summer swim walk

On the map.

Things to notice.

Islands Brygge metro

Islands Brygge metro

Havnebadet

Havnebadet

Havneparken (the harbour edge)

Havneparken (the harbour edge)

Bryggebroen

Bryggebroen

Sluseholmen swim bath

Sluseholmen swim bath

Back to Islands Brygge

Back to Islands Brygge

Two more, on similar days.

Nyhavn and Amalienborg: the postcard and the working palace

Nørrebrogade and Sortedam Sø: the spine and the lake