While the typical way to navigate most cities is by automobile, bicycle or public transportation, locals in Bern, Switzerland, use the river to commute. With a current that can reach 5 to 7½ mph, it’s somewhat faster than walking — and a lot more refreshing in the summer months. It’s perfectly normal for locals to swap their business suits for bathing suits after work. Apparently, in times gone by, swimsuits used to be regularly hung out to dry on the balcony of the Swiss Parliament Building. The Aare River is kept famously pristine, thanks to a mix of strict environmental policies and natural geography. Its water comes straight from the glaciers of the Swiss Alps and flows through large lakes that settle the sediment before the river reaches cities like Bern. Surrounded by nature — yet in the middle of the capital city — urban swimmers are carried effortlessly down the river. Needless to say, by the time workers get home, there’s no need to unwind.
