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Badi season has arrived in Zurich! We’ve been to our local outdoor pool, Bad Allenmoos, a couple of times now and it is fantastic. It looks like an Artist’s Impression of the ideal leisure space and it kinda is. So much of Switzerland feels a bit like the 80s and this is no exception. Takes me back to happy childhood memories of swimming in Camberwell Cold Pool (I think CCP has gone now? boo!)

There’s three pools:

• A toddler paddling pool on two levels with a fountain, bubblers and “water road” as well as lots of toys.
• A “fun” pool that’s about (my) waist deep in the deepest bits, which has giant and not-so-giant floatee things for people to play on as well as a large waterslide (free to use) that empties into a sectioned off bit at the side.
• An adult lap-pool with a deeper section at one end that has a small diving board.

The rest of the complex contains the aforementioned beach volleyball courts, a kids play area with equipment (swings, slide, sandpit etc), a cafe, a kiosk, sun umbrellas and sunloungers to hire, stacks of dressing sheds and a huge expanse of grassy space to spread out on. And it’s 10 minutes’ walk from my house.

Plus there’s no fences around the pools because (I guess) they trust that parents will keep an eye on their kids and that people aren’t idiots. There’s not signs everywhere to say don’t run, don’t fall, don’t shout, don’t this, don’t that. (Well there is one, politely asking those who’ve come from the beach volleyball courts to please rinse off the sand before getting in the pool – using one of several handily provided outdoor showers placed between the footpath and the pool itself). And there’s a couple of no diving pics in the shallow bits but that’s about it.

Bad Allenmoos is the biggest outdoor Badi in Zurich. It’s one of 24 indoor and outdoor pools in the city (I think this includes the official lake schwimbads). And I have got a Summer Season Pass that gives me free entry to all of ’em* from 10 May – 21 September. Awesome. It’s gonna be a summer of swim!

*Except the Dolder Grand I think.