ING’s Visible Cities Network supports the world’s first Swimmable Cities Summit in Rotterdam

Credit: "London Festival of Architecture" (CC BY-NC 2.0) by erase

As cities around the world grapple with climate adaptation, biodiversity loss, and public health challenges, a new movement is making waves by encouraging citizens to engage with their waterways as vital spaces for climate resilience and wellbeing. Swimmable Cities is a transformative approach to urban planning, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion. Increasingly, it’s also a powerful tool for city branding and international competitiveness.

Water has long reflected a city’s health – ecologically, socially, and economically. From the Seine in Paris to the Yarra in Australia, urban waterways can foster civic inclusion and deliver on environmental ambitions. The investment following the Olympic Games in Paris has led to the creation of free public bathing areas – a bold statement of confidence in the city’s future as swimmable. In contrast, the Thames still has a long way to go.

Swimmability is not just about ecology – it’s about identity. It’s about how cities present themselves to the world.

In an era when cities compete globally for talent, investment, and tourism, swimmability is emerging as a symbol of urban livability. It signals a city that is clean, safe, inclusive, and forward-thinking – a place where people want to live and work.

Basel offers a compelling example. By turning its fountains into public baths and embracing the Rhine as a civic asset, the city has created a unique urban experience that blends tourism, employee wellbeing, and civic pride. Working closely with the private sector – including major employers like pharmaceutical firms – Basel has used swimmability as part of a broader strategy to attract and retain talent.

This is city marketing at its most authentic: not glossy brochures but lived experience.

Swimmability also intersects with other elements that make cities attractive – access to green space, cultural vibrancy, and a sense of belonging. In cities like Vilnius, public events and urban design are being used to reconnect people with their waterways, challenging the misconception that urban water is dirty or dangerous.

In the US, where swimming literacy remains low – especially in underserved communities – swimmability is also a matter of equity. As ultra-marathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey noted at the recent Swimmable Cities Summit in Rotterdam, “sports transcend divisiveness", making swimming a powerful tool to engage people with environmental issues and public space.

Swimmable Cities offer a hopeful vision: one where clean water is not just a backdrop, but a stage for civic life – and a calling card to the world. As cities sign on to the Swimmable Cities Charter, they commit to making water accessible and safe for everyone.

Whether it’s a swim in the Seine, a dip in a Canadian lake, or a splash in a city fountain, the message is clear: water belongs to us all – and it can help sell the city to the world.