Outdoor Movies Are Part of a Strong Swimming Culture in Zurich, Switzerland

In Zurich, life beside the water extends well past sunset. Several of the city's 18 lake, river, and open-air swimming areas transform after dark into bars, stages, and outdoor cinemas. The most popular is the Unteren Letten river swimming area, where the Filmfluss open-air cinema screens films for about two weeks each summer alongside the Flussbar -- a riverside bar open independently on Tuesdays and hosting its own cultural events.

Zurich claims the highest swimming facility density in the world, with around 40 facilities citywide and some 1,200 public drinking fountains. Swimming in a river or lake in the city center is a daily ritual for many residents; outdoor movies on the water's edge are a natural extension of that culture.