Antwerp’s two open-air swimming sites will reopen their doors this Saturday 16 May 2026, offering daily access to water lovers until mid-September. Boekenberg swimming pond and De Molen open-air pool will welcome visitors under the open sky, with Boekenberg featuring extended weekend hours in July and August.
On 30 May, Sportoase Groot Schijn’s outdoor pools will also open, followed by ’t ZwemDok in mid-June.
For Antwerp’s swimming enthusiasts, the countdown has begun: this Saturday 16 May, Antwerp’s sporting operation Sporting A will officially kick off the open-air swimming season. Boekenberg swimming pond in Deurne and De Molen open-air pool on Left Bank (Linkeroever) will reopen, offering daily access to swimmers until Wednesday 16 September.
Alderman for Sport Stijn De Rooster (N-VA) will open the open-air season alongside the first swimmers at Boekenberg swimming pond on Saturday 16 May.
Extended swimming at Boekenberg swimming pond
Nestled in the green surroundings of Deurne’s Boekenberg park, the ecological swimming pond, one of Europe’s largest, offers a tranquil retreat for sports lovers.
New this year, the pond will stay open longer on weekends during the summer months. Swimmers can enjoy a refreshing dip every Saturday and Sunday in July and August from 10:00 to 19:00, allowing the popular outdoor location to accommodate even more visitors than before.
For the fifth consecutive year, Boekenberg swimming pond proudly holds the ‘Blue Flag’ label. Awarded by the NGO Good Planet, this certification attests to the pond’s compliance with strict criteria in ecological environment, safety, accessibility, and sustainability, placing it among Flanders’ finest open-air swimming spots.
A dive with a view at De Molen open-air pool
On Linkeroever, visitors can swim in the heated 50-metre pool, which offers views of St Anne’s Beach (Sint-Anneke) and Antwerp harbour. The youngest visitors can splash around in the children’s pool, while others can sunbathe on the large grassy area between swims. Like all Antwerp sports facilities, the pool and meadow are smoke-free.
’t ZwemDok: a delightful swim in the Bonapartedok
Following last year’s success, ’t ZwemDok next to the Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS) will reopen this summer. After welcoming around 12,000 swimmers in 2025, the swimming zone in the Bonapartedok will be accessible every weekend—by reservation—starting 13 June. Further practical details will follow.
Alderman for Sport Stijn De Rooster said: “In May, Sporting A is delighting the many open-air swimmers. From Saturday, our two absolute swimming gems – envied elsewhere – will open their doors, and Antwerpians can once again enjoy swimming and relaxing in a unique and inviting setting. In 2025, we had a record year with a total of 122,000 visitors. If the weather cooperates, I’m hopeful we can match or even surpass that impressive turnout. The extended weekend hours in summer will certainly help, providing more comfort on warm and likely busy days. In mid-June, we’ll play our third ace with the further upgraded ’t ZwemDok, and we’ll be all set for a wonderful swimming summer.”
