River Aare Banks In Aarau

The Aare River is the longest river that lies entirely within Switzerland, and the Aare’s banks at Aarau are among its most pleasant, flowing for nearly three hundred kilometres from the glaciers of the Bernese Alps through Lake Brienz, Thun, Bern, Solothurn and Aarau before joining the Rhine near Koblenz. At Aarau, the capital of the canton of Aargau, it is a wide, calm river running through the town’s lower quarters, and the banks have been developed as a green and open strip that is one of the most pleasant places in the city. Aarau’s name comes from the river, and the water has shaped its history, its industry and its look.

The riverside paths are the main reason to visit. Wide footpaths and cycle routes run along both banks, with lawns, old trees and benches, and several parks reach down to the water. The path on the old town side gives the best views of the town above the river, with the steep roofs of the old quarter and the towers rising on the hillside, while the path on the other side looks back across the water to the town. Walking or cycling along the river takes you out of the town and into countryside quickly, along the line of the old riverside forests, and it is easy to extend a short walk into a longer outing.

In summer the Aare is the town’s playground. Locals picnic on the grass, children play on the banks, and people swim in the clear green water at places where the current is gentle, using designated bathing spots with steps and platforms. The river is cold and fast in places, so swimmers should use the marked areas and take the usual care about currents, and never swim near weirs or the hydroelectric dam. Anglers fish from the banks, and canoes and kayaks launch from several points. Boat trips and rowing on the river are part of local life, and the riverside hosts events and community festivals.

The river was the town’s power source, with mills and workshops lined along canals that diverted water from the Aare, a tradition that gave Aarau its early industries and helped it grow into a regional capital. Traces of this past can still be seen in old mill buildings and in the water channels that run through the old town. Bridges, including a suspension bridge for walkers and cyclists, cross the river and give viewpoints from midstream. The hill above has the old town with its painted eaves, which is a short walk from the water.

The river banks suit walkers, cyclists, families and swimmers, and make a calm counterpart to a visit to the old town and the museums. Go on a warm evening for the best atmosphere.