To swim or not to swim...

Hi Margaret, Do you know for sure that your hotels will have pools? I have stayed in many hotels in Europe and so far only one had a pool. If pools will be available and you think you have time, go for it. I find that I do so much walking on a trip I never gain weight.

I have only ever stayed in one hotel with a pool in Europe,, and thats over many years.. perhaps you can afford very nice places ,, but most budget to moderate hotels do not have pools unless perhaps in the countryside.

We've never had a hotel with a pool. But you may find a municipal pool in the areas you are traveling to. Prices will vary, but they are almost always open to the general public (but might have restricted hours during school days as schools use the pools). In that case, you'll need to make sure you have the correct swim gear to use the pool. In some countries, you are required to wear a swim cap. You also may need to wear a fitted suit (ie no skirted suits for women, speedo type suit for men.)

As other people have said, it's not that common for hotels to have swimming pools unless they're extremely luxurious or directly aimed at the family fun market. But it would be worth looking into public pools. Some cities have very attractive ones that could be attractions in their own right.

If you like to swim or just enjoy being in the water, bring your suit to Europe. Public "bathing" as they call it is a huge thing here. All cities offer public pools, some of them very beautiful, for cheap prices for the public, and some cities are on mineral springs and have mineral baths as well. Berlin and Paris have public pools in or on a river, Vienna has a beautiful art deco public bath, and Germany, Austria, and Hungary are full of mineral springs. If you're worried about the suit being wet, just try to wring it out and dry it in your hotel room overnight, and bring a freezer size ziploc bag in case it doesn't dry entirely. Problem solved!

Can anyone tell me just WHY they require close fitting suits, and, OMG! Speedos?? Is it just to make it easier to make fun of Americans? Does a mature woman's little flared skirt contaminate their pool? Do board shorts soak up all the water?

I have never stayed in a hotel with a pool while in Europe. I have so much I want to see and do while there that swimming is not one of them so I've never looked for a pool. Personally, I think your days will be busy with doing and seeing everything you want to see and do, and doing a lot of walking that you won't miss your swimming.

I do fitness swimming (laps...lots of laps) regularly, but have never bothered to take a swimsuit to Europe. I might next trip, since I will be staying part of the time at a resort that has a pool, but usually I am too busy to even think about it.

I've never gone swimming in a public pool in France, have stayed at Novotels with their pools around France and stayed at a very nice place in Provence with a pool. I've never seen the requirement of a fitted suit at any public pool east of France in Germany, BeNeLux, Switzerland or the UK. I have made extensive use of facilities in those countries and I don't wear speedos. My trunks are fairly large boxer shorts type. I've never been asked to take them off. Just as well, actually. Maybe its localized to the Paris area?

You said you aren't a swimmer and you can live without water aerobics during the trip, so don't feel guilty if you do, or don't, take your suit. You'll get plenty of exercise walking around. On the other hand, you can stick the suit in the corner of your suitcase and even use it as emergency underwear in a pinch and the pool shoes can be slippers in the hotel room. But you don't have to use them.

Karen, I love your posts. You are so funny. I'd like to know why too. We spent 3 mos in Paris when my son was 11. We decided to go to the public pool there that's supposed to be a lot of fun. When my son found out we would have to buy a Speedo and he would have to wear it, he was horrified and said "Forget it!". LoL.

Well Margaret,
I'd say definitely bring the swim suit. It's a small item you can stuff it into a shoe! Maybe leave the pool shoes behind. But here's why....You didn't say where you're visiting but if you're on the Mediterranean coast, there are many beaches where the water is very shallow and you can wade in a long way before you are even "hip deep" and it's so warm this time of year. Places that come to mind are Sitges, Spain (1/2 hour south of Barcelona), some of the islands in Croatia and Greece, the French Riviera. But as a non swimmer check out the shore depths first and watch other people get in the water. Of course you can always buy a swim suit if you need one but who wants to shop for that on vacation! Take what works.

In the last 10 summers of traveling thru Europe, I have never stayed in a place that had a pool. Of course a lot of that is due to the fact that we almost exclusively stay in B&Bs or small family owned hotels. When down by the Mediterranean, I do go into the water (occasionally) and use shorts that are part of zip-off pants that are quick dry. A suggestion for any male travel partners.

I pack a swimsuit (that can double as shorts) almost anytime/anywhere I travel. My wife packs more than one swimsuit (even when we don't plan on swimming). I wouldn't recommend more than one suit but, as long as she can get it in her carry-on, she can pack what she wants. As Sarah said, rinse, wring and hang it after use. If it's not completely dry when you pack, put it in a ziplock while in your bag.

Take your suit and enjoy any available public pool. We always do.

Every so many years, there's another news story on French public pools re-asserting the rules on wearing Speedos. The story goes that regular boxer-type trunks could have been worn as regular shorts In The Outside World (Quelle horreur!) and would now 'germify' the pool. If you're wearing your little Speedos on the inside of your street pants , then they've stayed nice and clean for the pool. It's a hygiene thing. So they say. That actually sounds like a way to do laundry in the public pool, but whatdoIknow? Margaret, I never bring anything on the offchance I may use it. Unless you know your hotels have pools (I've had a pool for ~3 nights), they'll be open during your stay, and you're sure you'll use it, then nix the suit. And wear your regular shoes for 'pool shoes' if you do bring your suit. Do you really want to lug that all over Europe? Be careful with leaving your suit in a plastic bag - it will mildew a lot faster than you think :-( Put it some place so you'll see it that very evening so you can rinse it out and let it air dry. If you want a simple aerobic routine to do in your hotel room, those are easy to find online. Use things like water bottles for weights, etc. Oh, Karen! ROFL, as usual ;-) I can just hear it...'Oh, là là! 'Johnny Americain' has taken all of the water with his joli Red, White, and Blue board shorts. Sacre bleu!'

Hi Margaret, twice I have stayed at hotels with pools in europe. Once at a small agriturismo in Tuscany and once at a chain hotel in London (using points). In addition, I have begun research for a France trip next year and have found several smaller hotels with pools in both Nice area & the Loire. I try to find one place per trip (usually in the country) with a pool, if possible as I find it very relaxing at the end of a long day of sightseeing. So if any of your accommodations have a pool, I say bring the suit. If you roll it in a towel before hanging it out, it usually dries by morning. Have a great trip! This of course assumes you are going during the warmer months as most pools are outdoors.

Hygiene is the reason stated for not allowing shorts style or skirted or other loose fitting swimsuits in France. You can't wear anything that would be worn outside of the pool. What if you'd been eating in your suit and then gone in the pool?!? Quelle horreur! Swim caps are often to keep hair from clogging filters. This isn't just a French thing. Pools in Italy and Belgium often require them, and I've heard of pools in Ireland as well. (Although I've also heard the tight swimsuit rule is for keeping hair out of the filters, too.) And I thought I've read that some German pools require swim caps, too. I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini in the US, but that's what I wear in France. I actually feel less self-conscious as I feel I blend in better. On vacation this summer, there was a day I didn't want to deal with putting on so much sunscreen, so I wore my US-bought skirted tankini that is prudish by French standards. It was a resort pool without guidelines, but I got stopped and asked if it was actually a bathing suit!

There is a reason why the French want men to wear Speedos, but I don't want to reveal the answer and then get kicked off the board. Karen and Eileen, you can send me a message. ;-)

I took my suit to France last September and did use it, ironically not in the Med despite four nights in Villefranche, but in Chamonix! Our apartment complex had an indoor pool. It was glassed in and we could float around looking up at the Alps. Wonderful! If you can carry it, why not bring it? It won't take up that much room/weight in your case.

I don't normally pack it but I often wear a knee length speedo under my swim trunks at the ocean or swimming laps. I started wearing one after I lost my board shorts surfing and had to exit the water sans modesty. I'll be sure to pack my speedo next time I might swim in France. On Costa cruises, one of the jokes about what "Cruising Italian Style" means is, "A bunch of overweight middle-aged men in speedos, ogling your wife." :-)

I'm not a swimmer or much of a sun bather but I went to Provence in July one year and took my bathing suit. Our hotel in Vaison la Romaine had a beautiful pool and it was so hot that we actually used the pool in the afternoon when it was too hot to do anything else. Also visited Villefranche sur Mer that trip and walked over to Cap Ferrat and rented beach chairs one day and swam in the Med. You don't say when or where you're going but if you're going to a place with hot weather in the summer, you may want to take your suit.

I wasn't planning on swimming when we visited the Cinque Terre, but it was hot & the water/beach looked fantastic. I ended up buying a cheap pair of trunks – knee length boxer style – for about €12 at a tiny shop just off the beach in Monterosso. They had a changing area (really just a sheet strung up in back of shop), so I changed there. The more expensive item was sunscreen – think I paid something like €13 - €15 for the cheapest one. Then, the rental umbrella and chairs were another €20. I guess my point is that you could just buy something cheap once you're there if you get an itch to swim. It was definitely money well spent BTW. I ended up using the trunks every day for the next several days, swimming for free in Manarola. Bring a suit or buy one, but you'll use it if you end up in a place where you can swim.

Board shorts are often worn as street clothing .. so the Europeons do not want you to wear your street clothes in the pool ,, its dirty. As for skirts, I agree thats carrying it a bit far, but I guess they figure it could appear to be a short dress or tennis skirt that there again you may wear as street clothes somewhere( as if, lol).
I agree that wearing a bikini, no matter what age or figure you have is far more "normal" then a tankini or one piece. I haven't worn a bikini for over 20 years , but took one to france and spain this year, I also took a tankini top that matched bikini bottom. I ended up not wearing it,, too hot , and no one except ladies over 65-70 seemed to wear one pieces, and even then I definately saw alot of seniors in bikinis.

I've been to a couple of hotels with "pools" in europe - one was a "hostel" - the nicest one ever - in Cassis, more like a great vacation house you're sharing with strangers (who quickly become friends). And another situation, in Nurenberg, our hotel unexpectedly had a warm pool and sauna, which we actually bought bathing suits just to use since we hadn't thought to pack them. I'm the kind of person who tries to pack a bathing suit anywhere, even on day trips in warm months. I rarely use it but when I do, I regret it. I visited the wonderful Maulbronn Monastery in Germany a month ago, and while trying to finding the parking lot we happened upon the most beautiful swimming lake. It was a warm day, and I'd forgotten my suit. I actually drove there today to swim, pretty cool swimming in a mad-made lake created by monks centuries ago. Anyway, it's true that most hotels in Europe don't have pools, but if you're like me and love being in the water, it's good to be prepared. I wish I'd brought a suit to Vienna, I would have spent a couple hours in their famous art-deco bath house.

....and don't forget you might run into a fabulous spa in your wanderings, such as in Baden Baden, Budapest, etc. Some require no suits. We were mortified when we discovered this. We finally complied and decided it would make for good cocktail (or helpline) conversation back in the U.S., providing I never told my friend's children!