Festland Bäderland

Being unfamiliar with the pool scene in Germany I didn't know what to expect here, and I made several mistakes. Note: wear a swimsuit for lap swim, no swimsuit for pretty much everything else.

Downstairs there's an all-shallow outdoor pool and two indoor pools. One is for kids and is all shallow, the other is the "sport" pool and has a deep end. The sport pool also has a 1m and 3m diving board. I think you have to ask the lifeguard to use the diving boards.

Upstairs there's lots of sitting areas to chill (inside and out), a place to get food and drinks, four different types of sauna (two dry hot, one wet, one aromatherapy), and an outdoor pool that's heated and has bubbles and submerged chaise lounges. These are all naked. Some of the sitting areas have heat lamps. Everyone had at least one towel, most people had towel, bathrobe, even a blanket. Some people brought books to read under sunlamps.

When you arrive, tell the attendant at the desk if you just want to swim or if you want to go to the sauna (upstairs) too. The prices/times are on the website. Once you decide, you get a plastic bracelet and a plastic card. The card is for your locker. Inside the locker is a black box. Insert the card there and shut the door, hard, once all your stuff is inside. Then take the blue numbered lanyard that pops off the locker door. It has a buckle so you can tie it to your wrist, ankle, whatever.

What to bring: swimsuit, goggles, cap, towel for drying off, towel for sitting on, bathrobe, SHOWER SHOES, shampoo/soap, something to read if you like, water bottle, cash to buy food/drinks, large bag big/waterproof enough for all your wet stuff when you head home.

The showers didn't provide soap and while the water pressure is good the stream isn't as heavy as us long haired women need. There are several hair dryers available.

Overall this was a very replenishing and relaxing cultural experience. I plan on going as many nights as possible.

Very good, nice pool just up the road from the end of the Reeperbahn. In fact one of the best pools for swimming I have been to.


It has four pools, one boiling one with a waterslide, dinosaurs and little hideyholes for little ones to entertain themselves.


Second pool is just for nice swimming, beautiful slate floor, clean water and no kids.


Third pool is the sports pool, with high boards plus competitive lane swimming


Fourth pool is outside, accessed conveniently via a covered hatch from pool 2 above, with lovely warm water even on the coldest day.


Modern facilities, a cafe you can go in with your cossie on and about 11 euro for a family of four for 3 hours make this a great place for a family swim.

I've been here on a Sunday morning and got the 1.5h ticket it costs around 6EUR, add another couple to stay for 3h. I've seen 4 pools, 1 is outside (I'm not counting the really small one between that's in between the biggest one inside and the one outside) and one is just for children. All were quite bizy, particularly there were a number of kids with their parents. That made a bit difficult to swim freely, and the big inflatable castle-toy in the middle of the big pool inside made it basically unusable. So count 2 pools, one of which has got trampolines. That's the first swimming pool I go to in Hamburg so I cannot compare it to anything else, I wasn't overwhelmed but I didn't really have a bad experience either, but if you are looking for a place where you can swim freely and maybe chill a bit this might not be the best match, at least on Sundays.

Very nice place to go with kids. It's also much cleaner than the one in Niendorf. The water slide is for 6-12 year olds.

For children it may be the perfect place but for adults it can be a bit boring. Specially in winter when you only have one normal pool inside to go to. I suppose it can be the ideal place for those who want to do sports. But for fun only in the summer in the pool from outside.... and if its not too full if you are lucky.