Bathing season dates in Europe, country by country
Official sampling, classification and most bathing-water notices only run during the designated bathing season. 8 countries fix the season nationally (for example Greece, 1 June – 31 October); in the others it is set by regions, municipalities or each site, so dates vary within the country.
Countries with a fixed national season
These dates apply every year unless the national rule changes. The last column shows whether the season is open on the day you are reading this page (calculated in your browser).
| Country | Applies to | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | All bathing waters | 15 Jun – 31 Aug | — |
| Croatia | Sea / coastal | 1 Jun – 15 Sep | — |
| Denmark | All bathing waters | 1 Jun – 1 Sep | — |
| Greece | All bathing waters | 1 Jun – 31 Oct | — |
| Ireland | All bathing waters | 1 Jun – 15 Sep | — |
| Latvia | All bathing waters | 15 May – 15 Sep | — |
| Netherlands | All bathing waters | 1 May – 30 Sep | — |
| Slovenia | Sea / coastal | 1 Jun – 15 Sep | — |
| Slovenia | Lakes and rivers | 15 Jun – 31 Aug | — |
Every country in the EEA dataset
Season rules, the competent authority and the official page that publishes current results and bans. Where a year is given (for example “2026”), the dates are set anew each year.
| Country | Bathing season | Competent authority | Current results and bans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Monitoring runs from late May to the end of September | National Environment Agency (AKM) with the Institute of Public Health | — |
| Austria | 15 June – 31 August | Federal health ministry with the provinces and AGES | AGES bathing-water database |
| Belgium | Set regionally (Wallonia 2026: 15 May – 30 September) | Regional authorities: VMM (Flanders) and SPW (Wallonia) | Kwaliteit Zwemwater map (Flanders) |
| Bulgaria | Set for each area by the regional health inspectorate | Ministry of Health and the Regional Health Inspectorates (RZI) | Bathing-water register (Ministry of Health) |
| Croatia | 1 June – 15 September for sea beaches (monitoring 15 May – 30 September) | Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition | Sea bathing-water quality (gov.hr → IZOR results) |
| Cyprus | Not fixed by a published national rule | Department of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment | Bathing water quality (Department of Environment) |
| Czechia | Set each year (2026: 30 May – 1 September) | Ministry of Health and the regional public-health stations (KHS) | Koupání v přírodě (Ministry of Health) |
| Denmark | 1 June – 1 September (municipalities may extend to 15 September) | Danish EPA (Miljøstyrelsen) and the municipalities | Badevandet.dk |
| Estonia | Summer season, sampled roughly May – August | Health Board (Terviseamet) | Bathing sites and water (Terviseamet) |
| Finland | 15 June – 31 August (25 June – 15 August in Lapland, Kuusamo and Taivalkoski) | Permit and Supervision Agency (LVV) and municipal health-protection authorities | Uimavesi (LVV) |
| France | Set locally (typically mid-June – mid-September at sea, July – August inland) | Ministry of Health and the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) | baignades.sante.gouv.fr |
| Germany | Set by each federal state | The federal states (Länder); national overview by the Umweltbundesamt (UBA) | Bathing-water quality (UBA, links to all states) |
| Greece | 1 June – 31 October | Ministry of Environment and Energy with the regional water directorates | Greek Bathing Water Profiles |
| Hungary | Set for each designated site | National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy (NNGYK) and county government offices | Bathing-water quality map (NNGYK) |
| Ireland | 1 June – 15 September | Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local authorities | Beaches.ie (EPA) |
| Italy | Set by each Region | Ministry of Health, the Regions, ARPA agencies and municipalities | Portale Acque (Ministry of Health) |
| Latvia | 15 May – 15 September | Health Inspectorate (Veselības inspekcija) | Peldūdens (Health Inspectorate) |
| Lithuania | 1 June – 15 September unless the municipality sets another period | Institute of Hygiene (Higienos institutas) with the municipalities | Bathing-water quality (Institute of Hygiene) |
| Luxembourg | Set each year (2026: 1 May – 30 September) | Water Management Administration (AGE) | Eaux de baignade (AGE) |
| Malta | Roughly mid-May to mid/late October | Environmental Health Directorate, Superintendence of Public Health | Bathing Water Programme |
| Netherlands | 1 May – 30 September | The provinces, with Rijkswaterstaat for national waters | Zwemwater.nl |
| Poland | Set for each site by the municipality, within 1 June – 30 September | State Sanitary Inspection (GIS) | Serwis Kąpieliskowy (GIS) |
| Portugal | Set per bathing water by annual ordinance (2026 season opened 1 May) | Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) | InfoÁgua (APA) |
| Romania | No national rule published | Ministry of Health and the county public-health directorates (DSP) | — |
| Slovakia | Usually 15 June – 15 September | Public Health Authority (ÚVZ SR) and the regional authorities | Kvalita vody na kúpanie (ÚVZ SR) |
| Slovenia | 1 June – 15 September at sea; 15 June – 31 August inland | Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO), Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy | Kopalne vode (GOV.SI / ARSO) |
| Spain | Set by each autonomous community | Ministry of Health (NÁYADE system) and the regional health authorities | NÁYADE (Ministry of Health) |
| Sweden | Set by county (for example 21 June – 20 August in the south-west) | Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (HaV) and the municipalities | Badplatsen (HaV) |
| Switzerland | Set by each canton | The cantons; national assessment by the Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) | Badegewässer (BAFU, links to cantons) |
Why the season matters for the ratings
The annual class on each site page is built only from samples taken in the bathing season. Outside it there are usually no official results, lifeguards or notice boards, and a site’s status can change without being reported. Swimming outside the season is not forbidden in most places, but you are relying on your own judgement — weather, run-off after heavy rain and local signs matter more than the annual class.
Where the season is set locally (Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia and Estonia and others), check the national portal or the municipality for the dates at a specific beach or lake.
Related
How bathing water is classified · Annual rating vs live safety · Destinations · All countries