On Tuesday, January 6, 2026, winter swimmers from the Czech Winter Swimming Union will dive into the Vltava River on Three Kings Day.

This takes place every year on January 6, at noon, under Charles Bridge, at the spot where St. John of Nepomuk was thrown into the water. The winter swimmers will dive into the Vltava from the deck of the Vodouch boat at the fifth bridge pier of Charles Bridge (counting from the Old Town side).

The event, now held for the fifteenth year, combines endurance sport, historical symbolism, and a distinctly Czech sense of ritual.

More than thirty swimmers are expected to take part this year, including several participants from abroad.

The entry point lies near the fifth bridge pillar on the Old Town side of Charles Bridge. Participants will dive in from the deck of the boat Vodouch and swim a route measuring roughly two hundred meters downstream.

Their destination is the pier beneath the last preserved arch of the former Judith Bridge, the medieval structure that preceded today’s Charles Bridge. Upon arrival, the swimmers will gather in the historic river space to share a warm punch traditionally prepared for ferry workers.

The moment also serves as a symbolic blessing of the Charles Bridge Museum at the start of the new year.

Spectators are expected to line the riverbanks despite winter conditions, as the event offers a rare chance to see the Vltava used in a way that recalls older Prague customs rather than modern tourism. Supporters can watch both from the embankments and from areas near the museum.

Organizers note that the event is not a race but a ceremonial swim, focused on resilience and tradition rather than competition.

| Schedule

11:45 Departure of winter swimmers for a photo shoot in front of the Charles Bridge Museum
11:55 Boarding of Vodouch boats at the Judita pier and departure on the Vltava River
12:00 Winter swimmers enter the water and swim back to the pier under the last preserved arch of the Judita Bridge

St. John of Nepomuk is the patron saint of bridges, fishermen, millers, swimmers, and all crafts related to water. Judith Bridge was the first stone bridge in the Kingdom of Bohemia, with 20 arches and a length of approximately 500 meters, but in 1342 it was swept away by a great flood and replaced by a new stone bridge — later known as Charles Bridge.

| St. John of Nepomuk

St. John of Nepomuk is the patron saint of bridges, fishermen, millers, swimmers, and all crafts related to water. Judith Bridge was the first stone bridge in the Kingdom of Bohemia, with 20 arches and a length of approximately 500 meters, but in 1342 it was swept away by a great flood and replaced by a new stone bridge — later known as Charles Bridge.

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