Why should you spend your summer holiday in the mountains and swim?

I have friends who are great fans of the sea, but also those who would always choose skiing over swimming in the sea. I know many of them who find summer in the mountains better than any seaside holiday. The other would ask: What on earth are you going to do in the mountains during summer? What can the mountain offer in summer that I won’t get at the seaside?

To be perfectly honest, when I was younger I always associated summer holidays with the warm weather, seaside and good company, while the mountain was synonymous with skiing and winter. I have never thought about the summer in the mountains as a challenge, opportunity for an active holiday and good time. However, today this is a bit different. I often need that fresh cool air that you cannot experience at the seaside. That’s why I started spending a part of my summer holiday in the mountains, especially since my kids were born. With our little shark we went to the mountain when he was two years old, while our little fish experienced freshness of the mountain air when she was only two months old.

5 reasons why you should go to the mountain in the summer and swim:

Limited annual leave: Almost two years ago I decided to take my kids to the mountain and spend some time with them as it was really hot in the city and I had very limited annual leave. Unlike at the seaside, you would need only 3 to 4 days in the mountains, or a long weekend, to cool down and escape the heat in the city. Of course, it’s ideal if you could take 7 to 14 days and spend them in the mountains.

Fresh air throughout day and night: While I started packing, at first I found it quite strange to put jacket, winter waistcoat, track suit, hat next to my T-shirts, because summer weather in the mountains can be very tricky and change in an hour. Another advantage is that you can sleep without using the air condition, with an open window and under a nice warm blanket. You can’t have that at the seaside.

Swimming at the high altitude: Before you decide which mountain to choose, I would advise you to select accommodation with an open pool, if not within your hotel then at least somewhere nearby. This is because, apart from the regular hiking, cable car ride, cycling, the best part of the day is when you can go for a swim in an open thermal pool. The fantastic view over the mountains you can see through the steam of the evaporating pool is simply magical. I wasn’t completely sure how my little shark would react to the temperature change between 32C in the pool and the lower temperature outside, when his head was still wet. Soon I was reassured. Because of the evaporating water, that layer of the warm steam just right above your head actually protects you and you cannot feel the cool mountain air around it.

Magical air: Mountain air simply regenerates your body, mind and your bloodstream. It is very common that paediatricians recommend a few days in the mountains to strengthen your kids’ immunity. Apart from being fresh and clean, mountain air is rich in oxygen and has a high level of negative ions, that provide your body with an energy boost that you cannot get from the sea air.

Body detox: Apart from the mountain air, water is the best resource for regenerating your body. Water, and especially at 2-3.000m above the sea level, speeds up your blood circulation, and detoxicates your body. That’s why having both the mountain and the pool is a perfect combination. Many top athletes, as a part of their preparations, always go to the mountain and combine it with the pool and other wellness possibilities. A few times it

happened that this type of preparations had the same effect as doping, without getting into too many details, but this is only pure oxygen that starts running through your body and blood.

The mountains are really magical during summer. That’s why you should give it a go and try its charms, but definitely include swimming!