Courtesy of SwimTrek, a SwimSwam partner.
The Hellespont race is on sale at SwimTrek for 2025. International swimmers can now book their places to enter the historic strait and swim from Eceabat to Çanakkale.
For a long time now we’ve been calling this the ‘World’s Oldest Swim’. According to Greek legend, Leander swam across the strait to reach his lover, Hero, who lit a candle in her tower on the opposite shore. One night, a storm struck, Hero’s candle was extinguished and Leander sank down into the briny depths.
The tragedy of this ancient romance inspired the famous poet Lord Byron to follow Leander’s wake in 1810. Since then, the swim has been immortalised and is often referred to as the world’s first open water swimming event.
For decades, swimmers have visited Turkey from around the world, inspired to partake in this annual challenge of crossing from Europe to Asia. The world’s busiest shipping canal closes for one day each year. Before a flotilla of swimmers, both locals and tourists, don various fluorescent caps and charge through the strait within a corridor of escort boats and kayaks.
Photo: Fikret Özgür.
The crossing holds a special place in SwimTrek’s history for being the swim that prompted their founder, Simon Murie, to set up his pioneering company in 2003. Tales of past swimmers trace back over a decade and many SwimTrekkers have described how their lives were changed by this bucket list event:
BOOK YOUR 2025 HELLESPONT SWIM
Antony (2024)
“Hellespont 2024 with my son – a really fantastic, well-organised experience. To take part in the annual Victory Day race has been a very special challenge.”
Whitney (2024)
“Incredible experience! A memory to last a lifetime. Thank you SwimTrek.”
Ray (2023)
“Mythical, historical, picturesque, unique and that’s just the swim.”
Robert (2022)
“After first wanting to do this swim ten years ago, it was great to finally do it – a true lifetime experience.”
Charles (2019)
“Swimming the Hellespont was the hardest swim I’ve done… Euphoric at having swum the distance, gutted at missing the red carpet. Winning isn’t everything it’s participating that is magic.”
Jane (2018)
“Thank you to the SwimTrek team for helping me achieve a lifetime ambition – your team were so helpful and encouraging. An amazing event that was very well-organised.”
Matthew (2017)
“Where else can you do an intercontinental swim and have such fun doing it?”
Kate (2016)
“Had a fantastic time, brilliant fun! Well-organised, met some wonderful people and the sea was beautiful – like swimming in silk. One of the best days.”
Ricky (2015)
“My favourite ever swim – Europe to Asia at the Hellespont. The most classic swim in the world. Great location, beautiful swim, well-organised trip by SwimTrek.
Lou (2014)
“I’m so thrilled to have taken part in the swim and can proudly say I’ve swum from Europe to Asia. I am officially a swim addict now!”
Ben (2013)
“The Hellespont Swim is a unique and fantastic experience. Steeped in history, it’s a challenging swim but it’s so rewarding to make it between two continents and achieve a goal you’ve trained hard for.”
Oleksandr (2012)
“I’m so grateful to all of you for the opportunity to feel like a hero and be in the company of such outstanding people.”
Take On The Hellespont This Year
Ready to join the legends who’ve already kicked bubbles across this strait? SwimTrek just released ‘ticket only’ spaces to cross the Dardanelles (Hellespont) and swim the iconic event this year.
There is also the option the join a multicity tour as part of their Hellespont Week Tour. Compete in the annual ‘Victory Day’ race in Canakkale and explore historic Turkey with tours of Istanbul, Gallipoli and Troy.
If you’re looking for a race in tropical waters, you can share your strokes with turtles during the Nevis to St Kitts Cross Channel Swim and cross the ‘Narrows’ which separate two Caribbean islands. You can also see the seabed the whole way!
BOOK YOUR 2025 HELLESPONT SWIM
Photo: Fikret Özgür.
About SwimTrek
Run by swimmers for over 20 years, SwimTrek are the world’s pioneer of open water swimming vacations. In 2026, their award-winning calendar of adventures will expand to include 87 trips in 27 countries, from the Bahamas to Indonesia.
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