Slovenians mark New Year with traditional Adriatic Sea swim

Over 200 swimmers in colourful costumes plunged into the chilly Adriatic waters on Thursday (January 1), celebrating the 20th anniversary of Portoroz's New Year's Day swim, a popular tradition in the coastal town.

    A total of 203 participants from Slovenia and countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Britain, Slovakia, and Austria ran along the town's pier before diving into the 13°C (55°F) waters.

    The event featured warm-up activities, prize giveaways, and a nod to seasonal swimming traditions deeply rooted in the region. 

    Festivities concluded with a fireworks display, marking the highlight of Portoroz's holiday celebrations.

Production: Borut Zivulovic, Malgorzata Wojtunik/Reuters