After the first days of summer having been somewhat colder than usual in the capital and now that the weather is back to scorching, there’s nothing better to do than to dive into one of the many municipal swimming pools that can be found in Madrid. Prices to access the pools vary from 0.70-2.25 euros depending on your age group and will be open from May 15 to September 12.
Bear in mind all of Madrid’s swimming pools will have a capacity due to COVID-19 measures, at the time of writing, and you may need to book beforehand.
So, let us take you for a swim into the nearest pool to escape the heat.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Casa de Campo Pool (Piscina del Lago)
In the middle of nature, in the Casa de Campo park is Piscina del Lago. Here you can find two outdoor swimming pools, both of an Olympic dimension 50m, as well as a 33m pool and one for children. The place has been recently remodeled and surrounded by lawns. All these attributes form a comfortable and functional complex that is very popular.
It is usually one of the most visited sports facilities in the summer season by locals and visitors. Frequently visited by a hip crowd as well as families with children and sunbathers. It is also very popular with the LGBT community. The facility has two two lifts for people with disabilities, as well as a weight training area. In the sports center you can practice both swimming and diving. In the summer season it opens from Monday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Vicente del Bosque Pool
Taking a dip at the foot of the Cuatro Torres is possible at Vicente del Bosque, the municipal sports complex preferred by the residents of Barrio del Pilar. This sports center has two twin 50-meter pools plus a kids pool. In total, more than 70,000 square meters for complete facilities around the Barrio del Pilar. The inclusion of a nudist area at the time it launched is notable too. The famous Madrid complex is equipped with an outdoor and indoor sports facility. Accessibility is easy for all.
It’s a place that has countless sports facilities (volleyball, beach volleyball, tennis, skating, soccer, handball, basketball, badminton, etc.) and a 100% summer atmosphere in which everyone is welcome. Sports activities that take place in summer at this sports center include water polo, aquatic fitness and swimming. Here you can cool off in the shade when Madrid’s sweltering summer temperatures are in flow.
Puerta del Hierro Sports Park
The Puerta de Hierro pool is the largest open-air swimming pool in the Community of Madrid, measuring 130 by 52 meters, and one of the largest in Europe with a capacity for almost 3,500 bathers. Popularly known as Madrid beach, it’s more than 300,000 square meters in the El Pardo area and is very versatile and has a green area.
Due to its size and the variety and functionality of its facilities, the Puerta de Hierro Sports Park is one of the flagships of the Madrid Sports Institute. It was formerly called the Trade Union Park and inaugurated in 1955. These pools are surrounded by about 23,000 square meters of lawn area, umbrellas, cafeteria, toilets, showers and changing rooms. In the summer it fills up with families who move away from the city center to spend a refreshing day. In winter the canoes and kayaks are the masters of the water.
86 World Swimming Center
Since it was launched as the venue for the 1986 World Cups, this public swimming pool in Madrid has been known as the M 86 or, better, as “the World Cup”. Not only does it house indoor facilities, with an Olympic and diving pool – a well-kept outdoor pool opens in summer with a pleasant lawn area. It would be a perfect option for the most professional swimmers but also for visitors who want to dive into pools of more than 30,000 square meters.
These facilities, created for the 1986 Swimming World Championships have something for everyone. Here, you will find a learning pool, as well as a pit for jumping practice and a gym, a pool for infant swimming for babies and toddlers. There’s also a school for beginners and those over 60 years of age, and more.
Calle de José Martínez de Velasco, 3
Canal de Isabel II Sports Facilities
One of the most traditional public swimming pools in Madrid, this pool has been open since 1930 when the Agrupación Deportiva Canal founded a swimming pool and a soccer field on the reservoir. Today it is a large complex of sports and complementary spaces, which are made up of fields, tracks, halls, pavilions, and swimming pools. The outdoor summer pool, for children and adults, of more than 20 meters, is still one of the best options for swimming in summer in the Chamberí neighborhood.
Property of the Community of Madrid, it has an Olympic pool and another for children, tennis and paddle tennis courts, a multipurpose pavilion, an artificial grass soccer field, a futsal court, a basketball court, a weight room, gym and a bar and restaurant, all with good access for the disabled. The facilities are relatively old, but they have been renovated and have new equipment. On weekends it is crowded, especially in summer, when families in the area take the opportunity to cool off from the high temperatures in the outdoor pool.
Enjoy your visit in Madrid during the summer season and don’t forget to make a splash at one of these amazing pools to freshen up during the hot weather. Pair this up with a fun Historical Segway Tour and you’ll have the summer of a lifetime!
