In the summer months, Barcelona can get particularly hot and sticky. The city is quickly bathed in heat and locals and tourists alike flock to the beaches for some respite from the sun.
Though the sea provides spectacular views and a picturesque way to spend the day, there are other places in the city you can go to cool off.
Diving into the cold waters of a swimming pool is like heaven on a hot day in Barcelona, and there are plenty of pools around to try out.
None have as good a view as the outdoor Olympic swimming pool, though. Set in the lush hills of Montjuïc, it is the perfect place to cool off whilst enjoying a peaceful view across the city.
Where the beaches are packed out during summer, here the crowds are much less and the elevated air feels less sticky.
Designed by Antoni de Moragas and built back in 1992 for the Barcelona Olympics – it was used as the diving pool – it opens its doors every year to the public during July and August.
During this time, families, locals, and tourists can all revel in the cool waters. However, if you think you’re going to throw some shapes off the diving board like the best of them, you can think again.
The diving pool is actually closed to the public, but you can swim in the pool alongside it and imagine some of the world-class athletes somersaulting and flipping their way into the water.
When the Olympics were taking place, the Olympic pool was considered a beautiful place to watch the events unfold.
Set up Montjuïc, it boasts incredible panoramic views of the city below, where you can pick out La Sagrada Familia and other architectural greats whilst you swim lengths or splash about in the shallows.
The pool itself was designed to act solely as a competition pool, which means there are very few other facilities to accompany it. Whilst hotel roof terraces might have spas and saunas alongside their pools, the Olympic pool offers swimming at its rawest.
There aren’t even any sunbeds or deck chairs – hence why the crowds are much less here than at the beach or other swimming pools around the city.
However, there is a café onsite in case you get peckish whilst you’re swimming. As well as serving a selection of hot and cold drinks, it also has a menu filled with light bites and snacks to keep you going.
If you’re looking for somewhere that’s both unusual and fun to beat the sun in, the Olympic pool is the place to go.
Set overlooking the city it offers a picturesque glimpse of Barcelona below and provides an intimate backdrop that brings a slice of important history into the present day.
You can even pretend for a moment that you’re just warming up to take part in the largest sporting event in the world – perhaps you might even win!