8 Outdoor Swimming Pools in Barcelona

CEM Parc de la Ciutadella

Located on the edge of the Ciutadella park, the CEM Parc de la Ciutadella municipal gym has a deck area, complete with an open air pool and sun lounges. A day entry also allows you to use all the facilities, including the gym, indoor and outdoor pools. Given its central location, the pool is easily reached on foot, by bus (H14, 39) or metro (L4, Barceloneta). Adults €15.65, children aged 6-18 €7.30, children under 6 free. See website for details.

Club Natació Atlètic Barceloneta

A Barcelona classic, the seafront Club Natació Atlètic-Barcelona was founded in 1913. The club is accessed directly from the Sant Sebastià beach in Barceloneta, a 15-minute walk from Barceloneta metro station (L4), and easily accessible by bus (39, V15). There are two outdoor pools, one for serious lengths and the other for children and general cooling off. Relax on a sun loung with one smug eye on the crowded beach just over the fence. Adults €13.07, children aged 4-10 €7.41, children under 3 €3.93.

Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc

The 25-meter pool and diving boards at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc were built for the  1992 Olympics, so they're professional standard. There are no sun lounges and only a small kiosk on-site to buy refreshments, so bring something to lie on and your own snacks. It can be reached via the Montjuïc Funicular or by bus (55). It’s not plush but has spectacular panoramic city views. Adults €6.80. Children + Senior €4.70. 

Piscines Bernat Picornell

A little farther up the mountain from the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc, the Piscines Bernat Picornell were built in the 1970s for the European swimming championships and refurbished for the 1992 Olympics. There are two 50-meter pools, one inside and the other open air. Day entry also gives you access to all facilities including the gym, Jacuzzi and sauna. Adults €12.40. Children 6-14 €7.60. Young People 15-24 €8.30. Seniors 65+ €7.60. Under 5s free.

Club Natació Catalunya

The Club Natació Catalunya is not to be missed. Its indoor area features a lap pool and two child-friendly pools. The outdoor area boasts a lawn with sun chairs and umbrellas, with an additional pool for laps and a lane designated for leisure. Adults €11.85. Children and over 64s €7.55.

Eurofitness Can Dragó

Eurofitness Can Dragó is a 35,000 square meter facility in Sant Andreu with two climatized, indoor lap pools and an impressive outdoor area. The outdoor space is decorated with palm trees and features a large family pool. Adults €8.07. Children 6-14 years €5.62, 0-5 years €2.28.

Fòrum Bathing Area

If sand is your main stress at the beach, you can enjoy the sea with out it at the Fòrum Bathing Area, an enclosed section of the Mediterranean next to Parc del Fòrum. It's quieter than all the surrounding beaches, and access to the water is via steps that lead directly from the paved surroundings. The water itself is deep and suitable for diving, while the size of the pool, 350 meters long by 30 meters wide, allows for some serious swimming.

Ideal for people with disabilities or reduced mobility, the bathing area is equipped with a hydraulic chair, a section designed for wheelchair use and a bathing support service. Other facilities include showers, toilets and a lifeguard service, and both the Diagonal Mar shopping center and Rambla del Prim are within walking distance. The area is somewhat isolated but can be accessed by bus (H16), tram and metro (L4, Selva de Mar). 

Given it is publicly owned, the Fòrum Bathing Area is free to access.

Parc de Joan Miró

Parc de Joan Miró has added this year an area dedicated to water games for children ages 0 to 12 years old. This expansion comes as alternative option to the recently closed Jardins de la Torre de les Aigües.

Open daily from 10:00 to 20:00 from June 25, 2019 until September 6, 2019. Maximum capacity in the play area is 120 (60 children with one companion) with a time limit of two hours. General admission €1.20. Children under one year and adults over 64 free. €7.55.

Jardins de la Torre de les Aigües—Permanently Closed

Sadly, for the first time since 1978, the much loved Torre de les Aigües was closed definitively in March, 2019.

For many years, Torre de les Aigües had been a great place for kids (and parents) to let off some steam. Known as the "Eixample beach," the Torre de les Aigües offered a sandy play area and a knee-high pool to splash in. It was one of very few public spaces located within the interior courtyards of the Eixample urban blocks, which was the original use outlined by engineer Ildefons Cerdà in his 19th-century masterplan for the area. The pool surrounded a brick water tower, dating from 1882, and was shallow—ideal for young children.

In it's absence, the ajuntament has created a new space for children's water games in the Joan Miró Park.