Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc — Local services in Barcelona

Review by a UK swimmer on a slightly cloudy Thurs in August 2024.

The pool is located at the top of the Monjuic Funicular (note internal transfer at Paral-lel means a single metro ticket suffices from city-centre/downtown) or from the 'Teleferic de Montjuic' stop on the Bus Turistic Red Route, or a few minutes walk downhill from the 'Fundacio Joan Miro' stop on the City Tour Orange Route. From the Funicular station exit the pool is almost opposite, slightly to the right. The very unassuming pool entrance is located between the El Xalet restaurant, and the Salts Bar. As others have said, Salts Bar overlooks the twin pools with the amazing city view as backdrop. If on a hop-on-hop-off bus (especially Bus Touristic which stops right outside), highly recommend at least a brief stop and wandering into the bar to see the view (no one will challenge you taking a seat in the vast bank of event seating also accessed through the bar entrance). When we visited there was a small wait to additionally buy a drink / order food but only a few minutes.

When you pay to enter the pool itself you get a coloured wristband differentiating if you've paid for just the regular (waterpolo) pool, or for this plus the diving (laned 'fitness') pool. In 2024 the price for access to both pools was just over €14. Initially we were surprised that the cost for both is almost double the €7.55 for just the regular pool, but on reflection I think this is to help keep the 'fitness' pool quiet/exclusive. As we like swimming and this was a one off (swimming at an iconic Olympic venue) we paid for both. There is a 15 year old age limit to swim in the diving pool, to which the lifeguard unobtrusively controls access by wristband colour. Advantages are pool is quiet and water cleaner - swimming (with goggles) in a crystal clear 5m deep pool was quite something. As the regular pool is 2.3m deep, you can also enjoy a decent swim in it. Minor disadvantages being water quality was more typical of a busy holiday pool and at its busiest may need to dodge the odd floating person and/or turn before the edge. Water temperature in both was perfect for swimming / cooling off. Water is not salty. Diving boards themselves are not open for use. Changing rooms and showers are down a level from the pool, itself down loads of steps from the entrance (when you get to the bottom take the central corridor rather than the back corridor). Once changed the central stairwell between the two changing rooms is more convenient to come back up to the pool. Changing room is large and mostly open but quiet (the locals don't seem to bother much with them). Showers cool but not freezing. Need to use one hand to continuously hold in push button and a dial controls the pressure. Sun loungers are paid for on entry (you're given a second wristband), just over €1 for a plastic one or just over €2 for a canvass one. The former are actually better if guaranteed shade is important as they are default located under the overhang of the event seating - although you can also drag them out into the sun. There are picnic tables in a corner near the entrance and a drinks vending machine in the far corner under the overhang. You could also make the long climb back up to Salts Bar and presumably re-enter with your wristband. Pool is open 11:00-18:45 Mon-Thu and 11:00-20:15 Fri-Sun, mid June to end of August only. There is no time limit on stay. There were still loungers available mid afternoon on the day of our visit. The one suggested improvement would be to have some lockers somewhere. I read earlier reviews about gatecrashers, but there was no sign of this (there was a friendly attendant stationed at the entrance, and I checked the building was secure at the back below the changing room level). So whilst it didn't feel especially risky leaving belongings poolside, it would nevertheless provide additional reassurance to know you could locker...

25 meters of saltwater alfresco swimming on Barcelona’s hillside. The venue looks over Catalonia’s sports and culture metropolis and faces away from the Mediterranean Sea.

Travelling to the venue by bus from Plaça d'Espanya takes you from the stadium-like Arenas de Barcelona (sadly just a shopping centre) up towards the striking fountains below Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (art museum).

Bus stops continue through the pretty roads of Montjuïc which pass the city’s impressive sports venues including multiple stadiums and another lido (Piscines Bernat Picornell).

The journey takes you past countless gardens, art famous is the Joan Miró Foundation art museum. The area showcases an utopia of art, culture and sports.

In the venue, thousands of spectator seats spread along one side. Peaceful clouds slowly travel across the sky at the same speed as the cable car across the road just visible over the floodlights.

This is a leisure venue for the most part, the square pool doesn’t have formal lanes or organisation. On one corner tourist lads with too much bravado compete to make the biggest splash and impress the locals. On the other corner parents scream at their children who were unable to resist throwing themselves in the pool with no aids.

Envy over the locals is easy, their lifestyles of sun, lidos and siesta is a serious challenger to grey summers in London. Imagine yourself living a rotation of swim,...

One of the WORST swimming pools I’ve been to. At first I was excited about the beautiful views. But once you pay the expensive fee (for a municipal pool) to just get in it’s instant regret. The place is ran down. Tiles broken all around the pool edges with sharp edges. The pool is very deep so everyone spends their time clinging to the edges (with the sharp broken tiles). There are two disgusting toilets that are more crappy than you can imagine. The disabled toilet is a nightmare: flooded, broken tiles, scary earthing wires and the pressure is so high in the sink that you can’t wash you hands. There was only ONE life guard for such a huge deep pool and he also doubled as a first aider. I happened to cut my thumb with the tiles!!! So while the first aider is trying to find band-aid for my thumb he leaves the pool unattended. Additionally they charge extra to be in the shade, to use umbrellas etc. The floating equipment is bitten and broken halves. Like seriously?? A public pool with such high prices can’t be kept clean, afford more life guards and in good repair order? And even the elevator smells like piss. Do yourself a favour don’t come here. For the view go the bar by the far end at the top of the pool. Nothing else is good...