The UCM Summer Swimming Pool

Although there is still a long way to go before the heat arrives, the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Madrid Complutense University) summer swimming pool is one of the best places to survive the heat of the capital during the hottest months of the year.

Getting here is very simple, just go to Moncloa metro station and walk to the central sports complex South Zone of the University. I think this is the best way to get there, as the bus lines that go through the Ciudad Universitaria (University City) are not available during the months of July and August.

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The other option would be to get here by car, an option that I do not recommend unless you can go first thing in the morning, otherwise it will be practically impossible to find a good place to park your car. Don't forget that parking inside the Ciudad Universitaria is free and not subject to any restrictions, which becomes a double-edged sword in this case because, as I said, it can make it impossible to find anywhere to park near the pool.

So, once the issue of how to get there has been resolved, all that remains is to find the pool. This is not difficult because it is well signposted and you can see clearly where the pool is at the end.

Once inside, unless you arrive very early or very late, you will probably have to wait in line for a while. This becomes quite unbearable: queuing during the height of summer in Madrid, in a narrow corridor with the need to cool off... Having to queue is an unbearable torture. However, you have to be patient, it's not usually long enough to make you want to die.

Once you get to the front, a nice person will take care of getting the ticket for you. If you are a student and you show your Complutense University card, you will get a great discount. You will only have to pay €4 to stay in the pool for as long as you want. You can also get a 10-day (or more) pass if you want it. It's a lot more affordable than paying for each day separately.

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Before going into the pool area, you have to go through the changing room which is divided into a men and women's area. It isn't allowed for you to go into the pool area with clothes or normal shoes on, so you have to change before you go in. It is also supposed to not be allowed to eat or drink on the lawn, so perhaps it's best if you don't to try to enter with food to eat.

On the subject of food, the only option is to eat it on the terrace of the pool cafeteria. This is if you have brought food from home, if not, you will have to buy a sandwich or order directly from the menu of the day in the cafeteria. It's a bit like finding parking in here, you'll need to get a place in line and wait there in order to buy anything, it's chore for which you'll need a great, great deal of patience.

However, perhaps that's the only negative thing. Other than this, the pool is very comfortable. The vicinity is really big with a lot of grass. The pool is an Olympic-sized deep pool, i. e. 50 meters long and 3 meters deep. It is not usually overflowing indoors, what can be difficult is finding a place on the edge of the pool, which is usually filled with people soaking their feet. It is also worth mentioning that there is an area separated by lanes that is specifically for the people who want to swim lengths without people getting in the way.

The other pool that can be used is the one designed for trampoline jumping. These trampolines are not used, and I don't know when they stopped using them, but it seems like they have not been used in ages. Only the swimming area pool is available. It is a very deep pool, approximately 8 meters deep. It is an interesting experience to dive to the bottom for someone who has never dived before.

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In the rest of it, the atmosphere of the pool is very youthful and student-oriented, obviously due to the discount they receive. This discount is also valid for anyone who has ever studied at the Complutense University, so there are also older people there too. However, mostly there are just young people in friendship groups or in couples. It is also common to see foreign people there, and if you don't go to the beach over summer, it is undoubtedly the best plan in Madrid.