Sports and outdoor activities - The Rough Guide to Barcelona - page 358

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SWIMMING
The city beaches are fine for a stroll across the sand and an ice cream, but the water's none
too welcoming and you'd do best to save your swimming for the region's coastal beaches
(Sitges is the best) or one of Barcelona's many municipal pools . There are scores of them,
but we've picked out three of the best below. You may be required to show your passport be-
fore being allowed in, and you'll need to wear a swimming cap. If you're hardy enough, the
annual Christmas Swimming Cup involves diving into the port on December 25 and racing
other like-minded fools.
SURFIN' BCN
Ifyou'veexperiencedBarcelona'sbeachesinthesummer,youmightfindithardtobelieve
that those glass-smooth waters could ever be surf-worthy. However, from September to
April, the Mediterranean picks up enough steam to send waves to Barcelona's sandy door-
step. On rare occasions (maybe twice a year), there's enough power to push the waves to-
wardthetwo-tothree-metremarks,butforthemostpart,thesoft-breakingwavesareknee-
to waist-high, making the city's beaches - as one local surf instructor put it - a “paradise
for beginners”. If you're a newbie looking to get your feet wet or are a more experienced
surfer in need of gear, try Pukas Surf Eskola (Pg. de Joan de Borbó 93, Barceloneta;
931 186 021, pukassurf.com/schools ) or Box Barcelona (c/de Pontevedra 51-53, Bar-
celoneta; 932 214 702, boxbarcelona.com ) - both offer rentals and lessons. For a dir-
ectory of other surf shops in the city, plus up-to-the-minute surf reports for the region, the
website Barcelona Surf ( bsurfers.com ) can't be beat.
SWIMMING POOLS
Club Natació Atlètic Barceloneta Pl. del Mar, Barceloneta 932 210 010, cnab.org ;
Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica; map . One indoor pool, two outdoor, plus bar, restaurant and gym
facilities. Mon-Fri 6.30am-11pm, Sat 7am-11pm, Sun 8am-5pm (until 8pm mid-May to
Sept). Daily admission for non-members is €12, under-10s €7.
Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc Av. Miramar 31, Montjuïc 934 234 041; Funicular de
Montjuïc; map . Thecity'smostbeautifuloutdoorpool,lowonfacilitiesbuthighonMontjuïc
- it was built for the Olympic diving competitions. Aug: daily 11am-6.30pm. Admission
€6.50, under-15s €4.50.
Piscines Picornell Av. de l'Estadi 30-38, Montjuïc 934 234 041, picornell.cat ;
Espanya, then bus #150; map . Remodelled and expanded for the Olympics, the fifty-metre
indoor pool is open all year, while the outdoor pool is open to the public from June to Sept.
Nudist sessions all year on Sat night, plus Sun pm Oct-May. Indoor pool and other facilit-