# Cooling down in Madrid



## Trevmo (Nov 23, 2010)

Hey guys

So it has been rather warm lately. I was wondering where everyone goes to cool off. Do you guys know of some sweet piscinas or maybe there some good ríos or largos nearby that are good for a bit of a dip?

I live near Plaza de Castilla and there are pools and a swimmable water feature in the park nearby but there has got to be something better around. 

Cheers!

Trevmo


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Trevmo said:


> Hey guys
> 
> So it has been rather warm lately. I was wondering where everyone goes to cool off. Do you guys know of some sweet piscinas or maybe there some good ríos or largos nearby that are good for a bit of a dip?
> 
> ...


I am an hour's drive from the sea and have no pool, but I have rigged up something reasonably effective on my roof terrace involving the garden hose and the washing line ...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I hate the Corte Inglés, but their book department comes in handy for us when we go to the Big City 'cos we all love reading and they're open at mid day with fantastic air conditioning and you can spend as long as you like in there. Ditto FNAC and Casa del Libro.

Then there is open air cinema, but not in V.O. Info here at the end of the article
Vuelve Open Air Madrid, el gigante de los cines de verano | Madrid | elmundo.es

Sometimes you can find a shady terraza - you could try Plaza Olavide, but it's not near you.

Other than that to get cooler you basically have to go higher, and the real difference is at night. (People who live out of the city, and usually higher up boast to the city dwellers "I slept with a blanket on last night!") Try El Escorial (bus from Moncloa 661 or train), Cercedilla, Navacerrada, Miraflores de la Sierra...

PS The Parque de Atracciones is also, surprisingly, a great place to go on a hot day. There is LOADS of shade. OK the enterance fee is quite a lot, but you can easily spend all day there. We used to go with my daughter and we'd be there from 12:00 - 22:00 no problem and that was when she was 8! It really is a fun place to go with plenty of shade as I said and water attractions and shows at night. (There may be free buses from Plaza Castilla??) I have not heard such good reports about the Warner Bros park in San Martin de Valdeaglesias


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

Well I live in he beautiful town of San Martin de Valdeiglesias and I have never seen a Warner Bros theme park, but it does have a fantastic reservoir where swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling, boating, fishing, water skiing are all permitted.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Trubrit said:


> Well I live in he beautiful town of San Martin de Valdeiglesias and I have never seen a Warner Bros theme park, but it does have a fantastic reservoir where swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling, boating, fishing, water skiing are all permitted.


Whoops! Got my San Martins mixed up.
It's San Martin de la Vega, South West Madrid.

Be nice to see a photo of the reservoir


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

I would love to show you Pesky but I have no idea how to upload a photo on this site. When I press the photo button it asks for the http address, omg I am so not computer literate.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Trubrit said:


> I would love to show you Pesky but I have no idea how to upload a photo on this site. When I press the photo button it asks for the http address, omg I am so not computer literate.


use the attachment tool - there's a button 'manage attachments' below the reply box

you can upload from your computer with that


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> use the attachment tool - there's a button 'manage attachments' below the reply box
> 
> you can upload from your computer with that


Thanks for the info, here is a photo of Pantano de San Juan


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Trubrit said:


> Thanks for the info, here is a photo of Pantano de San Juan


Looks nice!


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## Trevmo (Nov 23, 2010)

So nobody heads off to a river or lake or anything like this nearby? I enjoyed the suggestion of heading to air conditioned bookstore but surely there are good places to get wet and have fun?

There are indoor pools near my place but being indoors when it is so hot out kind of defeats the purpose.

Thanks!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Trevmo said:


> So nobody heads off to a river or lake or anything like this nearby? I enjoyed the suggestion of heading to air conditioned bookstore but surely there are good places to get wet and have fun?
> 
> There are indoor pools near my place but being indoors when it is so hot out kind of defeats the purpose.
> 
> Thanks!


where Trubrit goes???

or is that just too far away?

according to this, though, there are a lot of open air pools in the city itself


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Trevmo said:


> So nobody heads off to a river or lake or anything like this nearby? I enjoyed the suggestion of heading to air conditioned bookstore but surely there are good places to get wet and have fun?
> 
> There are indoor pools near my place but being indoors when it is so hot out kind of defeats the purpose.
> 
> Thanks!


For Madrileños I guess the "purpose" is to stay comfortable - which means staying in air-conditioned places as much as they can during the day and not going out till it cools down at night!? Those who can, flock to the coast. The Costa de la Luz is heaving at the moment with city folk, it's nice and cool here today (just 27C).


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> For Madrileños I guess the "purpose" is to stay comfortable - which means staying in air-conditioned places as much as they can during the day and not going out till it cools down at night!? Those who can, flock to the coast. The Costa de la Luz is heaving at the moment with city folk, it's nice and cool here today (just 27C).


we get lots of madrileños here too - the mums who don't work come with the kids as soon as school is out - a week or so ago, stay til september. The dads come for weekends & usually stay for the whole of august


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Trevmo said:


> So nobody heads off to a river or lake or anything like this nearby? I enjoyed the suggestion of heading to air conditioned bookstore but surely there are good places to get wet and have fun?
> 
> There are indoor pools near my place but being indoors when it is so hot out kind of defeats the purpose.
> 
> Thanks!


I had assumed you knew about the pools in Madrid. As xabiachica says there are an abundance of open air pools. There's one in Canal Isabel II in Bravo Murillo I believe and in Rios Rosas, which is kind of in your area. Look in the Guia de Ocio or online for details.
In and around Madrid Comunidad again quite a few reservoirs and natural pools. See
Informapadres.com, Guía útil para padres e hijos.
You'll probably need a car though as being natural they're in themiddle of the country...

A favourite place of mine is Boca del Asno in Segovia, very near the Granja. You could have a great weekend away visiting the gardens of the Granja, havinmg a wander around there and spending the day/ afternoon in the river and pools at Boca del Asno.




















More photos here
boca del asno - Buscar con Google

Much nearer Madrid is el Elmbalse de Valmayor for example where you can look at the water and fish, but you can't go in it.


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## Trevmo (Nov 23, 2010)

Top advice, thanks Pesky Wesky and everyone!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Trevmo said:


> Top advice, thanks Pesky Wesky and everyone!


Trevmo,
hope you get to some of these places or similar. You need to get out of Madrid as much as possible now that they've turned on the heat!
You could always post some pictures...


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