Madrid is a long way from the sea, so summer means pools, splash pads and river swims. Ride the slides at Aquópolis or Parque Warner Beach, run through 72 water jets on Madrid Río, or wade into river pools under the Guadarrama peaks. Here's what we checked, from the city's Olympic pools to Las Presillas in Rascafría.
A Hawaiian-themed water park with a 2,000 m² white-sand beach, a wave pool and more than 15 water rides. The kids' zone has mini versions of the big rides (Waikiki, Zigzag, soft slides and a rapid river) plus Tiki Island, covered in water jets. Older kids head for Kangaroa's six mat slides, and Kilauea is the biggest new ride in the park's history.
The water park next to Parque Warner, themed on the Looney Tunes, the Flintstones and Scooby-Doo across 40,000 m². It has two wave pools, one just for kids, plus Agua Aventura, an island with eight slides and a giant tipping bucket, and a smaller kids' island called Todos al Agua. Río Loco is a gentle tube ride that ends in a 10,000-liter splash.
Madrid Río's summer beach has no sand and no pool: three oval water areas in Parque de la Arganzuela, each with its own effect. One is a thin sheet of water to splash through, one has jets shooting up to different heights, and one makes a cloud of mist. Kids run through in swimsuits, and the lawns and loungers around the edges give parents somewhere to sit.
Three natural pools on the Lozoya River, a short way from the El Paular monastery, and the only stretch of river in Rascafría where swimming is allowed. Wide lawns line the water and the Sierra de Guadarrama rises behind. The water comes from mountain snowmelt and stays cold even in high summer, so ease small kids in slowly.
The pool complex built for the 1986 World Swimming Championships. It has two 50-meter Olympic pools (one indoor, one outdoor under a winter bubble), a diving pool with 4 platforms and 8 springboards, a teaching pool, and a warm-water pool used for baby classes. Summer adds a semicircular paddling pool with a waterfall and a kids' pool. Swim classes start at 15 months.
A sports park run by the Comunidad de Madrid on Avenida de Filipinas, on the site of a club that Canal de Isabel II water workers started in 1930. In summer it opens a recreational pool and a separate kids' pool. All year there is a skating rink, a sports hall, clay and artificial-grass tennis courts, padel and football pitches.
A city-run sports center at the Puerta del Ángel edge of Casa de Campo, rebuilt in 2021. Indoors there is a 25-meter pool plus a shallow teaching pool for small children. In summer three outdoor pools open: a kids' pool and two recreational pools of 33 by 16 and 36 by 25 meters. Swim classes run for every age.
Madrid is a long way from the sea, so summer means pools, splash pads and river swims. Ride the slides at Aquópolis or Parque Warner Beach, run through 72 water jets on Madrid Río, or wade into river pools under the Guadarrama peaks. Here's what we checked, from the city's Olympic pools to Las Presillas in Rascafría.
A Hawaiian-themed water park with a 2,000 m² white-sand beach, a wave pool and more than 15 water rides. The kids' zone has mini versions of the big rides (Waikiki, Zigzag, soft slides and a rapid river) plus Tiki Island, covered in water jets. Older kids head for Kangaroa's six mat slides, and Kilauea is the biggest new ride in the park's history.
The water park next to Parque Warner, themed on the Looney Tunes, the Flintstones and Scooby-Doo across 40,000 m². It has two wave pools, one just for kids, plus Agua Aventura, an island with eight slides and a giant tipping bucket, and a smaller kids' island called Todos al Agua. Río Loco is a gentle tube ride that ends in a 10,000-liter splash.
Madrid Río's summer beach has no sand and no pool: three oval water areas in Parque de la Arganzuela, each with its own effect. One is a thin sheet of water to splash through, one has jets shooting up to different heights, and one makes a cloud of mist. Kids run through in swimsuits, and the lawns and loungers around the edges give parents somewhere to sit.
Three natural pools on the Lozoya River, a short way from the El Paular monastery, and the only stretch of river in Rascafría where swimming is allowed. Wide lawns line the water and the Sierra de Guadarrama rises behind. The water comes from mountain snowmelt and stays cold even in high summer, so ease small kids in slowly.
The pool complex built for the 1986 World Swimming Championships. It has two 50-meter Olympic pools (one indoor, one outdoor under a winter bubble), a diving pool with 4 platforms and 8 springboards, a teaching pool, and a warm-water pool used for baby classes. Summer adds a semicircular paddling pool with a waterfall and a kids' pool. Swim classes start at 15 months.
A sports park run by the Comunidad de Madrid on Avenida de Filipinas, on the site of a club that Canal de Isabel II water workers started in 1930. In summer it opens a recreational pool and a separate kids' pool. All year there is a skating rink, a sports hall, clay and artificial-grass tennis courts, padel and football pitches.
A city-run sports center at the Puerta del Ángel edge of Casa de Campo, rebuilt in 2021. Indoors there is a 25-meter pool plus a shallow teaching pool for small children. In summer three outdoor pools open: a kids' pool and two recreational pools of 33 by 16 and 36 by 25 meters. Swim classes run for every age.