Madrid is a beautiful city, but no, it doesn’t have a coastline and that can sometimes be an obstacle for people who want to settle in Spain, as they would rather live close to the sea. But although there is no beach in Madrid, most people do not know that Madrid has the best rivers to cool off during periods with high summer temperatures. Therefore, today this article by ShMadrid will tell you more about natural pools and rivers near the capital, where swimming or other water activities can be fully enjoyed.
Related article: Tips for Keeping Your Home Cool in Summer
Discover the best rivers for water activities in Madrid
Photo by climadat via Visualhunt
The first river we will tell you about is the natural pool of Riosequillo, located at the Riosequillo reservoir, in the Municipality of Buitrago de Lozoya, in Madrid. It is the largest natural pool in Spain. It is 4,500 square meters big and has a capacity of 2,000 people. The riverwater in the pool is treated with chlorine to avoid infections, but its temperature is exactly the same as that of a natural river, which makes it nice and cool. The facilities at the natural pool offer a variety of services for its visitor, such as resting areas for sunbathing, a picnic area with tables and benches, public toilets, locker rooms for your privacy, a bar with snacks and drinks, a football and basketball court and a children’s playground. Opening hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the season starts from mid-June till the end of August. Another place to enjoy a hot summer is Charca Verde, one of the most famous and crowded areas of the beautiful landscape of La Pedriza, and also known as ‘la playa de la Sierra de Madrid’. Thanks to its wonderful landscape and different hiking routes, many people pay a visit to Charca Verde during the year, although summertime makes it the absolute favourite place of locals, looking for a place to bathe in the sun and cool off in its clean and cold waters, belonging to the river Manzanares .
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Photo by Jesús Pérez Pacheco via Visualhunt
To get to Charca Verde, you can leave your car at the Canto Cochino car park, and from there you walk a 30-minute forest trail, that leads to this fun and exhilarating spot. If you do not want to walk that far in the summer heat, there are several pools to cool off along its entire route. Our last recommendation is Playa del río Alberche, a river beach perfect to take your children to, located in the municipality of Aldea del Fresno. In this Madrid town, the river Alberche and one of its tributaries, the river Perales, join each other. There is enough water at this conflux to bathe, and because it does not have a large depth, this makes it a safe place to swim with even younger children. It is located about 50 km from Madrid. This river is excellent if you seek some tranquillity, as there are usually less people here, than at other swimming locations. Besides its calm atmosphere, you can also enjoy a picnic area, showers and even some points where you can get drinking water .
Have you been to any of these rivers? What is your advice to cool off during the summer?
