The first heated seawater pool in Portugal is now a reality

You can find this solar-heated water body on a beach in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia

This past weekend, the Municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia inaugurated the first heated seawater swimming in Portugal. The pool is 100% sustainable as only seawater is used, heated by solar panels. It is permanently monitored and free to use.

The leisure facility is located on Canide Norte beach, between the Grão de Areia and Ar de Mar bars. It is 20 by 25 meters, with a maximum depth of one meter and water that is kept at a temperature between 28 and 29 degrees Celsius. It also has support tents and a barrier to protect the space from the wind.

Designed with a social purpose in mind

The pool works every day, from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, and entry is made on a first-come, first-served basis, in groups of 50 people, with a maximum stay of 30 minutes. Sustainability is a differentiating factor, however, there is also a social purpose to its existence. It is essentially intended for children (accompanied by a companion), the elderly and citizens with disabilities.

"This project provides contact with sea water, at a warmer temperature, for people who are not normally able to go to the sea, either because they have a disability, are elderly, or very small children. In this way, it combines the sustainable environment, which Águas de Gaia (the local water supplier) pursues so much, with a social response. It is a pilot project that, if it goes well, and if it has people's acceptance, could be replicated in the coming years," explained on the occasion Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, the municipality's mayor.

The mayor spoke during the inaugural visit to the facility. According to the municipal website, the new pool has already aroused the interest and curiosity of dozens of holidaymakers.