Place to swim in Rome?

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

Former Member — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:01:43 GMT

Hi Cheakamus welcome in Rome! By the way the ending of your nickname (-us) is very common in latin, so you are in the right place! Jammers are for professionals and in Italy swimming is not so popular like in U.S., therefore you will find tipically amateurs wearing briefs. Flip-flops or rubber shoes are recommended to avoid warts. In Rome there are a lot of swimming pools. I would also recommend www.aquaniene.it (50 mt pool in summer) or www.piscinadellerose.it (50 mt pool only summer). About tools (briefs, pull buoys, caps,...) I recommed to visit Decathlon stores. Ciao

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

cheakamus — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:24:57 GMT

So just to update everyone, the Roman Sports Center in the Villa Borghese Park was a bust — 270 euros a month to swim and probably other fees as well. But the good news is that with the help of a local friend, I did find a place to swim — Centro Sportivo "Santa Maria," Via M. Boiardo 28. It's between the Colosseum and S. Giovanni in Laterano, which is about a half hour's walk from our apartment in the Campo de' Fiori (depending on how many tourists are milling around in front of the Colosseum and Forum). It's a nice pool, clean, 8 lanes by 25 meters, not overly chlorinated nor overly warm, not terribly busy in daytime (I had a lane to myself yesterday). But there are no gutters and the walls are high, making it a bit of an effort to get out of unless you use the ladder. There's a time clock and paddle boards, but I think you have to bring your own pull-buoy. The price is reasonable, by Rome standards. Membership is 80 euros a year, so obviously, the longer you stay, the cheaper it is. They have different monthly fees: 72 euros for just lunchtimes, Monday to Friday; 107 for mornings only, 7 days a week; and 125 for the full meal deal. They also have single guest passes at 18 euros for non-members and 12 for members, which is probably the cheapest you're going to find if you're visiting for just a few days. I'm told that there's also a masters group, which I believe meets at night, but management is separate from the pool itself, and you need to contact the coach well in advance. (There's also some information about this on the Swimmer's Guide website.) I'm going to look into it next time I come to Rome. A couple of points to note: You do have to have a doctor's certificate to swim here. I brought a one-liner from my doc in Seattle which stated simply "'Cheakamus' is fit to swim as much as he wishes." They accepted this after I supplied a translation with the help of Mr. Google and some university letterhead. I've heard that other pools are not as accommodating. You have to wear a swim cap ("cuffia"), so bring one with you, as they cost 10 euros (!) at the local sports stores. Men I think are required to wear briefs — at least I didn't see anyone wearing jammers (but I could be wrong). Most Italians also put on a robe and flip-flops to move between the pool and lockerroom and even between the showers and their lockers (10 steps). But it's not obligatory, I believe. Your own lock, soap and towel completes the necessities. I hope this is of help for anyone else visiting Rome. I'm really looking forward to swimming every day, once I get back from a trip to the countryside.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

cheakamus — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:55:31 GMT

Thanks, Steve. It looks like a nice pool, but it probably won't be open in fall. And unfortunately, most of the indoor hotel pools in Rome have astronomical drop-in rates. I'm hoping the Roman Sports Center near the Villa Borghese will still be offering its 100 euro special when I get there.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

Stevepowell — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:54:56 GMT

We also just got back from Rome: www.crowneplazaromehotel.com/index.htm Don't know their policy on drop ins. One of the few hotel pools I've ever seen with lane markings and decent length.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

swimcat — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:38:06 GMT

the cavaliari hilton had a 25m outdoor but it was for guests. and i was there years ago. don't swim, just walk.:) some of the best pools i swam at in Italy :anim_coffee: were desenzano and of course riccione. sparkling clean pool. cortina - b/c it is a ski resort. let it go tooo hot.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

aztimm — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:15:38 GMT

I recall seeing someone in the blogs saying they were swimming in Rome in the last week or two. That was probably me. I just got back from Rome this past week and swam almost every day, but just at my hotel pool. I think they have monthly deals for locals, but for non-guests I think it is about E15-20/day, but that includes the fitness center. The pool was outside 25m, but kept at 30C or higher (that's around 90F or above). It isn't necessarily a lap pool though; there aren't lanelines or markings on the bottom, but I could mostly swim between some of the depth markings. There are places for lanelines, but I never saw them used. The hotel isn't downtown, but about a 10-15 min taxi ride away (the hotel also has a shuttle to Barbarini Piazza). Shoot me a PM if you want more info.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

Betsy — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:33:22 GMT

McTrusty mentioned the Roman Sport Center at the Villa Borghese. I swam there when we were in Rome one Christmas. It was the only place our consierge knew from a list I had gotten online. It was my only day to swim and it was worth the 26 Euro for that one day. I could have used any of the facilities and I did take advantage of the hot tub. It was interesting because each lane had at least one person, all slower than I am, and all men. I was very careful not to bother anyone. Pretty soon my lane mates were stopping on the turns to let me pass. If I were there for 3 months (I wish), I'd try to get information on joining. My visit was perfect. I took a taxi there because I wan't sure exactly where it was. It was a beautiful day and I walked back to the hotel, feeling like a million dollars (or Euros).

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

cheakamus — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:04:43 GMT

Thanks, Franco. I had looked at the Roman Sports Center listing on Swimmer's Guide, but hadn't clicked on the link, so I didn't know about the special. It's ordinarily 20 euros a swim, which as I'm sure you know, is around US$30! It'd be great if they're still offering the special in October, which is when I arrive. I think I could probably walk there from Campo de' Fiori in about forty minutes, which beats going to the Foro Italico, which took me an hour last time by bus and tram. There's also a mini bus that goes from the Campo to Villa Borghese, so that would be another way to get there. Please let me know if you hear anything more from your niece.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

cheakamus — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:58:44 GMT

So it's back to Rome again this fall for another 3 months, and I really, really want to swim this time. I was hoping that someone might have some more up-to-date information as to where I might try. I visited a couple of pools last time—the Centro Sportino Aventino and the Foro Italico—but for various reasons (medical certificate, other paperwork, expense) I never did get to swim. This time I'm determined to do (and pay) whatever it takes. Anyone have any suggestions?

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

Former Member — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 06:04:20 GMT

If you are staying downtown again there aren't too many options. If you are near Villa Borghese, Roman Sport Center is offering a special for 100 euro a month. I would email for details. www.romansportcenter.com/.../ Not a bad walk from Campo dei Fiori if that is where you will be again. I think my niece is there right now and may be swimming while she is there. I'll see if I can find out anything more for you. I recall seeing someone in the blogs saying they were swimming in Rome in the last week or two. It really depends on where you are staying. I would try a monthly membership if I were there that long. The daily gets rather pricey. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

cheakamus — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:36:26 GMT

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

Former Member — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:28:22 GMT

Thank you both for your replies. I'll definitely try the Centro Nuoto, altho it'll probably be a lengthy bus ride for me as well (we're staying in the Campo de' Fiori). My understanding is that most of the outdoor pools will be closed by the time we arrive (October). From what I've read so far, it seems swimming in Italy is quite different from here—much more expensive, and fewer public options. P.S. Thanks for the heads-up re: medical certificate—I'll be sure to get one before I leave. Rome isn't Miami o SD, in october the weather can be very nice (sunny, high in mid 70s early, but can be wet and cooler, with low in mid-low 50s ) so no outdoor pools after mid-late september, and outdoor pools are (nearly) all for leasure, not for training. Swimming in Rome and in Italy isn't expensive, I'm sure that in downtown NYC or LA the fitness center are more expensive. I think that the real problem is to find a decent pool not crowded by mid-age people more slow that a stone or a pool that is open early in the morning if you like to train early in the day. Nearly all the fitness center usually have monthly, quartely membership around 80-100 euro for month. The older districts have no pool at all, more you move away the better center you can find, the best center with pool are on the norther part of the city, but without a car, they're pretty hard to get.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

Gail Roper — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:01:44 GMT

I have just returned from wonderful Rome, stayed between the Campo di Fiori and the Plaza Navona. My daughter managed to get pool passes to the indoor pool near the Olympic pool (closed for coming meet preparations) but we never used them, having too much fun in Rome.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

cheakamus — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:48:08 GMT

Thanks, Mazzy. I'll definitely look around to see if I can find a pool with monthly/quarterly membership. My comment on the expense was based on the pools listed in Swimmers' Guide, some of which charge 20 euros or more for a single visit! The long bus rides will give me a chance to practice my execrable Italian :). I know the weather can be very pleasant in Italy in fall. We spent the month of October 2006 in Bellagio, and except for the last week when it rained a lot, I swam in the lake every day.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

mctrusty — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:37:34 GMT

P.S. Thanks for the heads-up re: medical certificate—I'll be sure to get one before I leave. You might want to make sure you can use one from the US. I'm not sure whether or not you get it from an Italian doctor or not.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

Former Member — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:47:03 GMT

I have not swam in Rome in years, but there are a few outdoor 50m pools. One was used for the 1983 European Champ's, the other is called Acqua Acetosa - I had a training camp there once.

RE: Place to swim in Rome?

mctrusty — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:07:43 GMT

I went to Rome a couple of months ago. The pool I went to is A.S. Centro Nuoto. It's 25m, in the basement of another building. It's nothing too special, but they have a pace clock and a lot of open swim options. They have a master's team, but I just did a drop in for 9 Euro (as the site states). My wife and I stayed near the Villa Borghese and the trip out to this pool was around 45 minutes to an hour, using the directions on the swimmer's guide. There was another 25m pool and sports complex by our hotel, The Roman Sport Center, but the drop in rate was 26 Euro (almost 40 bucks when we were there). So we opted to get out of the city center and adventure out to the burbs to see the much cheaper pool and get away from tourists for a while. Now, here's something you might like to know: you are supposed to have a medical certificate to swim in many pools there. But, as I understand it, many places don't really enforce or check. That was my experience in going out to the smaller pool mentioned above. There was a sign on the wall, but they didn't ask me for my medical cert. But that's one man's experience with one pool, so YMMV. If you're going to be there for 3 months, you might look into the certificate thing anyway. It might open up more pool and/or team options for you.