Espassus Piscina

Lisbon has plenty of indoor municipal pools but very few outdoor ones open to the public, which is what makes Espassus Piscina worth knowing about. It’s a small summer pool in Carnide, in the north of the city, run by the Junta de Freguesia de Carnide (the parish council) together with the Azimute Radical association. It sits next to the parish council’s headquarters on Rua dos Táxis Palhinhas and has been open to the public in summer since 2006.

The parish council describes it as an outdoor pool with a separate children’s pool, a lawn, sunbeds and shaded areas. A lifeguard team runs the pool, and there’s a bar on site, the Espassus Bar.

There are two pools: the main outdoor pool and a small children’s pool. The rules say the small pool is only for children up to 10, so younger children get their own space away from teenagers and adults. The parish council doesn’t publish the depths, so ask the lifeguards when you arrive.

It’s a neighbourhood pool, not a water park. There are no slides or diving boards, and diving and jumping into the water aren’t allowed. You get into the water by the steps.

For 2026 the season ran from 8 June to 27 September. From 8 June to 13 September the pool opened every day from 10:00 to 19:00, and from 14 to 27 September only at weekends. Dates change slightly from year to year, and the parish council usually posts the new season’s poster in late spring.

The 2026 price list has two rates: one for people who live in Carnide and a higher one for everyone else. Children’s tickets are for ages 4 to 11 and adult tickets from 12. Adult tickets include a sunbed; children’s tickets don’t.

Residents of Carnide

• Full day: child €4, adult €7.50, family €20
• Half day from 14:00: child €3, adult €5, family €15

Non-residents

• Full day: child €6, adult €12, family €30
• Half day from 14:00: child €5, adult €10, family €25

A family ticket covers two adults and two children aged 4 to 11 (parents and children, or grandparents and grandchildren) and includes two sunbeds. You need to show proof that you’re related. The price list doesn’t give a price for under-4s, so ask at the entrance.

You pay at the entrance in cash, and everyone must show an ID document such as a citizen card or passport. If you leave the pool you pay again to come back in.

From the pool’s 2026 rules of use:

• Under-16s can only come in with an adult.
• Children who still wear nappies must wear swim nappies, and they must be changed in the changing rooms, never at the poolside.
• Shower before getting in, especially after putting on sun cream or oils.
• Bring a towel. Walk to the changing rooms in shoes and with a dry body.
• Only armbands, swim rings and children’s buoyancy vests are allowed. Other inflatables and balls aren’t.
• Swim in proper swimwear. T-shirts, shorts and underwear aren’t allowed in the water, though a lycra swim shirt is fine for skin conditions.
• No jumping or diving in, no running or rough play, and no speakers unless you use headphones.
• No cool boxes, parasols, chairs or tents, and no glass bottles or cups.
• The small pool is only for children up to 10.
• No pets.

The rules don’t mention swim caps.

Small snacks are allowed if you carry them in a small backpack: the rules give sandwiches, fruit, water and yoghurts as examples. Cool boxes aren’t allowed, so larger picnics are out. The Espassus Bar sells food and drinks.

Pack towels, sun cream (applied well before swimming), hats, cash for the tickets and ID for every adult. You can’t bring your own parasol, so rely on the pool’s shaded areas on very hot days.

This is a small community pool, so on the hottest weekends it can feel busy, and it’s aimed at local residents, who pay less. For families from elsewhere in Lisbon it’s still one of the cheapest outdoor swims in the city. The same Espassus complex runs tennis, a gym and music lessons out of season.

Carnide is close to Amadora’s UBBO shopping centre, where KidZania and Sould Park Jump are good plans for a day too hot or too wet for the pool. The Jardim Zoológico at Sete Rios is a short trip across the city.

Is there a children’s pool at Espassus?

Yes. There’s a small pool reserved for children up to 10, next to the main pool.

How much does it cost?

In 2026 a full day cost €4 per child and €7.50 per adult for Carnide residents, and €6 and €12 for everyone else. Family tickets for two adults and two children cost €20 or €30.

Can I pay by card?

The 2026 rules say payment is made at the entrance in cash.

Can we bring food?

Small snacks in a small backpack, such as sandwiches and fruit. Cool boxes aren’t allowed. There’s a bar.

Can my teenager go alone?

Only from 16. Under-16s must be with an adult.