Piscina Municipal do Alvito

The Piscina Municipal do Alvito is a city pool in the Alvito neighbourhood of Alcântara, on Rua Professor Vieira Natividade. It belongs to Lisbon City Council and has been run directly by the Junta de Freguesia de Alcântara (the parish council) since 2016. It has two pools: a 25-metre competition pool and a 12.5-metre learner pool (tanque de aprendizagem).

Most families come for the swimming school. The parish council runs classes for babies from 6 months, a ladder of animal-named levels for children, and technique levels for older swimmers, with classes every weekday afternoon and on Saturdays.

Babies (6 to 36 months) have 30-minute classes in the learner pool, split into three groups by age:

• N1: 6 to 18 months
• N2: 18 to 24 months
• N3: 24 to 36 months

There are also mixed classes for all three. On the 2026/27 timetable, baby classes run on Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 12:00, on Saturday afternoon, and on weekday afternoons and early evenings between 16:00 and 19:10. At this age classes are about getting used to the water. The parish council describes them as a way for babies to become aware of their bodies, try new sensations and grow in confidence, with their parents alongside.

Children learn in 40-minute classes through four learning levels named after sea animals: Tartarugas (Turtles), Pinguins (Penguins), Golfinhos (Dolphins) and Tubarões (Sharks). The early levels use games to build confidence in the water, then move on to the alternating strokes (front crawl and backstroke) and later the simultaneous ones. After that come three technique levels (1, 2 and 3). The Turtle, Penguin and Dolphin classes use the learner pool, and the Sharks move between the learner pool and the 25-metre pool.

Most children’s classes run on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday pairs, from about 16:15 to 19:10, plus single-day classes on Fridays and a full Saturday programme running from the morning into the afternoon. The timetable lists more than 20 Turtle classes alone, so there’s a good choice of slots for beginners.

Monthly fees for children aged 3 to 18, from the 2026/27 price table:

• One class a week: €15
• Two a week: €22.13
• Three a week: €26.25
• Four a week: €30
• Five a week: €33.75

The full adult rate is €20 for one class a week. Registration (inscrição) costs €24.70, and yearly renewal costs €18 if you’ve kept paying all season. A trial class costs €5.50 and must be booked. Families with five or more members get 50% off from the fifth person on. Alcântara residents with the parish’s Cartão Alcântara pay the same as children, and people with a disability of more than 70% don’t pay.

Public swimming (regime livre) is sold by the hour. For children aged 3 to 18 it costs:

• €1.40 on weekdays before 17:00
• €1.75 on weekdays after 17:00 and on Saturdays

Adults pay €2.00 and €2.50. A monthly pass costs €18.50 for children and €24.80 for adults. It covers weekdays from 7:30 to 17:00 and from 20:00 to 21:00, plus Saturdays.

The parish council’s page doesn’t publish the times when public swimming lanes are open, or the rules for children swimming with a parent, so ring or email the pool before a family visit and check the pool’s rules on swim caps and footwear.

The pool hosts children’s birthday parties for at least 10 children with a teacher. They cost €450, or €300 for families registered to vote in Alcântara, plus €15 for each child over ten. Other extras on the price table include two-hour diving lessons (€25 a person, maximum five, booked ahead), personal swimming sessions from €27, and towel hire at €7.50 a month.

This is a neighbourhood sports pool with no slides or play equipment. It suits families wanting a routine, such as a weekly class or a regular swim, more than a one-off splash. Classes for school-age children are concentrated in the late afternoon, so weekday evenings are the busiest time in the changing rooms.

Alcântara has plenty for a rainy day. The Museu da Carris is in a working tram depot and includes a ride on a 1901 tram, and the Pilar 7 Bridge Experience takes you inside a pillar of the 25 de Abril bridge. On a dry day the Parque Florestal de Monsanto is just uphill. Families in Belém have another option at the Piscina do Restelo.

From what age are there swimming lessons at the Piscina do Alvito?

From 6 months. Babies have 30-minute classes in the learner pool with a parent, grouped by age up to 36 months.

How much do children’s swimming lessons cost?

On the 2026/27 price table, €15 a month for one class a week for ages 3 to 18, plus €24.70 registration.

How much is a public swim for a child?

€1.40 an hour on weekdays before 17:00 and €1.75 after 17:00 and on Saturdays.

Can you have a birthday party there?

Yes. Parties for at least 10 children with a teacher cost €450, or €300 for families registered in Alcântara.