Piscinas Foz do Cávado

The Piscinas Foz do Cávado are Esposende’s municipal pools, on the riverside where the river Cávado meets the sea. The council company Esposende 2000 runs them. The complex has a heated indoor pool that makes waves, two children’s pools, a jacuzzi with a view over the estuary, and, in summer, a large outdoor saltwater pool with its own children’s area. There’s also a gym, a health club and a small shopping area.

For children, the waves are the reason to come. The building is almost 30 years old, and it has had a difficult couple of years with building work, so read the section on works before you set off.

According to Esposende 2000, the indoor pool covers 600 square metres and is heated to about 30°C. It’s used for leisure and for swimming lessons. The depth increases gradually to a maximum of 1.80 metres, so small children can stay in the shallow part while older ones swim out.

At set times, the pool produces waves for about five minutes. The operator describes it as “adventure at sea” in safe, warm water. It also has underwater sound.

From September to June, the published wave times at weekends and on public holidays are 13:15, 15:00 and 16:30. The operator changes the timing with the season, so ask at reception when you arrive and plan your swim around the next set of waves.

The indoor pool holds up to 300 people at once and runs all year.

The complex has two children’s pools of different depths, each kept at a temperature suited to the age using it. The operator doesn’t publish their depths.

Beside the wave pool there’s a jacuzzi (hidromassagem) at about 35 to 36°C with a panoramic view over the mouth of the Cávado. Inside there’s also a solarium area you can use outside the summer season.

In the summer bathing season only, the outdoor saltwater pool opens every day from 9:00 to 20:00. It has two parts:

• A children’s area of 88 square metres.
• An adults’ area of 686 square metres, up to 2 metres deep.

Around the pool there’s a lawn, a natural sun terrace with views over the Cávado estuary, a bar and a snack area. The outdoor pool can take 686 people at a time.

The operator’s public swimming prices (lazer livre), when checked in September 2026:

Ticket	Under 6	6 to 16	17 to 64	65 and over
No time limit, September to June	Free	€4.50	€7.00	€5.50
Up to 2 hours, September to June	Free	€3.80	€5.80	€4.70
No time limit, July and August	Free	€6.70	€9.70	€7.70
Up to 2 hours, July and August	Free	€5.70	€8.20	€6.50

Under-6s go in free only with a paying adult. VAT is included. For a family of two adults and two children over 6, a summer day costs about €33, so it’s worth checking whether a two-hour ticket will do.

The pools’ swimming school is called “O Ondinhas” (little waves). Esposende 2000 runs baby swimming for ages 6 months to 3 years, with parents in the water, and lessons for children and adults. It also runs a long-standing swimming programme with the council for children in pre-school and primary school.

Birthday parties in the “Party Club Ondinhas” are for ages 3 to 14. Sports staff lead the activities, with one instructor for up to 15 children and two for bigger groups, plus one family member. The basic party doesn’t include food, but catering can be arranged.

In summer 2026, Esposende 2000 also ran the Esposende Summer Camp for ages 6 to 16, from 29 June to 31 July.

The pools have been through a long renovation:

• From 14 September 2025, the pool service closed so the building’s roof could be replaced. The operator expected the work to take about four months, and lessons and aqua aerobics stopped until January 2026.
• In February 2026, local press reported that the work had stalled and the building was without a roof.
• In April 2026, the council announced a new €1.4 million renovation and energy-efficiency contract with a 180-day timescale.
• In July 2026, the magazine New in Braga described the pools, indoor and outdoor, as open for the summer.

Because the work may still be going on, phone +351 253 964 182 before a special trip, and ask whether the wave pool is running.

The pools are on the riverside in Esposende, across the Cávado from Praia de Ofir. Further south along the coast, Praia da Apúlia has its round stone windmills. For another pool with slides in the region, Guimarães’ Scorpio pools have a children’s area with slides, and Barcelos’ municipal pools are inland along the Cávado.

Does Esposende have a wave pool?

Yes. The indoor pool at the Piscinas Foz do Cávado makes waves for about five minutes at set times. Outside summer, the published weekend times are 13:15, 15:00 and 16:30.

Is the water warm?

The indoor pool is heated to about 30°C and the jacuzzi to about 35 to 36°C. The outdoor pool is saltwater and only opens in the summer season.

Is there a toddler pool?

There are two indoor children’s pools of different depths, and the outdoor saltwater pool has an 88-square-metre children’s area in summer.

How much does it cost?

When checked in September 2026, ages 6 to 16 paid €4.50 from September to June and €6.70 in July and August for a visit with no time limit. Adults paid €7 and €9.70. Under-6s went in free with a paying adult.

Are the Foz do Cávado pools open?

The complex had a long closure for roof works from September 2025, and more renovation was announced in April 2026. Press in July 2026 described it as open, but phone ahead to check.