Piscinas Municipais Victor Martelo

Reguengos de Monsaraz is the small town below the walled hilltop village of Monsaraz, close to the Alqueva lake in the Évora district. Its council pools, the Piscinas Municipais Victor Martelo, are in the town’s sports and leisure area (Zona de Desporto e Recreio). In summer they’re one of the main places in the area to cool off, and the complex has won the Prémio 5 Estrelas Regiões award in the municipal pools category for the Évora district three years running.

The council describes five pools:

• An Olympic pool with eight lanes, for confident swimmers.
• A diving pool (piscina de saltos).
• A leisure pool (piscina de lazer) for general splashing and play.
• A children’s pool (piscina para crianças) for the youngest.
• An indoor learner pool (piscina coberta para aprendizagem), where the municipal swimming school (Escola Municipal de Natação) runs its classes.

The four outdoor pools open in summer. Around them there’s a playground for children and a bar with a terrace, plus changing rooms, showers and toilets. With a leisure pool as well as a children’s pool, older children have somewhere to play away from the lane swimmers in the Olympic pool.

The council doesn’t publish depths, water temperatures or what boards the diving pool has, so check with the lifeguards on arrival.

The outdoor pools open for the summer bathing season, which the council sets each year. In 2026 they reopened on 13 June, with free entry on the first day. They open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 20:00, and close on Mondays for maintenance.

Day tickets in summer 2026:

• Up to 6: free
• 7 to 10: €1 from Tuesday to Friday, €1.20 at weekends and on holidays
• 11 to 17: €1.85 and €2.20
• Adults: €2.30 and €2.90

For regular swimmers there’s a season entry card (Cartão de Entradas), valid only for that summer. Ten entries cost €10.50 for 7 to 10-year-olds, €15.50 for 11 to 17-year-olds and €20.70 for adults. Twenty entries cost €20.70, €31.20 and €41.50. Members of the Câmara Reguengos Clube get 50% off day tickets for the whole household.

A weekday visit for two adults, a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old comes to €5.60.

From September to May the indoor pool is used for the swimming school and has set times for public swimming (utilização livre). The council publishes these on its swimming school page. Contact the pools on 266 502 103 for the current timetable and for children’s lessons.

The council says anyone who pays the entry fee and meets the pool’s requirements can use it, but the rules themselves aren’t on the page we could read. Bring swim caps and flip-flops in case they’re needed, and ask at the entrance about the diving pool and whether young children need an adult with them.

The pools close on Mondays. Hot summer weekends are the busiest time. We found no published information about shade or parking, and the council doesn’t list depths, so plan to ask. The indoor pool is a learner pool for lessons rather than a leisure pool.

A morning in Monsaraz, with its castle and views over the Alqueva, pairs well with an afternoon swim in town. After dark, the area is part of the Dark Sky Alqueva reserve: the Dark Sky Alqueva observatory at Cumeada and the Lago Alqueva observatory both run telescope nights. The Évora municipal pools are the next big council pool to the north west.

How much are the Reguengos de Monsaraz pools?

In summer 2026, children up to 6 were free, 7 to 10-year-olds paid €1 on weekdays and €1.20 at weekends, and adults paid €2.30 and €2.90.

Is there a pool for small children?

Yes. The complex has a children’s pool, as well as a separate leisure pool.

When are the outdoor pools open?

During the summer season set by the council, from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 20:00. In 2026 they opened on 13 June.

Is there anything for children besides the water?

Yes, there’s a playground next to the outdoor pools and a bar with a terrace.

Is there an indoor pool in Reguengos?

Yes, an indoor learner pool used by the municipal swimming school, with public swimming times from September to May.