It is starting to get hot in Vienna, and the kids have been asking to go to the swimming pool for a month already. Today it was pretty warm and after looking on a map for the closest pool, I found the little “Hofferplatz Familienbad” – Hofferplatz family swimming pool – that is pretty near our apartment. We packed up a picnic lunch, our towels and swimsuits, and decided to check it out.
The swimming pools here are often big complexes with multiple pools and they tend to be expensive. This place was great because it was very cheap – the kids are free, I only had to pay 3 Euro for myself. There is only one pool with a little grassy area, some benches and lounge chairs and it was quite uncrowded. With my small children I thought it was just right. I have a couple of non-swimmers and four kids are tough to keep an eye on in a big pool. I love the big pool complexes when I have other adults with me, but on a day with just me and the kids this was perfect.
The water is shallow enough that all my kids can stand up, but deep enough that they can get in and swim about. The water is COLD, which the kids did not mind, but I didn’t get in to swim. I walked around in the pool with James a little, but mostly I sat on my beach towel and watched the kids swim. I enjoyed being able to sit back with my snacks and just watch as they played together in the water, and when it got too hot, it was very refreshing to dip my legs in the pool.
When we first arrived there were only four or five other kids swimming. This also meant that the very attentive lifeguards blew their whistle at my kids a lot until the kids figured out that they were not supposed to climb over the metal wall in the center play area. It was really nice to swim when it was empty, and even later when more kids came, it was never full of people. The kids had a great time.
This little guy told me this was the best day ever! He was so excited to come to the pool today. He got a bit cold and came out to sit with me and the snacks a lot, but he enjoyed every minute in the water and especialy enjoyed getting up on the little cement island in the middle of the pool. From there he would sit and watch everyone swim until he was ready to get back in the water.
This is what happens when I try to take pictures of the kids. They all make these super amazing faces that I am so happy to capture.
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There is a little playground just outside the pool. This worked out really well because I was able to get the kids out of the pool without too much complaining by promising them they could play at the playground for a few minutes before heading home.
I am really glad I found this little pool. For all day pool outings with friends I would probably choose one of the bigger Vienna pools because there are water slides and more exciting pools to entertain the older kids, but on a day with just us, I will be heading to this cute little pool that is close to home. The kids are already making plans to come back and swim soon.
