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Health and wellbeing |
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Go swimming
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This issue we are doing a road test of swimming pools in Vilnius. Why? Because the first cover of snow makes you pine for memories of summer, and what better way to be reminded of summer than to go swimming. And as an avid swimmer back in Australia I was also curious to examine the concept of swimming while it’s snowing outside. |
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Impuls Plius |
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14 Kareivių Street Vilnius,
Tel: (8~5) 247 77 44
This new complex just past Žirmūnai has been open only a month, and is easily the most modern of the facilities on offer. The water complex is extensive and features a large bathing area, the longest water slide between here and Juodkrantė, a wave pool, waterfalls, water massage, bubbles, jets, jacoozis, spas, and even an ice room in case you have ever felt the need to sit in a giant slurpie. They offer more than the usual array of saunas with Finnish, Russian and Swedish variants all available for the clients. |
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Lietuvos telekomo sporto klubas |
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28 Savanorių Avenue Vilnius
Tel: (8~5) 2603757
A little closer to town, but in the opposite direction is the longstanding Telekomas sports club. Much more convenient for the city dweller, especially in the Christmas traffic, Telekomas is an older pool that shares the idea that a pool is more than just a pool, it is a relaxation, recreation and rejuvenation centre as well. Again there is a water slide that is the feature of the wet area, along with the spas, bubbles and jacoozi that seem so popular in Lithuania. |
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Lazdynų Laisvalaikio Centras |
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13 Erfurto Street Vilnius Tel: (8~5)216 9041
If you want to make a real splash, this is the Rolls Royce of pools in Vilnius – albeit a 1980 model. This is an Olympic standard 50 metre pool, the only one in Vilnius, and one of only three in all of Lithuania. It is a minimum of two metres at the shallow end, and five metres at the deep end, where lives the ten metre diving board. With eight wide lanes the water is heated to 28 degrees, though here that information is given in chalk on a board, and not via an electronic display.
If you can get past the Soviet trappings of this 25 year old complex you are in for a treat. The deep water adds buoyancy, and after getting used to the extra length of the pool – at first you start gasping around the 40 metre mark – you get into a rhythm that sees your stroke rate actually decrease as go, instead of rising as you get tired. There are lap timers at both ends so you can measure your pace and improvement very easily. |
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Le Meridien Villon Resort & Convention centre |
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Highway A2, Vilnius
Tel: (+370) 5 2739 797
A bit further out of town is Le Meridien Villon, and the hotel complex offers various packages for customers looking to use their pool and facilities. Although a bit pricier than the others, they offer the unlimited use of their heal th club & spa which includes a 20 metre indoor swimming pool, saunas, steam room & gym, as well as tennis and table tennis and access to their lake side beach, which would be more of a drawcard during the summer months. Time prohibited us from trying out their pool, so we had to rely on friends who told us that this is a more exclusive way to enjoy the water. |
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Health and wellbeing |
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Impuls Plius |
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Lazdynų Laisvalaikio Centras |
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Le Meridien Villon Resort & Convention centre |
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