Best Places for Warm Weather Swimming Training in Winter

Looking for somewhere warm to keep up your swimming training in the winter months? Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands should be top of the list.?/p>

Any professional or semi professional swimmer knows the arrival of winter doesn't mean a well-earned rest and a chance to swap their swim cap for a beanie for a few months. For those on the competitive circuit, maintaining an 'elite' status means keeping a consistent training regime – and that means a lot of cold, lonely early mornings chasing the black line at the bottom of a (hopefully!) heated pool.

To counteract this option, many UK pro and semi pro swimmers are advocating the benefits of warm weather training camps abroad, in order to stay focused and maintain peak physical condition during winter.

Spain's Costa Brava – Lloret de Mar

Probably more known for its touristic appeal than its sporting renown, Lloret de Mar's new Olympic pool is positioned squarely as a perfect warm weather training site for swimmers. Since its opening 18 months ago, the 10-lane, 50-metre Olympic pool has been praised by a steady stream of professional swimmers who have enjoyed its facilities. As well as the Olympic pool, there's a smaller training pool and an extensive fitness suite. The pool is part of the large sports centre, which also offers facilities for athletics and football training.

Aside from Lloret's enviably warm year-round temperatures, there are several excellent accommodation options within a short walk of the pool – with one, the Evenia Olympic Resort – straight opposite. As such a popular tourist destination, there is a host of cheap flights available from the UK, and there’s a cheap airport shuttle service that takes you from Barcelona's Girona Airport to Lloret in only 30 minutes.

Portugal

Portugal is popular with athletes of all disciplines as a winter training destination. It's not only the spectacular beaches of the Algarve and the wonderfully sunny weather (although that certainly helps!), but also in terms of facilities, Portugal is right up there with the best. There are multiple options available to swimmers looking for a warm weather training camp and you can pre-book an airport shuttle service to deliver you right to the doorstep of any of them.

The Rio Maior Olympic Training Centre, just an hour from Lisbon, is a one-stop site for training, competition and accommodation – meaning that once you're there, if you want to focus entirely on training with no distractions, you're in the ideal place. As well as the superb 10-lane Olympic pool, there's a state-of-the-art gymnasium so you can mix up your training regime.

As well as excellent bungalow or villa accommodation, Brown's Club, in Vilamoura, in the stunning Algarve region, features a brand new 8-lane, 50-metre pool, complete with starting blocks, lane ropes and pace clocks. Brown's Club is a purpose built sporting centre, so you'll also have free use of the relaxation suite and cross-country running track, and access to the superb gym facilities. It is also renowned for its excellent bungalow and villa accommodation so you’re guaranteed comfort during your down time.

Loul? also located in the Algarve, plays host to a well-attended international swim meet every year, so it's no surprise some of the world's most elite swimmers choose to train here during winter as well. With two pools (an outdoor 50-metre and an indoor 25-metre), a gym, sauna and spa, the swimming complex is not lacking for anything in terms of facilities. Accommodation options are situated within easy walking distance of the complex.

Tenerife

While the Canary Islands have long been popular as the site of winter training camps for swimmers, the brand new T3 Sports Complex, in La Caleta Tenerife, has taken the islands' sporting facilities to the next level.

The T3 has a 10-lane 50-metre pool as well as a smaller 25-metre pool. To help with your training regime, there's also a fully-equipped gym, designed specifically for swimmers, as well as a swimming flume. Something not many other facilities can boast is a sports science centre, but that's exactly what the state-of-the-art T3 Sports Complex has – so you'll be able to work on your mental as well as your physical training.

Your accommodation will be just a short stroll to complex and 200 metres from the beach if you want to add an ocean swim to your training! Tenerife is well served by budget airlines from the UK and, situated in the southern region of the island, La Caleta is only a 30-minute ride from the airport on an airport shuttle service.