Are you looking for somewhere new to train and improve your technique in the water? Catalonia offers you outstanding facilities such as outdoor and indoor Olympic swimming pools suitable for competitive and synchronised swimming, diving and water polo. Some of these facilities are also equipped with platforms and diving boards for practising jumps and somersaults.But swimming in a pool is not the only option Catalonia has to offer if you enjoy this sporting discipline. You can combine the pool with outings in the open waters of the Vies Braves, a public network of marine itineraries for sports, leisure and educational activities. The Mediterranean climate will enable you to go swimming in the open sea and in outdoor pools almost all the year round, so you won't have to worry about feeling cold. Do you want to find out more?Olympic pools in CataloniaThe municipal Olympic pool in Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava is an excellent choice for training. Located in the heart of the town, it has a mobile 9-metre partition screen to section off a smaller area of the pool, the whole pool covers an area 1,250m in size and forms part of a state-of-the-art sports complex. If you want to go swimming in Girona, we recommend the GEiEG sports complex in Sant Ponç, which has a 50-metre pool with a retractable roof and another 25-metre pool. The complex also has tennis and paddle courts.A little further south, on the Costa Barcelona, the Crol Centre Calella has an outdoor 10-lane heated Olympic pool open all the year round that’s ideal even in winter. It also has a health and nutrition centre and a spa for high-performance athletes. Other examples of top-class facilities are the municipal swimming pools in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, located less than 20 minutes from Barcelona. There are two indoor pools and one outdoor pool, as well as fitness rooms, guided activities and a spa.The Club Natació Sabadell, with several Olympic pools (one of them outdoors), is also a historical landmark in the world of professional swimming. Several Olympic swimmers and medal winners swim here, including Mireia Belmonte. Catalonia's future champions train at these facilities and they’re an excellent option if you want to prepare for major competitions. Speaking of professional sports facilities, we shouldn’t forget the High-Performance Centre in Sant Cugat, which contributes to the training of sportspeople and houses two Olympic pools (one indoor and one outdoor) for competitions and training sessions, as well as an indoor diving pool.Swimming in the open sea TheVies Braves allow swimmers to venture into the Mediterranean in complete safety. These open water routes are marked out by signs and buoys to indicate the path to take and to enable you to enjoy swimming without having to worry about anything. Most of the routes run in parallel along various coastal paths. They allow you to combine swimming and diving with hiking and running as you enjoy the landscape from different perspectives.All the routes run along the Catalan coast from north to south, so you just have to choose one (or even several) of them. Those on the Costa Barcelona, for example, range from 0.5m to 1km in length and they’re ideal for lighter training. The city of Barcelona has two routes in front of the beaches in La Barceloneta and Mar Bella. You’ll also find a couple to choose from in Salou on the Costa Daurada.If, on the other hand, you’re looking for more demanding itineraries, the Costa Brava is your best option, as the route from Platja d’Aro to S’Agaró (2km) and those in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (1.8km) and Pals (1.5km) are sure to test your endurance.Where would you like to swim in Catalonia, indoors or outdoors?