In Chile, "Free Swim" is called "Nado Libre". Even though I could find detailed swim class and facility schedules, I found it surprising that I couldn't find the free swim schedule on most pool websites. It turns out some lanes are almost always dedicated as free swim lanes throughout the day at pools here, so there's no need to post hours so long as the pool is open!
Overall, I've found that swimming is at least 50% more expensive in Santiago than in the Bay Area. My best guess as to why is that swimming does not seem as popular among the general public here, so it's more of a niche activity with lower demand.
All the pools I've been to so far are indoors, but I'm excited to try out some outdoor ones in the Spring/Summer.
1) Piscina Temporada de Santiago
This is the only Olympic-sized pool I've made it to in Santiago. At 6.000 CLP (about $8.50 USD) for drop-in free swim during low times, it's also the cheapest I've found downtown. It's located in Parque O'Higgins about a 10-minute walk from the subway and boasts three "warm tubs" next to the pool. (I hesitate to call them hot-tubs because they truly are not hot... just warm enough to allow for some extra-comfortable pre/post swim stretching) It's worth noting that it's the only pool where I've had to take a swim test... they require 100m of freestyle. I do find it a bit inconvenient that the pool is uniformly too deep for me to stand in, so you have to hang off the wall if you want a rest mid-swim.
2) Stade Francais
This pool is the snootier cousin to the Piscina Temporada in Parque O'Higgins. To be fair, the staff and members have always been extremely welcoming and friendly towards me, but it's hard to forget your if you are a non-member once you set foot on the premises. The pool at Stade Francais is part of a private club in the upper-class neighborhood of Las Condes, about a 10-minute walk from the Tobalaba Metro. The club is complete with tennis courts, sports fields, and a playground. Stade Frances reserves lots of amenities for members-only. The cost for free-swim is 8.000 CLP. That gets you into the "non-club-member" locker room and "non-club-member" free swim lanes. Once, I overheard some ladies talking and found out one of them used to be a club member- apparently that locker room is a lot nicer. Also note that non-members are not permitted on weekends.
The pool itself is located inside a huge, industrial white tent of sorts... it really reminds me of the circus. They have a neat revolving door that connects the tent to the main building. I've never seen a pool quite like it!
One other hot tip about swimming here- if you go at lunch time you share the pool with some intense swim classes that are quite fun to watch. About 20 people are packed into a lane and swim FAST. I think they do it intentionally (because there are other free lanes) to push each other. Line up 3 lanes in a row and it's like watching sardines swim in a pack. I always feel kind of funny having the free-swim lane to myself and watching. The water gets choppy!
3) Centro Deportivo de Providencia
This pool is tucked away into the neighborhood of Providencia. The closest Metro is Santa Isabel, which is about 20 minutes walking away. It's 8.000 CLP to swim during low times and 10.000 CLP to swim at peak hours. I appreciate the fact that they have private bike parking where an attendant takes note of your ID and double checks at pickup, so no strangers can run off with it. Although the price is not the cheapest, the facility is well-maintained and has a giant window that lets in lots of natural light over the indoor pool.
4) Centro Natación Patricia Thompson
This pool is the smallest, but also the cheapest! It's the only pool I've been to that lets you buy multiple free-swim scrips for a discounted price. You can get 4 swims for about 19.000 CLP. All other pools have a monthly rate, which requires you to swim a minimum of 8 times/month to work out in your favor. The pool has only 3 lanes (including one lane that is too shallow to swim laps in) and is probably about 15m long. Like the Centro Deportivo above, it's located in Providencia. If you go at an off-time, you're likely to get it to yourself. My biggest complaint is that I had to shower in ice-cold water not once, but twice! I complained and was told the building is old and the cold water issue isn't unusual... that's the last time I went.
5) Piscina Antilén and Piscina Tupahue
To be honest, these two pools are probably not the best for lap-swim, and I haven't even been to them, but it feels wrong to write a blog post on swimming in Santiago without including the pair. Piscina Antílen and Piscina Tupahu are public pools located about a 30-minute walk up Cerro San Crístobal in the biggest park in Santiago. Check out this video to get a sense for the amazing location. Since they're outdoor, they've been closed for months, but we'll be there when they re-opens soon! Cost is 6.000-7.500 CLP.
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