Located on the city’s beachfront promenade, the Piscina-Praia is an iconic architectural landmark classified as a Property of Public Interest. Designed in the 1950s by architect Isaías Cardoso, it is locally known as the “Piscina do Grande Hotel,” although it was never part of the adjacent hotel (now Hotel Mercure). After being closed for several years, the complex was reopened for the 2024 summer season following rehabilitation works carried out directly by the municipality. This came after the revocation of a previous concession in 2023 for a hotel project that never materialised.

With legal clearance now in place, the new agreement with Enatur will proceed via direct adjudication, justified by the public interest, given the company’s majority public ownership. The plan includes the full restoration of the building and the development of new hospitality facilities, reinforcing the site’s cultural and touristic value. The municipal pool is expected to reopen for the 2025 summer season on 2 July.

At the same council session, the municipality also approved the sale of five urban properties via public auction, with a combined base value of €350,000. These municipal plots were initially intended for a land exchange to acquire the site for the future multi-use pavilion in Salmaha, in the parish of Vila Verde, overlooking the Mondego River – a €555,000 investment. Mayor Santana Lopes defended the decision, stating that “it is sound financial management, as capital expenditure should be funded by capital revenue rather than current revenue.”

However, two of the three Socialist Party (PS) councillors present voted against the measure, arguing that the Council should delay the sale to explore potential funding for public housing development.