To feel so disappointed I can't get in the pool

[Pikola]

Very much a first world problem. It is however ruining our holiday a bit and I can't see a solution.

We came to Cyprus expecting the weather to still be a bit chilly, its Feb. Its absolutely baking lovely hot and sunny. Fantastic! But the pool is so cold it's basically unusable, no one has got in it. My husband has tried three times and had to get out straight away.

It's lovely getting all in the sun but part of the fun is cooling.off in the pool.

It sounds silly but it's putting a bit of a dampner on things as I can't really sit in the heat for long without it and I really love swimming pools on holiday.

We are in Paphos, it's lovely. Any tips??

I would be leaping in and enjoying the rare opportunity to have an empty pool to myself 😂😂
I gave up on indoor pool swimming a while ago because people were annoying me and now swim in a large lake, it’s been between 1-4 degrees since the new year!
Maybe just switch your thinking and be grateful that you at least have warmer outdoor temps than expected. I’ve rarely encountered a heated pool in Europe at any time tbh.

I went to the Algarve in August and pool and sea were freezing! It was really windy too.

Next year go to a skiing resort, even if you don't ski! If you want somewhere with a really hot pool, go to Bad Hofganstein, in Austria, it is a nice town, with stunning views, and it is a spa town with very warm natural water in the main swimming pool. You can start off in the inside pool, and then swim under something right into the outdoor pool, which has steam rising off it. It was glorious!

We were there during a February half-term break, and nearly every day was very sunny, and in the sun it was actually warm - but of course I can't guarantee the sun! The sun sparkled off the snow, which looked beautiful. However, this was quite a few years ago now, so I suppose lots of things could have changed since then.

Even in April / May the pool is cold as the day’s aren’t as long and the sun isn’t as strong. That’s why I’d choose a city break over beach in winter, unless going to the southern hemisphere

I live in sw France, it’s beautifully warm and sunny here today. However the days are short. Therefore sun hours are probably 7 or 8 a day. The sun is still weak first thing and last.
Your pool is probably getting 4 hours tops of decent heat from the sun, it’s a big pool and the surface area will be losing all that heat after sunset.
This is why we don’t even bother opening our pool until mid May.
The water will be chilly until the end of June.

Our friends heated their pool one April for friends arriving, their oil bill was enormous.

I didn’t think the season started before May in Cyprus.

Yes, but water has a very high specific heat capacity so takes a LOT of energy to heat up. Even "very hot" by Feb/March standards will mean there's not enough hot hours during the day to get the temperature high enough to be enjoyable.

Just jump in and swim fast! You'll soon warm up.

What temperature do you regard as “very hot”?

Not Cyprus but Dubrovnik. The pool was in almost constant shade and was freezing - in August! I guess it never did warm up. The sea was bliss though.

According to the met office

the highest temp today in Paphis is… drum roll…. 18c

since when is that “very hot”?

The sea temperature in Paphos is currently about 17.5C, which is about the highest it ever gets in Bournemouth in mid-summer. So I'd give the beach a whirl!

Cyprus is in Europe and I would’t really expect to be swimming outside anywhere in Europe no matter how warm it might feel in the sun.

Just like in many parts of Australia and similar countries it may feel quite hot in the middle of the day in winter but people wouldn’t generally go swimming outside unless training etc.

You can’t assure me 😂

18 degrees isn’t very hot op

IME you really can't go anywhere in Europe before April and expect pool weather especially if the pools aren't heated. We went to Cape Verde in March and it was freezing and cloudy the whole time. You really need to go longhaul I'm afraid. Cyprus is a gorgeous country though, beautiful food and interesting sites and this will be the perfect weather for exploring so maybe get out and enjoy that side of it.

Only if you are British!! 😆

Of course an unheated pool in Cyprus during Feb would be freezing. You said yourself you was expecting it to be chilly.

I’m British

and in NO situation ever would I regard 18 degrees as “very hot”

Mind you I’m in the beautiful south east when it’s absolutely stunningly sunny and mild today

As someone who went swimming yesterday in an unheated outdoor pool in England, I find the idea that it’s unusable a bit wild. If you start swimming, you soon warm up

I'd never expect to get in any hotel pools in the Med until late June.

What were you expecting, OP?
In my limited experience, very few outdoor pools in countries that have very hot summers (and thus warm Springs and Autumns) are heated.

I don't understand why you thought you might be able to use the outdoor pool, but you obviously were otherwise it wouldn't be ruining your holiday.

...and in a sun trap the sun does feel very warm.
I was saying to DS that the teenage girls will be out in their Nike pros and vest tops even though it's still about 7C!

I went wild swimming last year. It was really cold but you feel amazing when you get out. Just grit your teeth get straight in no stopping, keep swimming really fast to keep yourself warm, when to get out then have warm shower and get dressed, have a hot coffee and something to eat. Honestly it was so good, like being on some happy pill.

Surprised you say that about October as we have been in October and the pool and sea was no problem. It was still particularly hot so maybe we were lucky.

The sea was actually lovely and warm, the pool was absolutely freezing though.

I was in lanzarote recently and there was 1 heated pool but it was nippy getting out. I actually think pools are over rated(good for kids but I don’t really like them for myself as an adult). You end up having to wash your hair after , it gets very drying doing it every day and it is hassle in a way. I also sea swim at home and the sea is very cold even in summer..but something so unappealing about a cold pool that reeks of chlorine.

look on the bright side. You can sit outside and enjoy nice warm sun and walks outside and are probably escaping gloomy weather at home.