The Historic Venetian Pool - Coral Gables

You can escape the Miami scene and feel like you’re in Venice, Italy with the architecture, bridges, and chilly waters at the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, Florida. 

 

The Venetian Pool wasn’t always a swimming spot, it began life as a coral rock  quarry.  In the early 1920s, coral rock limestone was being excavated there to help build roads, entrances and Mediterranean-style homes in the new planned community of Coral Gables. Once the quarry pit was no longer needed, it left a large unattractive four acre hole in the land.

 

Coral Gables founder George Merrick, visionary artist Denman Fink and architect  Phineas Paist decided to turn that eyesore into something magical. In 1924, they transformed it into a public pool styled after the romantic waterways of Venice, complete with waterfalls, bridges, grottos and island palms. 

 

In the early decades, the Venetian pool wasn’t just for swimming, it was a social destination for high society.

 

Gondolas imported from Italy could be at the pool’s edge, just like in Venice, while hosting live music and big band performances, where movie stars such as Johnny Weissmuller and Esther Williams reportedly appeared there during its glamorous early years. 

 

One of the unique things about the Venetian Pool is its water system which is fed by natural spring water from the underground Biscayne Aquifer and originally the entire pool was drained and refilled daily with fresh water (820,000 gallons), a ritual that made the water exceptionally clear and cool.

 

In 1981 the Venetian Pool was added to the National Register of Historic Places, making it one of the only public pools in the United States to earn that distinction.

 

Today the pool is open daily from 9 to 5, with plenty of lifeguards.   It’s an amazing spot for the whole family. The kiddy pool has a nice sand beach area and the waterfall rock grotto you can actually swim inside. 

 

Just another charming treasure just off Route 1.