Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Borneo orangutan
Malaysia • 12 days, 11 nights
Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest
from
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
View all trips
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Reading Thames Lido

Thames Lido

Soak up some local history in this restored Edwardian era swimming pool.

Reading, England

Added By
Anne Brooks Butcher
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Thames Lido.   annebb / Atlas Obscura User
Thames Lido.   annebb / Atlas Obscura User
Thames Lido.   annebb / Atlas Obscura User
Thames Lido.   annebb / Atlas Obscura User
Thames Lido.   annebb / Atlas Obscura User
Thames Lido.   annebb / Atlas Obscura User
Thames Lido.   annebb / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Though it looks like a swanky setting, this once-abandoned lido (swimming facility) is a perfect place for those seeking to soak up some local history.

The pool is thought to be the only existing outdoor public baths from the turn of the 20th century. It was originally built in 1902 to allow Reading's Edwardian ladies of yesteryear to swim in seclusion from the outside world, under the canopy of the surrounding trees. Water from the nearby River Thames filled its walls.

The pool was abandoned in 1974. For decades, its once-clear water filled with murk and debris. In 2013, renovation efforts began to restore and renovate the lido, which reopened to the public in 2017.

The pool is now part of a spa, and a restaurant wraps around the pool’s edges, giving diners a view of those taking a swim. The waters within the lido are heated and kept between 70 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Related Tags

Women Swimming Pools Pools Water

Know Before You Go

The Thames Lido is situated in Kings Meadow Park, near the city center and main railway station. Parking is limited, but it's only a 10-minute walk from Reading train station. Patrons are encouraged to shower naked before swimming so the chlorine content of the water can be kept to a minimum. Contact the Lido directly for non-member swimming sessions.

Community Contributors

Added By

annebb

Published

May 17, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.archdaily.com/904201/thames-lido-marshall-and-kendon-architects
  • https://outdoorswimmer.com/blogs/swim-and-eat-at-the-new-thames-lido-in-reading
  • https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/thames-lido-reading-marshall-and-kendon
Thames Lido
Thames Path
Reading, England, RG1 8BP
United Kingdom
51.4602, -0.965354
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Maiwand Lion

Reading, England

miles away

Henry West's Grave

Reading, England

miles away

Silchester Eagle

Reading, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Reading

Reading

England

Places 7

Nearby Places

Maiwand Lion

Reading, England

miles away

Henry West's Grave

Reading, England

miles away

Silchester Eagle

Reading, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Reading

Reading

England

Places 7

Related Stories and Lists

12 Swimming Pools Where You Can Beat the Heat

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Dunbar Outdoor Pool in July 1923

    Dunbar, Scotland

    Dunbar Outdoor Pool Remains

    This Scottish bay still reveals evidence of its days as a seaside swimming pool.

  • An unusually large Roman Bath with a curved side.

    Sliema, Malta

    Roman Baths of Sliema

    Despite the name, these small saltwater swimming pools have nothing to do with the Romans.

  • The pool at Jesus Green Lido

    Cambridge, England

    Jesus Green Lido

    Cambridge’s century-old outdoor swimming pool is tied for being the longest pool in the United Kingdom, but it is also unusually narrow.

  • The Victoria Garden

    Farnham, England

    Victoria Garden

    A former Victorian swimming pool is now a tranquil and secluded park.

  • The Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial

    Honolulu, Hawaii

    Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial

    This saltwater swimming pool, which is the last of its kind in the United States, is slowly crumbling within sight of multiple high-end beachside hotels.

  • Tinside Lido

    Plymouth, England

    Tinside Lido

    A 1930s Art Deco swimming pool with a design inspired by grand ocean liners.

  • Glenwood Hot Springs Pool

    Glenwood Springs, Colorado

    Glenwood Hot Springs Pool

    Take a dip in the world's largest mineral hot springs pool.

  • Not a regular school pool…

    Muroto, Japan

    Muroto Schoolhouse Aquarium

    Sharks, stingrays, and turtles swim in the pools at this former elementary school.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.