Mid-summer in Florence is invariably hot and sticky, and one of the best ways to cool off is to head to one of the public swimming pools. The nicest and cleanest of these is Le Pavonniere in the Cascine park, an oasis of green on the north bank of the Arno. Not great for doing laps as it’s a weird shape, but the long chairs, umbrellas and a lawn surrounded by trees make up for this. There is a bar and a restaurant with live music in the evenings. But beware the gawpers on the lookout for sun-worshipping foreign women.
