Looking for a weekend getaway? If you haven't been to the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables (or the City Beautiful) before, you should definitely check it out. Not your first time? Well it may look different to you this time around; it just underwent eight months of renovations costing close to $1 Million. At any rate it is a beautiful site to see.

The 820,000 gallon pool is included on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered one of the country's grandest public pools with over 100,000 visitors each year. It was formed from a rock quarry in 1923. The pool features two waterfalls, coral caves and grottos; it is fed with cool spring water on a daily basis.

Fittingly the buildings are Venetian in style and were designed by Denman Fink, who happens to be the uncle of Coral Gables founding father-George Merrick. The area now known as the Venetian Pool was an ugly rock pit until Fink and fellow architect Phineas Paist created one of the world's most beautiful swimming pools out of it. Upon your visit to the pool you wll find expansive loggias, porticos, a cobble-stone bridge, beach and palm-lined island; quite breathtaking (and incredibly affordable).

The recent renovation included improvements and restoration of the two fountains in the patio and entrance area, a new non-skid surface on the pool deck, improvements to the deck drainage system and outdoor shower, an upgrade of the chorination system, and replacement of expansion joints at the bottom and sides of the pool. The men's and women's bathrooms and locker rooms also received major renovations and new handrails on the ramp leading to the pool were added. Funding for the project came from the City and the county's Building Better Communities Bond Program. This is the second major renovation; about $3.5 Million was spent on improving and renovating the Venetian Pool back in 1989.

So take some time with a loved one to getaway and relax at the beautiful Venetian Pool. You will come back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Find more information or take a tour visit the Venetian Pool site.

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