Bronte Baths sits a little south of the beach, surrounded by the cliffs and park. Its location at the end of the popular Bondi to Bronte costal walk makes it ideal for anyone looking to squeeze in a walk and swim into the same afternoon. The baths were built in 1887 and have remained a favourites for locals and tourists ever since. Here, you can hang out on the rocks, warming yourself like a lizard before diving in — or you can float along the edge of the pool enjoying views of Bronte Beach.

Just like the ocean but without the waves, the Bronte pool receives beautiful salty water from the sea and there’s a separate shallow area for kids. Bronte Baths opened in 1887 and is said to be the birthplace of the “Australian crawl”, more commonly known as freestyle. Its historical value has been recognised by the National Trust.

Since the late 19th century, Sydneysiders have been making pilgrimages to the pocket of perfection that is the Bronte Baths. Once, people crowded into rattling trams that carried them down the hill for bathing and picnics; now, especially in summer, cars can get jammed and parking is a headache. But the crystal waters in this small bean-shaped pool cut into a pale cliff are as lovely as they were a century ago.

Sydney is blessed with arguably the greatest ocean baths on the planet and picking just one to try is a challenge. But the spectacular Bronte Baths, adjacent to the beach of the same name, is hard to beat. While the ocean here can be wild, this sheltered pool provides the ideal way to taste that salty water and enjoy a wild swim on a scorching Australian summer’s day. There’s room for serious swimmers to stretch out, as well as shallow areas for younger swimmers to get some practice in.