The Best Outdoor Gyms in Europe
If your idea of a great workout involves a gym as well as blue skies and fresh air, we’ve put together a list of where in Europe you may want to consider for your next holiday. Think barbells, lap pools, beach gyms, running tracks, and Hyrox training zones – all under the European sunshine.
Read on for some of the best places in Europe to get in an outdoor training session.
Photo from Club La Santa
Spain
Club La Santa, Lanzarote
Club La Santa is one of Europe’s most iconic training destinations. With self-catered apartments and suites, you can live and breathe sport, fitness and wellness for the duration of your stay. With over 80 sports available and more than 500 activity sessions per week, which are all included in the price, it’s a true paradise for people who love combining fitness and holidays. The majority of the fitness facilities are outside, including a CrossFit gym, three 50-metre swimming pools, a running track, and functional fitness training areas. You can also hire bikes from the onsite bike centre to explore the island of Lanzarote on two wheels, or jump onto one of the many padel or pickleball courts. La Santa is particularly great for a family trip, or for groups of friends, as there’s something for every person, age and ability.
Tenerife Top Training, Tenerife
Set on the southern coast of Tenerife, Tenerife Top Training is a high-performance centre with world-class outdoor facilities. Initially a space for athletes and sports teams, it is fast becoming a go-to destination for retreats and training camps, as well as super active travellers who want an active vacation. Think Olympic-sized swimming pools, running tracks, strength training areas, recovery spaces, all with sea and mountain views. A range of accommodation options are available nearby if you’re looking to do more than a one-off drop-in and want to centre your trip around your training.
Photo from Lanzarote Sports Destination
Barceló Active, Lanzarote
A lot of the hotels in the Barceló group have gyms attached, with some, such as Barceló Active, offering active holiday packages. Barceló Active is situated just along from main tourist resort Costa Teguise on Lanzarote’s south coast, and boasts an incredibly well equipped gym as well as Olympic sized swimming pool. The gym is half indoor, half outdoor, with the outdoor portion covered so that you’re not having to time your training around the heat of the Spanish sun. There’s a weekly group fitness timetable if classes are more your thing, and two bike rental stores next door so you can combine the joys of movement and nature.
CrossFit 928, Gran Canaria
The Canary Islands do not disappoint when it comes to outdoor training space. Just a short car ride from Gran Canaria’s capital, Las Palmas, sits CrossFit 928. With large indoor and outdoor training areas, you can book an open gym session or join in a class, all of which are coached in both English and Spanish. The outdoor area has everything you need – rigs, rowers, ropes, and all the other kit you’d expect from a CrossFit box. Not a CrossFitter? No problem. There’s plenty of space for functional fitness so whatever your sport or training needs, you can still jump on the outdoor workout bandwagon.
Beach Fit Social, Mallorca
From the Canaries to the Balearics, Beach Fit Social is just what you need when you’re on holiday and wanting to work out without the mental energy of planning or following your own programme. Whilst there’s no physical gym space, the team takes kit to Palma Nova beach and hosts small group training and functional workouts for anyone and everyone.
Barceloneta Barras, Barcelona
We can’t write about outdoor fitness gyms without mentioning the original outdoor training playgrounds. These can be found in most cities around the world, and they are great spots to get in a bodyweight workout that is as challenging as you make it. Pack a resistance band or two to take with you, and you will have tonnes of movement options to choose from to ensure a full-body workout is on the cards. This one in Barcelona is right on the beach, so if minimal kit and maximum scenery is your thing, head here on your next trip to BCN.
Photo from Stella Island
Greece
Stella Island, Crete
Nestled in Stella Island Resort, a luxury hotel on Crete’s north coast, the gym here might just be one of the most beautiful gyms in the world. The resort may be best known for its overwater villas and utterly bliss setting, but its gym offering is just as outstanding. With both a fully equipped indoor and outdoor gym, it’s modern, spacious, and packed with strength machines, free weights, cardio equipment, and functional training areas. If you’re looking for a relaxing and luxurious holiday but don’t want to skip out on your training, Stella Island offers you just that – meaning there’s no compromise on your fitness routine, even in paradise.
Photo from The Campus
Portugal
The Campus, Quinta do Lago
The Campus is one of Europe’s top performance and wellness centres, located in the luxury resort area of Quinta do Lago. You’ll find both elite athletes and active holiday-goers using the space, which includes a high-performance training area, Olympic lifting platforms, cardio equipment, and functional zones. Outdoors, you'll find tennis and padel courts, a cycling hub, and group classes ranging from spin to circuit training. If you’re on holiday in the Algarve, the Campus is the go-to spot to get in your outdoor holiday workout.
Photo from Crossfit Egadi
Italy
CrossFit Punta Ala, Tuscany
This outdoor CrossFit is a dream setup for summer training. It’s just 50 metres from the beach and situated within the Punta Ala Camp & Resort – a glamping destination in the Maremma region of Tuscany. If you are looking for a laid-back and relaxing holiday that still allows you to easily fit in a great workout under the sun, this is one worth considering.
CrossFit Egadi, Sicily
CrossFit Egadi seamlessly combines sport and nature with a completely outdoor CrossFit box in the middle of the Aegadian countryside. Set on the beautiful island of Favignana, 18 kilometres west off the coast of Sicily, this box has a growing community of locals and tourists, as its impressive Google reviews show. There’s also onsite accommodation for people that really want to immerse themselves in island CrossFit life. Plus, they’re the organisers and hosts of Inside The Island, an annual sporting competition that combines a bit of everything, all under the sun.
Photo from Seagym
UK
SEAGYM, Brighton
What’s better than an outdoor gym? How about an outdoor training gym, plus outdoor pool, right on one of the UK’s most popular beachfronts. SEAGYM ticks all of those boxes. Right on Brighton seafront and adjacent to SEALANES, a 50 metre open air lap pool, SEAGYM offers personal training and group classes including strength training, high-intensity workouts and mobility sessions. They pride themselves on being mirror- and machine-free, as well as one of the best outdoor gyms for movement, community and that all-important seaside air.
Photo from Farm Fitness
Farm Fitness, Essex
What started as a few bits of kit in a field has become one of the UK’s most recognised outdoor training spaces. Farm Fitness combines strength training, functional fitness, and high-energy group workouts – all set on a working farm in the Essex countryside. There’s tractor tyres, strongman-style equipment, and cleverly designed rigs, with views of wide open fields rather than views of yourself in a mirror.
They offer personal training, small group training, classes, open gym sessions, and have recovery facilities including a sauna and outdoor rain shower. And for those who like to compete and want something a bit different, the summertime Farm Games is a great opportunity to put your strength, endurance and teamwork to the test at one of the UK’s best outside gyms.
STAY IN THE LOOP
Whether you’re training for performance, wanting to stay active on holiday, or just love an outdoor workout, these outdoor gyms are a perfect fit for ticking off movement and nature whilst on your travels. If you’re looking for even more ways to explore fitness across Europe, join us this year in Crete, Chamonix or Madeira, where we bring together like-minded people for training, hiking, exploring, and more. Join our mailing list here.