Blanca Valbuena

Gyms in Lisbon

Best Gyms in Lisbon Portugal

As most of you know I work online all day, that’s a dangerous thing for someone who lives in Lisbon where food is delicious (and cheap). Lucky for me, before settling here I got to try tons of gyms. I’ll leave the best for last (the one I picked for my membership), but I’ll give you a breakdown of the best gyms in Lisbon so you can stay healthy and in shape (and still enjoy all of Lisbon’s delicious food).

Best Gyms in Lisbon

Fitness hut is the cheapest gym in Lisbon
Fitness Hut is the best value gym in Lisbon. Customer service does take a hit
Fitness Hut  $ The Good: This is your budget gym. Memberships run at €7 per week. It’s a fine gym if you aren’t looking for any amenities. At the premier membership, you can go to any of the clubs within the chain and there are plenty (almost 20 in the Lisbon area). This is one of the best gyms in Lisbon when it comes to value. The Bad: They require that you have a Portuguese or European bank account (no US credit cards or cash are accepted). Customer service varies by location and really leaves a lot to be desired. The Verdict: Go if you want to save money, but don’t expect much. This is your no-frills convenient gym. Locations: Alfragide, Almirante Reis, Amadora, Amoreiras, Arco do Cego, Benfica, Parque das Nacoes, Picoas, Santos.
The best gym in Lisboa is Ginásio Clube Português
If you’re looking for more than machines and classes, then Ginásio Clube Português is probably for you
Ginásio Clube Português $ The Good: This is one of the best gyms in Lisbon because of its great price and everything it has to offer. It’s got all your regular gym stuff and more. There is a pool (of course), but there are also programs like fencing, golf, tennis,  and more. The Bad: They are too damn far from my house for me to join. There are also two hidden fees, a join fee of €50 and an annual member quota that varies according to your membership. These are on top of your monthly dues, but still comes out to be quite affordable when you consider all the gym has to offer. The Verdict: This is a local favorite, it is priced well and if you feel like a gerbil on a ball when you get on a treadmill, all the amenities here are probably great for you. Locations: Amoreiras
Holmes Place has new equipment and great classes
Holmes Place is one of the best gyms in Lisbon
Holmes Place $$$ The Good: The equipment and amenities are good. Most locations (there are 6 in Lisbon) have pools. There are plenty of classes and they have an app to help you reserve a spot in the classes (in some of the clubs you will need to use this app, the classes fill up fast). The Bad: This club comes with a premium price tag and it is quite popular. There are always tons of people there and classes fill up fast. The staff there is a bit pushy on sales. Canceling is a pain. Seriously. Antonio & I had been “going” for 2 years. He had not been actively going since November. The gym called me to tell me I owed money for May. I emailed them a copy of my receipts for March, April & May and asked them to cancel my account. They said I had to come in person. Sadly this moved me to the next month. I made the first visit to cancel and asked to speak to a manager, I was told they were in meetings. I requested that the email me that night to make an appointment for me to come in and speak directly to the manager. I never got the email so I went back the next day.  Manager “was not” there. They required that I pay 2 months (the new month and the month after), even though I showed them I owed nothing (had receipts), had requested a cancellation the previous month, AND had not been coming for months. The gym’s customer service made me feel like it was Ryan Air with all its dark patterns. I felt as if I was being held at ransom. What a bummer. The Verdict: Thumbs down. Nice machines, fine amenities (you definitely pay for them), nice classes. Very expensive (for Portugal) and too many people (which may be good if you’re new in town and looking to meet people), but for me…I  like things quiet. Going forward it is a nay for me. Locations: 5 de Octubre, Alvalade, Amoreiras, Avenida da Liberdade, Avenida Defensores Chaves, Parque das Nacoes.
Clube VII in Lisbon offers yearly contracts
The prices at Clube VII in Lisbon are steep, but the grounds and machines are spectacular
Club VII $$$$ The Good: This is more of a country club – sports club combination. It’s the Chi-chiest of the gyms and offers an indoor-outdoor pool, plenty of tennis courts, a sunning area, and incredible equipment. It is also located in Parque Eduardo VII, so the location is fabulous. Lisbon’s elite goes here, so if you are looking to rub elbows, this is the place. The Bad: Membership comes at a cost, and that ain’t pretty. Memberships are yearly and you can cancel as long as you give 3 months notice. Cost per person is either €93/111 (with or without tennis).  There is also only one location, so unlike the other clubs when you travel you won’t have clubs to visit. The Verdict: If you have the money, join up. This place is gorgeous and has great amenities. Locations: Parque Eduardo VII
A list of the best gyms in Lisbon Portugal
Academia is one of the best gyms in Lisbon. It has a pool, an outside work area, samba classes and great staff
Academia/Jazzy Life Club $$ The Good: This is one of my faves, and I would have joined if it was not so far from my new place in the Avenidas Novas neighborhood. This club is not pretentious at all. The price is quite fair on a monthly basis, the equipment is fantastic and there are plenty of classes (take the Samba class – it’s awesome). People here are fit (seriously fit) which is quite inspirational when you are about to give up. The Bad: It’s kinda hard to get to. Since it’s on the water, you have to cross a major street and then go over a bridge. The location is great if you are in Santos, but not if you are in other places in Lisbon. There are 4 clubs in total, but only 1 in Lisbon proper. The Verdict: If you are in the Santos/Cais do Sodre area, this should be your choice. Locations: Santos
Virgin Active Lisbon Prices
Virgin Active is one of the best gyms in Lisbon with spotless grounds and brand new equipment
Virgin Active (Now part of Holmes Place) $$$ The Good: This was Richard Branson’s gym and it is definitely one of the Best Gyms in Lisbon. The Bad: Got picked up by Holmes Place. The Verdict: No longer in existence. I miss the old gym. Locations: Palacio SottoMaior ***On 10/3/2017 Virgin Active PT announced that it was purchased by Holmes Place. I’ve updated this piece to show how it has changed with the aquisition…which is for the better 🙂 Got other gyms in Lisbon I should check out? Have questions about a particular club? Ask in the comments.

19 thoughts on “Best Gyms in Lisbon Portugal”

  1. I love my new gym. I did well over an hour today. 30 minutes on threadmill, 15 on the ski machine, 30 on the elliptical, and 15 minutes of arms. I’ll be back in my fighting shape in no time ;D

  2. Thanks for summary. One thing. If you knew enough to decide if a gym was pricey or not then you also knew what the fee was for each. But that piece of info you left out. Could you go back and put in some idea of how much each one is? Thanks

  3. I am moving to Chiado and am looking for a gym with a nice pool that offers Pilates and aqua aerobics…any suggestions?

  4. To get everything you’re looking for, the best bet would probably be the Holmes Place on Avenida Liberdade, not really “Chiado” but close enough that you can walk. It has a pool and they do plenty of classes including hydrofit, pilates, etc…otherwise you probably have to go to a smaller Pilates studio in Chiado proper. Envy has pilates but no pool, so it just depends on whether you want to take the walk to Liberdade which is a 10-15 minute walk depending on where in the neighborhood you are. Hope this helps – enjoy Lisboa. I love it!

  5. Hi!

    I am traveling to Portugal (Algarve, Porto & Lisbon) this summer and am looking for work out studios, not necessarily gyms with machines as I assume most of those require a membership. Since I am going to be there for a little over a week I would like to take a class or 2 and wanted to see if you knew of any spin / barre / bootcamp style studios / classes?

    Thanks!

  6. Hi,

    I am visiting Lisbon for a week. Do you know if fitness hut or Holmes places allow to pay per entry, or do you have to be a member?

    Thanks

  7. Blanca Valbuena

    I just messaged Holmes place to ask (I’m out of town, so I can’t ask at the front desk). Fitness Hut was a PIA to join, so I’m pretty sure that’s a no with them. Will update you once I hear back from Holmes 😉

  8. Blanca Valbuena

    FYI – It is possible to purchase a daily pass at Fitness Hut. Their site says it is only available when clubs are open, and limited to the number of memberships of each club. So maybe drop by when you arrive & ask 😀

  9. Blanca Valbuena

    Fitness hut was fine, but I fell in love with Virgin Active (now Holmes Place). Would love to know what your thoughts are on fitness hut.

  10. I will be going to lisbon for a week and would love to go somewhere close to alfama? any suggestions I don’t mind a 15 minute walk.

    Just need some free weights nothing super fancys 🙂

  11. Blanca Valbuena

    Wow…that’s a challenge. I don’t think I’ve seen any gyms in the Alfama. Closest would probably be Envy in Chiado, that will be a 20-minute walk. The Alfama does have a great waterside road where you can run and get some cardio 🙂

  12. Bonjour, merci beaucoup pour cet article.

    je vis à Sao sebastian et je cherche une salle avec des cours collectifs ainsi que peut-être un suivi personnalisé est-ce que vous auriez des suggestions ? j’ai aussi vu sur google le Solinca mais je ne sait pas trop ce que ça vaut.

  13. Holmes Place – il y en a un près de Saldanha – propose des cours collectifs et des préparateurs physiques. Il y a aussi un nouvel endroit appelé Circle (près d’Aron Sushi & Cash Converters). Je n’y suis pas encore allé, mais ça a l’air d’avoir une touche personnelle.

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