Barcelona Gyms
The best places to work out in the city…
By Duncan Rhodes
The best places for staying buff while living and working in Barcelona. A short list of recommended gyms, fitness centres and sporting facilities…
What with its city beaches for posing on, proud legacy in the field of sports, and a nightlife scene abounding in exclusive ‘see and be seen’ type venues, Barcelona is probably not the best place to look a bit flabby around the edges. Ok, it’s not quite Miami or L.A on the superficial front, but singletons in particular might want to incorporate a regular health and fitness regime into their Barcelona lifestyle if they want to impress potential partners.
Of course working out isn’t just about looking your best, it’s about feeling it too, and the health benefits of joining one of Barcelona’s gyms should be weighed up against the membership fees. Too many patatas bravas and cervezas are hardly good for your heart, and a regular cardiovascular work out might be just the detox your body needs.
Meanwhile stressed-out office workers and entrepreneurs might find a visit to the gym the perfect way to combat mental pressure and re-energise limbs that spend too long slouching in front of a computer.
Finally don’t forget the social benefits of joining a gym, health club or fitness class either. If you’re new to the city signing up for a group activity, such as a training, yoga or aerobics class, can be a great way to make friends, while more than one happy couple have fallen in love by the rowing machines, or on the stretching mats.
Barcelona Gyms & Fitness Centres
1. Ignite Fitness
Set up with the goal of catering to Barcelona’s international crowd, Ignite Fitness offers a range of fitness services from one-to-one personal training to small group sessions and also cardio, yoga and handstand workshops – all reasonably priced. Their coaches are expats themselves and between speak English, Catalan, Spanish, French and several more languages besides. Their gym is conveniently located just near Urquinoana metro station, in the centre of town.
C/Bruc 8
www.ignitefitness.es
2. Halo Fitness
This friendly fitness studio in Poblenou offers a safe space for anyone in Barcelona to train, and is particularly popular with women and members of the LGBT community. They offer several small group classes a day (up to 6 people), based around strength, endurance and balance, as well as one-to-one personal training sessions – and they leverage their custom-made software to track their clients’ progress and maximise their development. Prices are extremely affordable, ranging from €25-65 a month, depending on how many classes you wish to take, while personal training plans start at €225 a month. Check out their website below for full details on all of the above, and the chance to become part of their diverse community of supportive trainers and fellow trainees.
Passeig de Taulat 235
www.halofitness.es
3. Club Natacio Atletic Barceloneta
A favourite gym with locals the ‘Swimming Club Athletic Barceloneta’ is a sports complex located right on the beach front as you head up from the Barceloneta district towards the imposing W Hotel. With two outdoor swimming pools and one indoor there’s plenty of splashing around opportunities, whilst there’s still space for a spa, 1,200 metres squared of weight training facilities and three studios offering everything from yoga to Tai Chi classes. The views over the beach are rather spectacular.
Plaça del Mar
www.cnb.cat
4. Holmes Place Barcelona
This international chain started life in Soho, London, in 1980 before opening it’s first club in Spain in 1997. Today it operates five clubs in España, three in Madrid and two here in Barcelona. If you’re a fan of the syndicate then you can find them in Carrer Balmes and Carrer Ausias Marc.
C/Balmes 44-46
www.holmesplace.com/gyms-barcelona
5. Club Metropolitan
With 7 branches in Barcelona, this upmarket chain is likely to have a centre near your home or place of work. While membership is a little pricier than some of other options, each location has a number of classes you can join for free and many also have an onsite spa.
www.clubmetropolitan.net/en/gimnasios/barcelona
6. Nova Icaria Esport & Fit
Residents of Poblenou might want to check out these facilities that include gym, swimming pool, indoor football / basketball courts and outdoor padel courts. The also run regular fitness classes like spinning, zumba and pilates for those looking to do cardio and toning work.
www.novaicaria.com
Further Reading
If you’ve recently moved to Barcelona, you might find some useful advice for expats on this article, while we’ve also got a comprehensive list of places to learn Spanish, as well as plenty of ‘tourist’ information on great things to do in the city by day as well as by night, with more suggestions on our blog.
About the Author
Duncan established Barcelona Life in 2009, whilst freelancing for the likes of Conde Nast, The Guardian, Easyjet Magazine, CNN Traveller and many more. From interviews with Ferran Adria to revealing the secrets of the city’s poetry brothels, he knows the city inside out… and shares all his best tips right here.
Polina
Hello!
How can I apply for your fitness courses? Can an international students apply for it?
Thanks,
best regards
Polina