Where to Exercise and Stay Fit in Medellin

Short on time? Medellin has biking, roller-skating, outdoor gyms, hiking, and swimming spots all around the city where you can get some exercise.

Medellin is a marvelous place to stay fit and exercise. That’s especially true early in the mornings or towards the end of the day when the weather is wonderful for getting into your groove.

Medellin’s residents like to stay in shape by jogging, rollerblading, cycling, hiking, or dancing. And, the mayor has been investing heavily in sports facilities. So, there are plenty of options – some public, some private – throughout the city. 

All of Casacol’s luxury vacation rentals, hotels, and long-stay apartments in Medellin have gym facilities at your disposal. But, if lifting weights or the treadmill isn’t your thing or you simply want to enjoy getting fit by exploring the city, we get it.

Here are some top tips on how to stick to a healthy exercise regime in Medellin.

Open-Air Gyms

City hall has been investing in open-air gyms for Medellin’s residents to make it easy for everyone to get a little exercise. That’s true even if you don’t have a gym membership.

Open-air calisthenics gyms are an integral part of the 20 urban parks (UVAs) constructed to keep the city fit. They get busy early in the morning and to a lesser degree in the evening.

Our favorite UVA can be found in El Tesoro and the Parque de la Bailarina. Both are found on a steep incline which offers fitness fanatics the chance to do some circuits.

For hardcore weightlifters that like to work out with others, there are two iconic spots, one is by the Divine Eucharist Church in Poblado. The other is by the Indeportes building in the city’s stadium complex.

If you prefer your gyms with state-of-the-art equipment, the best gymnasium chains in Colombia are Bodytech and SmartFit. Both offer packages for short-stay visitors. 

Walking, Jogging & Hiking

The hills of Medellin make it a perfect place for a brisk walk that will keep the heart pumping. The UVAs mentioned already offer the chance to get a stomp on.

But, if you’re looking for something more strenuous the hike up to the hill of the three crosses (Cerro de las Tres Cruces) is a popular way to stretch your legs. Plus, there’s a gym waiting for you at the top.

The steep climb embarks from the Belen neighborhood on the Western side of the city. Other popular places to walk include the Parque Lineal de la Presidenta and the Parque Lineal de La Frontera.

If you want to get out of the city and really stretch your legs, you can do that too! Check out our guide to getting out into nature in Medellin.

Football (Soccer)

Colombians love a kick about or friendly game of football (soccer) both guys and girls. There are some great new astroturf pitches throughout the city. They are happy to invite gringos to join a game to see if you’re any good.

You might need to wait for your chance to impress but there’s normally someone that doesn’t turn up and therefore a team left short at the last minute.

Perhaps the biggest and therefore possibly the most difficult to get a game is the Cancha Campo de Amor close to the airport. But, there are other options for 8-a-side or 5-a-side game in Manila, Poblado. 

Cycling

Colombians have always been fanatical cyclists and famed for their ability to take it to the next level in the mountain stages of the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. Egan Bernal’s victory in the Tour de France in 2018 made the sport even more popular.

The geography and the mountains around Medellin are perfect for keen cyclists looking to build up their uphill stamina.

The climb up Avenida Las Palmas or the Loma de Escobedo is a popular pastime for paisa fitness fanatics on the weekends.

Plus, there are hundreds of amateur cyclists that make the trip up to Rionegro early. The Velodromo Martin E. Cochise and the Aeroparque Juan Pablo II offer cycling speed freaks a chance to work on their time trials.

Both are open to the public when not being used by professional or amateur teams. If you need a professional bike, it can be rented by Colombia Cycling. This group organizes wonderful cycling trips out-of-town on the weekends to some of the most picturesque villages in Colombia.

If you’re just looking to get out onto two wheels and explore the city, Medellin’s mayor has added bike lanes to Medellin’s urban transport network.

You can borrow (rent) a bike from Medellin’s public bike-sharing service EnCicla, an extension of the Metro de Medellin network. A bunch of bikes can be found near most metro stations and connect to a well-organized set of bike lanes running south-north through the city. Find out how to sign up for the bike-sharing service here.

Rollerblading

Colombia is a sporting superpower when it comes to rollerblading and Medellin has a host of arenas dedicated to the sport that can be accessed by the public when the city’s top clubs aren’t using them.

In Laureles you can find the Patinódromo Guillermo León Botero, close to the Atanasio Girardot stadium complex. And, on the west of the city next to Aeroparque rollerbladers also practise at the Unidad Deportiva Maria Luisa Calle. 

Teams tend to practice early in the morning and in the evening but in the middle of the day, they are normally open to the public. 

Swimming

There are some excellent swimming pools in the Medellin Aquatic Complex adjacent to the Atanasio Girardot football stadium.

There are two more Olympic-sized swimming pools available in the Unidad Deportiva Andres Escobar Saldarriaga in Belen.

The swimming pools are open to the public but you need to register with Inder, the mayor’s department responsible for coordinating all sports activities in Medellin. The swimming pools are open to the public on weekdays as well as weekends.

Get Some Exercise During Your Stay in Medellin

There are plenty of places where you can get some exercise in Medellin. With this guide, we’re sure you’ll have no shortage of gyms and workout spots.

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