Manchester is the best UK city for fitness fanatics to live in, while Lisbon in Portugal is the best city in Europe for people who want to stay active and get outdoors, according to a new study.
With over half a million monthly Google searches for gym-related queries in the UK, there’s no doubt that we’re a nation of fitness lovers.
At this time of year, many Brits are looking to revitalise or kickstart their exercise regimes, but which are the best cities for fitness fanatics?
In a new study by sports betting company Betway, 30 of the most populated cities in the UK were analysed to determine which was the best place for people who want to get active.
The research looked at several factors, including the number of gyms, the number of walks, the quality of air and green space, the number of people searching for gyms, as well as how many adults are physically active in each location.
The study also looked at which cities in Europe are best for those who might like to exercise a little further afield.
Best UK cities for fitness
Manchester is the best city for fitness fanatics, with 1,112 monthly Google searches for “gyms near me” per every 100,000 residents
Two-thirds (64%) of adults in the city are considered physically active, and there are also 144 walking routes per 100,000 people in the area.
Leeds was ranked in second place – even more adults in Leeds are considered physically active (69%) than in Manchester, and the quality of its green space is rated relatively high, with a score of 70 out of 100.
Milton Keynes came in at number three. It’s great for those who like to get out in nature, the quality of its green spaces is rated 93 out of 100 — the highest of all cities in the study.
The Buckinghamshire city also has the second-best air quality of all cities analysed, with a score of 87 out of 100.
|
Rank |
City |
No. of gyms per 100,000 people |
Price of monthly gym membership |
Air quality (out of 100) |
Green space quality (out of 100) |
No. of walking routes per 100,000 people | No. of Google searches for "gyms near me" per 100,000 people |
% of physically active adults |
|
1 |
Manchester |
12 |
£29.96 |
50 |
53 |
144 |
1,112 |
64% |
|
2 |
Leeds |
10 |
£26.31 |
54 |
70 |
18 |
637 |
69% |
|
3 |
Milton Keynes |
3 |
£28.93 |
87 |
93 |
22 |
435 |
68% |
|
4 |
Bristol |
17 |
£30.87 |
56 |
73 |
22 |
713 |
74% |
|
5 |
Oxford |
11 |
£36.18 |
80 |
88 |
34 |
152 |
76% |
Best European cities for fitness
The study also looked at where in Europe is the best for fitness fanatics, taking into account the price of gym memberships, the air and green space quality, the cost of bottled water, the number of walks and the number of sunshine hours in each city.
Lisbon was ranked as the number one city in Europe for those who like to stay active, particularly those who like to exercise in nature.
The Portuguese capital sees around 2,799 hours of sunshine each year, while the air quality (79) and green spaces (70) in Lisbon were also rated relatively high.
In second place was Stockholm in Sweden – the city boasts a huge 51 walks per 100,000 people.
Rounding off the top three best cities in Europe for staying active is Vienna, Austria.
|
Rank |
City |
Country |
Price of monthly gym membership |
Air quality (out of 100) |
Green space quality (out of 100) |
Cost of a bottle of water |
No. of walking routes per 100,000 people | No. of sunshine hours per year |
|
1 |
Lisbon |
Portugal |
£30.91 |
69 |
70 |
£0.76 |
27 |
2,799 |
|
2 |
Stockholm |
Sweden |
£31.70 |
84 |
86 |
£1.15 |
51 |
1,821 |
|
3 |
Vienna |
Austria |
£30.02 |
83 |
84 |
£0.51 |
10 |
1,930 |
|
4 |
Madrid |
Spain |
£34.78 |
55 |
79 |
£0.71 |
3 |
2,769 |
|
5 |
Oxford |
UK |
£36.18 |
80 |
88 |
£1.10 |
34 |
1,615 |
The full study from Betway can be viewed here.
