Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Do you prefer to be active on your holiday or just to chill at the pool?
Data shows that millions of people searched for or booked holidays in December, and with wellness tourism being one of the fastest-growing segments of travel (predicted to reach over $1.4 trillion by 2027), many will be searching for a getaway that provides fitness and wellness benefits.
To inspire fitness-focused travellers, the experts at Live Football Tickets carried out a comprehensive index study which analysed 23 European destinations, comparing the number of hiking trails, wellness retreats and gyms to reveal Europe’s fitness travel hotspots for 2026.
So let’s have a look at what they found out!
Europe’s Top 10 Fitness Travel Hotspots
| Rank | Country | Number of Trails | Number of Wellness Retreats | Number of Gyms | Fitness Hotspot Score (/10) |
| 1= | France | 37,251 | 115 | 10,475 | 9.4 |
| 1= | United Kingdom | 27,287 | 330 | 6,604 | 9.4 |
| 3 | Spain | 20,470 | 447 | 6,068 | 9.3 |
| 4 | Germany | 34,986 | 30 | 13,166 | 9.1 |
| 5 | Italy | 15,818 | 279 | 4,257 | 8.9 |
| 6 | Switzerland | 9,239 | 32 | 3,974 | 8.4 |
| 7 | Portugal | 7,029 | 297 | 1,668 | 8.1 |
| 8 | Netherlands | 7,244 | 28 | 2,445 | 7.8 |
| 9 | Sweden | 6,800 | 23 | 2,021 | 7.5 |
| 10 | Austria | 7,370 | 11 | 1,497 | 7.2 |
Key Findings
- Spain ranks in the top three fitness travel hotspots, and offers the highest number of wellness retreats in the top ten (447)!
- France and UK share first place overall, scoring 9.4/10.
- Spain’s 9.3/10 fitness hotspot score places it just behind the leaders, reinforced by 20,470 hiking trails and 6,068 gyms across the country.
Europe’s Top Performers
For the ultimate fitness travel experience, travellers get to choose from two European destinations France and the United Kingdom, which both achieved an almost perfect fitness hotspot score of 9.4/10.
France tops the list for the highest number of trails – 37,251 – making it an absolutely ideal destination for all who love exploring nature.
While in the UK, a whopping 330 wellness retreats can be found throughout the country, which is the second highest number out of all other countries in the study.
Looking for fitness? Look for Spain
With a fitness hotspot score of 9.3/10, the third hottest destination for fitness travel is Spain.
Hiking-lovers can find 20,470 trails in the country, offering everything from coastal walks to mountain routes in regions such as Andalucía, Catalonia and the Canary Islands
A fair number of gym facilities (6,068) are also available throughout the sunny destination for all gym-enthusiasts. Spain also stands out for offering the highest number of wellness retreats (447) of any country in the top ten.
Following closely behind, boasting a fitness hotspot score of 9.1/10, fourth comes Germany. The country has the highest number of gyms (13,166) out of all other destinations, providing gym-goers with a great amount of choice.
Not only that, but Germany also has the second highest number of trails in Europe (34,986), coming right after France.
And rounding off the top five, with a fitness hotspot score of 8.9/10, is Italy. 279 wellness retreats are spread across the sunny country – the fourth highest number after Spain, the UK and Portugal. On the other hand, hiking-enthusiasts have a pick of 15,818 trails to explore.
So how do you stay active abroad?
Lee Mitchell, personal trainer, shares advice for staying active while travelling:
“Holidays are for switching off – but that doesn’t mean your body has to. In fact, staying active while you’re away can actually enhance your holiday experience. Moving your body releases endorphins, supports digestion, helps you sleep better and keeps your energy levels up so you can enjoy your time away to the fullest.”
“The key is keeping it simple and pressure-free. Walk as much as possible, whether you’re exploring a new city or pacing the beach. Pack a resistance band for a quick strength session in your room or on the balcony. And don’t underestimate the power of a 10-minute bodyweight circuit – squats, lunges, press-ups, planks – done barefoot, with a sea view? That’s wellness on your terms.”
Methodology
- Live Football Tickets sought to discover the fitness travel hotspots in Europe.
- To begin with, data on the following variables was collated for 23 European countries:
- Number of wellness retreats – data collected from BookRetreats
- Number of trails – data gathered from AllTrails
- Number of gyms – data extracted from OpenStreetMap.
- Once all data was finalised, an appropriate weight was assigned to each variable and a percentrank formula was used to calculate a final score out of 10 for each of the countries.
- All European countries were then ranked in descending order to reveal the best ones for fitness travel.
