As a tour leader, continuously travelling from city to city, there is one thing that I really struggle with: staying active. In fact, when it comes to dieting and gym-consistency, the travel lifestyle makes things pretty hard. Food is a way of socializing and when going to a different city everyday, it is almost impossible to have a proper routine. The thought of having to buy a gym subscription in every single country and having to adapt my workouts to  different equipment, leaves me with zero motivation to go do it. I’m sure I am not the only one with this issue, because even when travelling for a few weeks, everybody simply assumes that they will gain weight and there is no way out of it. This is why I decided to share the few tricks that I have learned over the past two years. 

While on my work trips, my biggest issue was learning that time spent working out doesn’t equal  “wasted time”. In fact I would often think: “I am in a new country, I should be in a museum, not in the gym!”. But I soon realized that there are many ways to turn your active moments into cultural exchange opportunities. In fact, there are tons of local activities that also meet most people’s needs: run clubs and yoga studios are the most common examples. Running is something that almost everyone can do: most run clubs are free and they also welcome people who want to do speed-walking/marching. They mainly attract locals, making them perfect for meeting new people and getting some recommendations. Yoga and pilates are also beginner-friendly, giving you the opportunity to both try something new and make some new friends.

As somebody who hates running and needs something more dynamic than yoga, I always choose to go hiking: it’s accessible almost everywhere and an amazing way to relax! Although, it isn’t very socially-engaging, which is where my other hobby comes in: climbing. Bouldering gyms are everywhere, from Europe to Asia and across the US. Apart from being an awesome hobby, giving you strength, endurance and confidence, it is also easily available. Gyms usually rent out shoes for a relatively cheap price and the entrance fees range from 8 to 25 euros, averaging at 12. This often includes the use of gym equipment, such as a pull up bar, a bench, barbells and dumbbells, on top of everything else! After starting this sport over a year ago, I found it extremely easy locating gyms along my tours, and using the few free hours I had to check them out. I have been to bouldering gyms in Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria… And even China! Climbers are a bit weird sometimes, but also extremely friendly – even if it’s your first time, they will gladly approach you with some advice.

My biggest tip? Look up for the activities you are interested in, in the local language! Often on google maps you won’t see any results, simply because in that country it is called something completely different… And if you can’t find anything, then head to a cafe and ask a local 🙂 As you can see, finding ways to stay fit while travelling is hard, but not impossible. And what better way to do it, than by interacting with locals and maybe finding a new passion? Try using one of my tips and comment below if it has worked for you or not.