Discover Urban Sports Club’s Weird, Wonderful and Wacky Venues

Urban Sports Club offers much more than a workout – these venues and activities double up as unforgettable experiences!

From bouldering in a bunker to swimming in the Spree (kind of) to dancing in historical dance halls – Urban Sports Club’s partner venues have a story to tell. In this blog post we’ve collated some of the weirdest, wonderful-est and wackiest venues in our offer to make your next workout unforgettable. Enjoy!

Boulder in a bunker

urban apes is one of our unique partner venues. Located in an old bunker in Hamburg, the vast and cavernous venue is an experience in itself. Their team of climbing enthusiasts switch up the routes regularly, and it’s one of the few venues in Germany that has a totally free-hanging boulder route. But if that sounds intimidating, don’t worry – this place is ideal for beginners too, with introductory climbing courses and routes designed for novices.

Swim in the Spree

Located on the banks of the River Spree, at Badeschiff you can enjoy a white sand beach, deck chairs, a beach bar, a fantastic sound system and an azure blue pool that’s built into the river itself. It’s just like swimming in the river (but without the pollution, of course), and the relaxing music will make you feel the urban vibes of Berlin city. Top tip: on weekdays and holidays, get to Badeschiff early to secure your spot. This place fills up fast!

A Venue with a View

Blow your mind as well as your body with these venues with a view. Rent a stand-up paddle board with SUP am Starnberger See in Munich and enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. The team will give you a waterproof case so you can take snaps of the view while you’re out on the water. And if you prefer dry land, check out Wallbergbahn in Munich. Here you can hike the trails of the Tegernsee Valley and enjoy a jaw-dropping view of Upper Bavaria – and daredevils can try paragliding and hang-gliding. 

Berliner’s can train with a direct view of the Chancellor’s office in the fitness studio, spa and sauna of Steigenberger Hotel Am Kanzleramt, but for those who want to sit back and relax, we recommend a trip to vabali. Urban Sports Club members can enjoy this luxury spa in Düsseldorf and Hamburg with Japanese spas, steam rooms, pools, saunas and a view over the respective city’s rivers and lakes.

If you’re in Cologne, then head to Claudius Therme, an expansive spa and bath complex with jacuzzis that overlook the city’s skyline. And if that’s not enough, soak up the serenity of Neptunbad in the center of Cologne and relax while overlooking the serene Japanese gardens.

Urban Sports In A Club

If you want to hit the club without writing off your entire week, then try a fitness class at one of Germany’s famous dance spots. Havanna in Berlin, for example, is one of the city’s oldest and most famous nightclubs, and most evenings its dance floor doubles up as a dance studio. Here you can try bachata, salsa, zouk, kizomba, and dance yourself fit (without the hangover).

For a more intense workout, head to SH!FT by Holmes Place. They host their workouts in a range of locations – in parks, on bridges, in hotel courtyards – but we recommend you try their workout at Weekend Club in Berlin. Here you can enjoy a breathtaking HIIT workout on the roof terrace of this infamous club, and sweat in a location you’ll never forget.

Munich crew: head to WhatTheFit for a workout with a nightclub feeling. Here you can work up a sweat with cycling. Get motivated by expert coaches and enjoy their high-energy playlists over the state-of-the-art soundsystem. Afterwards you’ll feel like you just spent 12 hours in the club – again, without the hangover.

A Journey Through History

If you want to add a touch of culture to your workout, then head to Bäderland Kaifu-Bad in Hamburg. Built over 100 years ago, this is the oldest swimming pool complex in Hamburg. It’s also one of the most beautiful baths in Germany, with the original brick-work and flooring still in place. 

Berliner’s can enjoy a similar historical bathing experience with Stadtbad & Hotel Oderberger in Prenzlauer Berg. The baths were designed in 1898 by the architect Ludwig Hoffman, and were renovated in 2016. The renovations preserved the original features, creating a mixture of old and new to create a totally unique swimming experience. Every Tuesday at 5 p.m. you can enjoy a free tour of the baths to learn more about the history.

Holmes Place in Hamburg is steeped in history, too. Located in a listed factory building that used to be home to a gasworks, the high ceilings and original brickwork give the space a modern yet rustic feel. Here you can swim, practice yoga, workout in the gym or cycle studio, and it’s also home to Holmes Place’s unique fitness concept STORM Bootcamp. Push yourself to the limit with a HIIT workout, and relax in the sauna and spa afterwards.

To achieve inner peace in a stunning setting, head to OHIA in Berlin. This meditation studio in Mitte is a sanctuary of serenity, with interior design that seems straight out of a catalog. With its clean lines, white curtains, minimal ornaments and spacious studios, the place is feng shui personified and guaranteed to help you release stress and take a well-deserved break. Choose from yoga, sound baths, ballet bootcamp, Pilates and many more classes designed to help you achieve self-love and inner balance. 

We hope these weird, wonderful and wacky venues inspire you to try something new with Urban Sports Club this summer. With our diverse range of partner venues, members can get fit and discover new passions at the same time. What’s the most unusual or breathtaking training location you’ve visited so far?