Lisbon itself has very few sports facilities. Most outdoor activities, such as watersports, fishing, and scuba diving, take place on the Costa do Sol, north of the city.
If you want to lie on the beach, you can take the train from Lisbon to the Costa do Sol; the main resorts there are Estoril and Cascais.
Fishing -- Head for Sesimbra, south of Lisbon, where local fishers take visitors out on boats looking for "the big one." Fees can be negotiated.
Fitness Centers -- Some hotels recommended in chapter 3 allow nonguests to use their health clubs for a fee. It's always best to call in advance. Outside of the hotels, a worthwhile fitness club is Gynasium Academia de Fitness, Rua Domingo Sequeira 42C (tel. 21/396-20-98), costing 6€ ($6.90) for one-time use of its facilities. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 10pm, and Saturday from 10am to 6pm (bus: no. 58).
Golf -- The best courses lie along the Costa do Sol and Estoril Coast. The closest course to Lisbon (but not the best) is at the Lisboa Sports Club, Casal da Carregueira, near Belas (tel. 21/432-14-74). It's about a 25-minute drive from the center; allow more time if traffic is heavy. A former playground for the Portuguese royal family, the Penha Longa Golf Club, Quinta da Penha Longa, is at Linhó, near Sintra (tel. 21/924-90-31), 32km (20 miles) northwest of Lisbon. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1992, the resort is open to members and guests of the Caesar Park Penha Longa, Estate da Logoa Azul, Linhó, 2710 Sintra (tel. 21/924-90-11; fax 21/924-90-07). Serious golfers should consider a stay at this 177-room Westin hotel overlooking the golf course. For 18 holes, greens fees range from 82€ to 104€ ($94-$120).
Jogging -- We used to recommend Parque Eduardo VII as the best place for jogging, but joggers there have recently been the victims of muggings. Daytime jogging in the park is risky enough, but nighttime jogging is unwise. Some joggers head for the Estádio Nacional (National Stadium), on the northern outskirts of the city on the road to Estoril. A track worn smooth by joggers winds through pinewoods. It is also unsafe at night. You might prefer to jog along the Tagus between Ponte do 25 de Abril (the major suspension bridge) and Belém, heading north. Another possibility (but likely to be congested) is the median strip of the main street of Lisbon, Avenida da Liberdade, from Praça do Marquês de Pombal toward Baixa.
Swimming -- Options include the Piscina do Campo Grande, Campo Grande (tel. 21/795-79-45); the Piscina dos Olivais, Avenida Dr. Francisco Luís Gomes (tel. 21/855-14-70), about 5km (3 miles) northeast of Lisbon, which charges 1.80€ ($2.05) for adults and children; and the Piscina do Areiro, Avenida de Roma (tel. 21/848-67-94), which charges 1.35€ ($1.55) for adults and .90€ ($1.05) for children.
Tennis -- Public tennis courts are available at Campo Grande Estádio do 1 de Maio, at Alvalade. To play, inquire at the main tourist office in Lisbon. Real tennis buffs head for either the Club de Tenis de Estoril at Estoril or the Quinta da Marinha at Cascais.
