How to start a walking group in your neighbourhood

A patchwork of new walking groups has appeared across Lisbon since spring, with residents from Arroios to Estrela gathering friends and neighbours for regular strolls through parks and city streets. Camila Ferreira, 41, said she started a Tuesday evening group in Graça after noticing how many of her neighbours walked alone—now, up to 16 people join her each week at the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte for a loop through Alfama.

This uptick in communal movement is no coincidence. After years of solo runs and gym memberships, Lisboetas are looking for slower, more social ways to stay active as daily routines grow flexible and digital lives persist. Rising concerns about loneliness and data from Lisbon’s Direção-Geral da Saúde showing that only 44% of adults get enough physical activity have made neighbourhood-based wellness initiatives especially timely.

Lisbon’s model groups and walking-friendly routes

Two local examples offer a blueprint. Bairro a Bairro, a programme coordinated by Junta de Freguesia de Campo de Ourique, has run twice-weekly senior walking clubs since 2022, using the Jardim da Parada and streets around Rua Ferreira Borges as gathering points. In Príncipe Real, the Associação Viver a Rua launched monthly social walks this year, tracing shaded stretches around Jardim do Príncipe Real and stopping at bookshops and pastelarias.

Participants pay nothing to join these groups; organisers rely on WhatsApp, flyers in cafés, and word of mouth. For those further afield, routes along the river—such as Cais do Sodré to Belém—or up Avenida da Liberdade are popular, thanks to pedestrian space and public transport links.

Evidence for the benefits—and how to set up your own group

Group exercise isn’t just social; it also leads to better adherence and improved mood. A 2025 study from the European Journal of Public Health found that adults in group walking programmes were 27% more likely to reach recommended activity targets than those going solo. Lisbon council estimates show walking remains the city’s most popular leisure activity, especially as many esplanadas now advertise pet and stroller-friendly policies.

To set up a group, start with a few neighbours or parents from your child’s school, then pick a regular meeting point (for example, Largo do Intendente) and a time that works for most. Most groups in Lisbon meet either early—before the crowds and heat—or after 19:00. Use free tools like WhatsApp, Meetup, or NeighborhoodApp to coordinate. For visibility, ask your local junta de freguesia to post details on their noticeboard or social media; some, such as Junta de Freguesia de Alvalade, will even share your group with their newsletter of over 3,000 residents.

New organisers should check municipal guidelines if planning to walk in large groups (more than 20 people) or use public spaces like Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara at peak times. These permits are usually free, though the city asks for three weeks’ notice via lisboaparticipa.pt. Most insurance policies do not require extra liability for informal walks, but organisers can consult Bombeiros Lisboa for safety tips, especially if planning evening strolls.

Whether your aim is brisk exercise or a relaxed chat, Lisbon’s hills and leafy miradouros make perfect terrain. With summer sun stretching evenings until 21:30, there has rarely been a better moment for residents to gather friends and neighbours, lace up their trainers, and explore the city, one step at a time.