The pioneering gym in town is still the best. Unlike the wave of chic new fitness studios, John Harris is neither snooty nor over-designed. Despite the numerous personalities from theater, culture and politics who work out here, the gym—with four other branches in town—somehow maintains its laid-back and congenial vibe.

More baffling is how the gym—once a mere single room—has managed to expand to its current 4,000 square meter space in the past 25 years. Seemingly every year, yet another pit is carved out for new facilities like a swimming pool and green courtyard complete with a pond and deck chairs. Also annexed into this corner is the John Harris Medical Spa, making going from bathrobe to post-workout massage is a quick skip over. With a long list of classes ranging from yoga-lates to kickboxes, and day and week passes.