My running shoes and sports watch are the first things I pack when I travel, then the rest comes after that. Because traveling is fun, but running is just as much fun! How cool would it be to combine the two? Not every place is suitable for that. I once made an attempt to brave the Tuscan hills in the sun in the afternoon, but it didn’t really work out. And even in the morning it was hardly to do in Aruba, just like in Bali. Running in very hot places is apparently not my thing, but mountains and hills are also tough. When you have had to travel a long way, you have less energy and then a flat part to walk is much more pleasant. At least you won’t have that in these 5 cities, these are the nicest and best cities for running travelers!
1. Boston
It can be quite windy, but running in Boston is great fun. It is not without reason that the Boston Marathon is one of the most popular running competitions in the world. In the area (and also in the city) there is a lot of greenery and the sports mentality is high here. No one is surprised by runners, at any time of the day. Running in Boston Common, the city park of Boston is fine, and you will also find a very nice flat piece along the Charles River for a nice workout.
2. Barcelona
Running on the boulevard of Barcelona: it doesn’t get much more fun than that. A nice flat stretch to walk with beautiful views. It will never really get cold by the sea in Barcelona, but in the summer it can get quite hot so you should avoid the hottest part of the day. The best time to run in Barcelona is on Sunday morning. Then you have such a wonderfully relaxed feeling because you are free all day, the sun is shining and all those other runners around you motivate to run even further. Running in Barcelona is not something you do to perform, but above all to enjoy yourself.
3. New York City
This is something every runner wants to have done at least once: a round of Central Park in New York City. And that’s really a lot of fun too. Day and night you will meet other runners here in the park and it is the perfect place for any kind of training. You can do an endurance run there, but finishing a tempo training is also no problem in Central Park. The park is in fact quite flat, with a little hill here and there for those who want to put a challenge in their training. Central Park also regularly organizes running competitions which are of course also fun to participate.
Furthermore, New York is of course not ideal for running, at least not in Manhattan. In Brooklyn, on the other hand, you can walk well again because there is less traffic. If you really want to go into Manhattan in your running shoes purely for relaxation, go all the way to the bottom point and cross the Brooklyn Bridge while running!
4. London
Running in London is not recommended in the center, but there is a beautiful path for running along the Thames. Especially early in the morning, when most of London is still asleep, this is a beautiful stretch to start the day on a run. And how about Hyde Park, you can also run really nice and nice there. In Hyde Park, just like in Central Park, you never run alone, very sporty London comes here. Incidentally, a running competition is organized in Greenwich Park every year, the Tough Run, and that is a must. A very tough competition because Greenwich Park is far from flat, but super fun to do!
5. Berlin
It is the city of the fastest marathon in the world, where the world record is constantly being broken: Berlin. As a running traveler you really don’t stand out here, it seems like everyone in this city goes for a run. It’s best to walk here on the bike paths and Berlin has quite a few of those: I believe there are over 600 kilometers of bike paths in Berlin. You walk relatively safely on a cycle path, you will of course not be hindered by cars and you do not have to slow down in terms of pace. If you go on the bike paths of Berlin in the dark, you will of course take a vest and lights with you, but that applies to every place where you run in the dark. And who knows, after a run in Berlin, you might feel the itch to run the marathon here?
