The island of Ruissalo is located just southwest of central Turku and is easily accessible by public transport. The 7 km long island is a great spot for a run. Most of the island is a conservation area, part of Turku National Urban Park. There’s a wonderful combination of forest trails, with gorgeous birch trees and massive English oaks. There’s also a network of gravel roads passing fields and farms. This interactive map is a good resource to plan your run. Click on the ‘nature trails’, which then gives you the option to click on ‘forest trails‘, which are narrower and more wooded, and ‘accessible trails‘, which are the wider gravel roads that pass by more open terrain (and are lit at night!).
Forest path in winter. Jan-Eric Finnberg
One of our favorite spots for running on Ruissalo is the gravel-surfaced Villa Promenade at the southern end of the island. It’s a great combination of open views & farmland, some wooded sections, and some parts along the water. There are two sections: Rantapromenadi runs for 2 km between the ferry terminal and Runsala folkpark, near the beach. Then continue for another 0.7 km to the beach and pick up Pikku-Pukinpromenadi, which runs along the water fir another 1 km.
Ruissalo is especially pretty in autumn colors and is also one of the nicest places in Turku to run when there’s snow.
The island of Ruissalo is located just southwest of central Turku and is easily accessible by public transport. The 7 km long island is a great spot for a run. Most of the island is a conservation area, part of Turku National Urban Park. There’s a wonderful combination of forest trails, with gorgeous birch trees and massive English oaks. There’s also a network of gravel roads passing fields and farms. This interactive map is a good resource to plan your run. Click on the ‘nature trails’, which then gives you the option to click on ‘forest trails‘, which are narrower and more wooded, and ‘accessible trails‘, which are the wider gravel roads that pass by more open terrain (and are lit at night!).
Forest path in winter. Jan-Eric Finnberg
One of our favorite spots for running on Ruissalo is the gravel-surfaced Villa Promenade at the southern end of the island. It’s a great combination of open views & farmland, some wooded sections, and some parts along the water. There are two sections: Rantapromenadi runs for 2 km between the ferry terminal and Runsala folkpark, near the beach. Then continue for another 0.7 km to the beach and pick up Pikku-Pukinpromenadi, which runs along the water fir another 1 km.
Ruissalo is especially pretty in autumn colors and is also one of the nicest places in Turku to run when there’s snow.
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Essentials
Create your own route. The island is 7 km long. The Villa Promenade route is up to 4 km one-way
Generally flat
Depends on route chosen
See the map for parking information. Ruissalo is also accessible by Föli bus and ferry
A nearly 5 km loop along the Aura River in central Turku on dedicated paths. Great views of the water and central Turku. Great add-on options with more paths along the river, and paths in several parks lining the east bank of the river.
A gravel path at the northern end of the Aura River, forming a 6 km loop on the east and west banks, crossing over at the Hallisbron Bridge. Fairly open landscape, passing through fields and some sections of allée type paths lined with specimen trees.
A pleasant, green run on paths through and around four adjacent, centrally located parks: Urheilupuisto, Samppalinna Park, Vartiovuori Park, & Kupittaa Park. Each fairly modest in size, but added together make for a 7.5 km loop. Running track at Urheilupuisto.
Further north along the Aura River, there's a scenic trail through Virnamäenpuisto (park). The trail runs for 2.5 km between the Karalan Bridge & Hallisbron Bridge, passing through a landscape of open fields & farmland. Good add-on options.
In the eastern part of Turku, the Varissuo residential neighborhood features an extensive network of wooded trails through parks and a nature preserve. There are athletic facilities, and a designated 'fitness track'. 6-7 km of trails.
Run on the pleasant, quiet roads passing by fields and farms in this residential community south of Turku that's also the site of a golf course, and a small ski resort/sledding hill. Create your own route or run the 14.5 km perimeter loop.
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!
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Essentials
Create your own route. The island is 7 km long. The Villa Promenade route is up to 4 km one-way
Generally flat
Depends on route chosen
See the map for parking information. Ruissalo is also accessible by Föli bus and ferry
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!