Blankenese

While there are miles of paths to choose from along the River Elbe, perhaps the best waterside running in Hamburg is through the Blankenese district, west of the city. The riverside here is more natural and undeveloped, with only wrought iron fences, stone faced buildings, and winding brick paths to punctuate the greenery. Blankenese is also known as “the stair quarter,” so runners can give their legs an extra workout ascending cases and hills. For a scenic tour of Blankenese, run along the Strandweg and Falkensteiner Ufer riverside paths for about 3 km. Loop back through the north of the neighborhood, hitting Waldpark Falkenstein, Römischer Garten, Schnickels Park, Bismarkstein, and Hessepark along the way. Use Blankeneser Baumhofstraße to return through the center of town.