A city of 2 million people, Copenhagen, Denmark was founded in the 10th century and is considered one one of the major centers of northern Europe. It is a city with wonderful historical sites, and also a very contemporary aesthetic. It has a fascinating geography, defined by the water. Bridges connect different parts of the city, and over to Amager. The new Øresund bridge, completed in 2000 connects over the Strait of Øresund to Malmö, Sweden. Note: If you’d like to have a guided running experience in Copenhagen, we highly recommend our affiliate partner Go! Running Tours.
Geographically, a lot of the development has taken place along ‘five fingers’ stretching out of the city along rail routes. Development has also taken place on Amager. The city center is compact, defined by the old ramparts, which are still referred to as the Fortification Ring (Fæstningsringen) and kept as a partial green band around it. Amager Strandpark is a 2km artificial island and beach that was built in 2005, easily accessible by bike and metro.
Copenhagen is a great city for running. Most of our routes are easily accessible from downtown hotels and businesses. There are wonderful routes along the harbour, a ‘five lakes’ run, and terrific parks. For a great destination run, take the S-Bahn to Dyrehaven or Utterslev Mose.
Weather is a factor here — it can often be rainy and unsettled. There’s not much daylight–or sun–in winter, and there can be snow and ice although average high temps are just above freezing. Summers are mild but not warm, and there are wonderful, long days. The city has a great public transportation system. Within the city is the metro, which opened in 2005. There are also buses and local trains. The S-Trains lead outside the city. The three main S-train stations are Nørreport, Østerport, and Vesterport. There’s also a Ferry along inner harbour, which makes for great one-way running opportunities! The infrastructure for cycling is fanstastic.
Many thanks to Kent at the Marathon Sport running store for his help with this guide!
the city comparatively mild in winter, with average temperatures above freezing. Still, it can snow and roads can be icy. Winters have short days and little sun. Summers are mild, with average high temps in July around 70F (21C) and cool nights. Days are lovely and long. Rainfall is common throughout the year, and there can be strings of cloudy days.