Guatemala City is the largest city in Central America. There are mountains all around. Most of the buildings are modern, as the city was largely reconstructed following the 1917-1918 earthquakes. The city is divided into 22 Zones. The situation for running in Guatemala City can be a challenge: the city is dense and quite congested, the main roads are very wide, and the air quality can be poor. But there are some decent places for running, if you use our guide! If you’d like to have an in-person guided running experience in Guatemala City, we highly recommend our friends at Go! Running Tours.
The best places to run in Guatemala City are in the downtown area. We’ve mapped two ‘runseeing’ tours that can be combined: one focused on the historical centre, and the other on Av. Reforma & Parque Las Americas. Other decent spots include Erick Barrondo Park, the campus of the Universidad de San Carlos, and around the upscale Cayala neighborhood. We’ve also put together a ‘runseeing’ tour of Antigua Guatemala, a popular visitor destination 30 km from Guatemala City.
Note that the city is located at nearly 5,000 feet — runners will need to get acclimatized! But the weather is nice for running year-round, with nearly uniform temperatures (though a distinct wet season). As for getting around, there’s a good subway system in the central city and an extensive bus system.
