Kyiv (also known as Kiev) is the capital of Ukraine and the seventh largest city in Europe. Located on the Dnieper River, Kyiv is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center of Eastern Europe. The old section of the city is quite charming, showcasing several iconic cathedrals and churches. We think Kyiv is one of the more underrated cities in Europe from a running perspective. The highlights of running in Kyiv showcase paths along the Dnieper River and the numerous large, centrally located parks.
A great way to get oriented is to use our Kyiv Runseeing Tour, which hits many of the city’s highlights and numerous parks. For riverside running, there are paths leading from central Kyiv south to Navodnitsky Park, and on the left bank, Obolonska Quay & Park Natalka. We also like running on the several ‘islands’ just across the bridges, such as Hydropark, Trukhaniv Island, and Muromets Park. Some of the best places to run in Kyiv are in its numerous parks: a popular route combines Mariinskyi Park/Palace Grounds & Park of the Eternal Glory. Other favorites include the National Botanical Garden, Peremoha Park, and a route combining Park Dubky & Park Nyvky in the northwestern part of the city. For trail running, Holosiivskyi National Natural Park is one of the few national parks in the world located within a city. Note: Runners should take advantage of the unique stair paths that run between the river and Mariinskyi Park, and the fashionably dilapidated outdoor gyms.
Kyiv has an excellent transport infrastructure, consisting of three metro lines, a tram system, and buses. Nearly all of our routes are reachable by public transport. Runners should note that Kyiv winters can be cold and snowy — come with the right clothing. But with its abundant snow and extensive parks, Kyiv is one of our favorite winter running cities!
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