Milan, Italy is the capital of the Lombardy region. The population of the greater metro area is 5.5 million. Milan is the main industrial and financial center of Italy, and is known for its food, art, and fashion. The best running in Milan is in its significant parks — both inside the ring road that circles the city and outside it. If you’d like to have an in-person guided running experience in Milan, we highly recommend our friends at Go! Running Tours.
Special Note: We’ve added an ‘Olympics Sites‘ layer to the overview map, which shows the Milan venues for the 2026 Winter Games! This can help you plan your route! We’ve also created a new route near Olympic Village — which is near the train station and part of a large scale improvement plan for the Porta Romana area.
In Milan’s inner core, a great way to start is with our ‘Runseeing‘ tour, featuring Milan’s notable buildings, bustling plazas and beautiful churches. Sempione Park/Indro Montanelli Gardens (also site of Runbase), is a must-do. There’s nice canal running along the Naviglio Martesana & Naviglio Grande. Just outside the ring road, there are several large parks that are great for running: Parco Lambro (Milan’s largest), Boscoincittà, Forlanini, and Milano Nord. For a challenge and views, head to Monte Stella. We also love running the loop around Idroscalo (lake).
Milan has excellent public transportation, with five Metro lines (including the new M4 line opened for the Olympics), an extensive tram system, and trains.
Runner Notes: Milan air can be bad, and summers can be very hot. Also, be wary of cobblestone streets!
