Why Are European Cities So Great For Running?

Having researched the best places to run in thousands destinations worldwide, we’ve been able to reach one sort of uber-conclusion: Most European cities are great for running. Why is that? There tend to be four reasons that apply to nearly any city in Europe of at least medium size. First, just about every city has three great places to run that are centrally located — paths along a river or waterfront, a significant park or green space, and some sort of older/historic section that makes for a fun ‘runseeing’ tour. Second, because these cities are older, they were built prior to the automobile era, which means that many of the iconic running routes are centrally located and/or accessible via public transport. Third, the cities are pedestrian-friendly and increasingly bike-friendly, which means there are sidewalks, multi-use paths, and other accommodations that facilitate running. And finally, there’s what I call ‘public infrastructure’, which means if there’s a river there’s usually a nice path along it, as well as other amenities such as lovely parks, running tracks, and other fitness facilities. Signage and way-finding tend to be superior to what one would find in other parts of the world in part to help the throngs of tourists). Good public transport is also game-changing for runners, making more routes easily accessible, and allowing for one of my favorite types of run, the ‘one-way’ running option. Naturally, some of these factors might apply better in some cities in Europe than others, but it’s sure nice to know that if you stay somewhere central in just about any city in Europe, you’re going to find a great spot to run.