There are two types of travelers. The ones packing for the casual leisure, and the ones packing for the leisure and the sweat. Yes, those with two compartments of clothing: casual and training. Yes, we are the second type too.

When you travel, what is the best way to get the pulse of the city? …You run it..!

There is no better way to endow a city and its culture by getting to it, all in. This means, putting your trainers on and getting a pure and direct sense of the city by running it.

We have done some of the work for you in giving you an overview of what we consider the best cities to enjoy a good combination of sightseeing and running, all in one.

Australia’s largest city is full of prettiness. It combines the beauty of nature (its centennial park has 540 acres of garden), and the excitement of a stirring city. What is in Sydney for runners? Splendid places, great weather, nature, nice people, large coastlines with stunning sightseeing, and more. Where to run in Sydney?

• Sydney downtown. A good flavor of the city exploring through harbor, garden, and parks. The harbor bridge can be a starting point, following Circular Quay to then follow through the coast heading to the opera house. Anything around this area will give you a great flavor of the city!
• Heartbreak Hill. The Sydney’s version of Boston marathon!
• Iron Cove Bay Run. A coastline very much favorite among local runners. With around 5.5 miles loop this area is a beautiful waterfront with tree lines exceptionally enjoyable for a run
• Olympic Park. No traffic and countless running tracks, perfect for nature lovers
• Lane Cove National Park. A protected national park just around 20-25 minutes from the city with a course close to 10k just great for a run
• Centennial Park. More nature to enjoy with 467 acres of land
• Bondi to Coogee. Beautiful see side running route with stunning views, beaches, parks, cliffs, bays, and rock pools. There are places to rest if you feel like taking a break. The loop can be total of around 8 miles, you can take a bus back if you feel like taking only a 4 mile run.

The capital of Sweden is perhaps one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. Its weather, well -structured pathways for pedestrians, waterfront, nature, and more, make this city an ideal city for runners. Where to run in Stockholm?

• Djurgarden. This is a exceptional place for runners with picturesque green areas, historical buildings and monuments A run along the canal dividing Djurgarden and Norra Djirgarden will be around 3.5 miles, or the full loop will be around 4.5 miles.
• Kungsholmen. Run along Normalarstrand and the cliffs of Kristineberg for spectacular views. The loop will be around 5 miles. This small island offers lots of beautiful waterfront for pleasant runs.
• Hellasgarden. A little outside of the city (20 mins by bus), this area offers several running tracks in the woods and around the lake.
• Arstaviken. A very straightforward run of approx 4 miles, you will be alongside the water almost the entire time. A very nice location for runners.

The mecca for runners in the US and the world, hosting the Boston marathon every year (with an average of 30,000 participants every year), this city offers not only the well known running hot spots but so many hidden-gems routes can make an even more pleasant experience for runners.

Check out the Battle Road Trail, Long Crouch Woods Trail, Lower Neponset River Trail, Muddy River Path.

View more at Running Boston

Its running community makes this city rock in the running palestra.

The enchant of Paris can very well go beyond food, history, fashion, and culture. This is a city that can be very well enjoyed by runners too. There are plenty of spots where running can be such a pleasant experience, to name a few:

• Les Berges. Although relatively short riverbank, it is a perfect spot for runners that goes from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower.
• Le Jardin des Tuileries. More centrally located, and given its relatively small area, this spot is great for lapping. There is beautiful landscape with gardens all around which makes this run extremely enjoyable.
• The canal Saint Martin. This one can be good for long runs. You will find a beautiful scene and perfect place to run from the canal Saint Martin to Parc de la Villete.
• Les Bois de Vincennes. The biggest park in Paris. This one is also good for long runs (yes, the park is big). With nature at its best, this park will give you a perfect surrounding to get inspired and push the limits of distance with a beautiful and long run.
• Le Jardin des Plantes. A garden offering a botanical scenery that makes this run breathtaking. It is prefect for laps given its shape and area. A place that will inspire anyone.
• Le Canal De L’Ourq. Another close encounter with nature. This area offers a very long distance across the riverbank, which can get you going and going, almost a never-ending run. If you simply need to get away, this is the run.

A coastal city in Canada very well know for its fresh and local sea food. Vancouver is a gorgeous and dynamic city that has been named by many as one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Being ranked as one of the world’s ‘most livable cities’ Vancouver is a perfect place for runners. Vancouver’s landmark is the Stanley Park (covers 1000 acres) where a paved pathway that goes around the park’s coastline makes this a splendid place for any runner. Other places to run include:

• Burnaby Central Park. A park with around 15 acres remarkable for its beautiful douglas fir, western hemlock, cedar, poplar and maple groves. This park offers great sports and recreation facilities with lots of trails that runners can choose from.
• Pacific Spirit Park. With a vast terrain of 312 acres, this park offers an ample network of trails highly popular among residents.
• Burrard Bridge. Burrard bridge and Kitsilano will be a quick and good way of running through the downtown flavor of Vancouver.
• Jericho Beach. Get a view of the north shore while running its path by the shore, this beach is a scenic place to run.

One of our favorites in the US where a great community of runners can be found. New York hosts every year the New York marathon where thousands of runners charge the streets of the big city. New York ca be busy but there is a good deal of running trails and green parks that would make any runner happy. Where to run in New York?

• Hudson River Greenway. A beautiful 11 miles stretch to run by the water of the Hudson River. This pathway will motivate and inspire anyone. Great for mid to long runs.
• Central Park. This is an iconic place for anyone visiting New York, and for anyone looking to run the city too. With a full loop of around 6 miles, you can do flat runs and take some mild hills too (for those looking for some serious workout). This park is a must for anyone looking to run in the city.
• Brooklyn Bridge. Although a short run, this one is a very enjoyable run with views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. You will be able to spot a lot of the city’s landmarks in this run such as the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade, and the Empire State Building.
• Coney Island Boardwalk. This one is a beautiful 5-mile beachfront pathway ideal for people looking for a recess from the hectic city.
• Carl Schurz Park. On the upper east side of Manhattan, this one is a hidden gem for runners. With stunning views, the riverwalk provides a good pathway for runners to enjoy this beautiful place
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt Boardwalk. A beautiful beachside run with around 2.5 miles of wide boardwalk perfect for runners to enjoy a pleasant view of the Atlantic Ocean.

A city to love. There is so much to get from this culturally and historically enriched city, and its running atmosphere is one of them. Berlin hosts the Berlin marathon, an event that many consider ‘the perfect marathon’. The city will surprise you with plenty of green areas and parks to enjoy running to the max. Some great places to visit are:

• Tempelhof Field. The former airport was closed in 2008 and ever since (after being reclaimed by the people), it became a place for leisure activities including sports and recreation. Its loop is around 3 miles where you will pass by some nice garden and picknick areas.
• Tiergarten. A beautiful green space with around 540 acres. With plenty of trails this park is almost a runner’s dream. You will see some of Berlin’s landmarks across this run: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag building, Bellevue Palace, and the Congress Hall among others.
• Grunewald Forest. The largest park in Berlin offers vast terrain to go for a long run. Countless options of trails and roads around stunning lakes and hills make this one a must if you’re in Berlin.
• Friedrichshain Park. This park offers great options to anyone looking to amp a run by including some ‘Bunkerberg’ workout and its fitness trail.

The capital and largest city of England, and the largest financial centre of the world also offers a great landscape for runners. With a relatively flat terrain, some of the best running routes are:

• Victoria Park. A green jewel in the east of the city. The entire loop of the park can get to 5 miles, and there are plenty of pathways options when it comes to running it.
• Regent’s Park. Combining large spaces (395 acres) and beautiful tree lined pathways, this Royal Park is exceptional for runners. With great sports facilities it has central London’s largest outdoor sports area. Great choice for long runs.
• East London Canals. Run peacefully by the canals at the east of London making a start at the Limehouse Cut and follow through the Olympic stadium ending up in Angel. A paved run with pleasant atmosphere.
• Diana Memorial. Eight running courses collide in central London’s green spaces. You will run across some of the London’s landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. Nice run to enjoy nature in Central London.

A vast metropolitan area with the largest urban and industrial agglomeration in Japan, this modern and dynamic city also offers beautiful places with green areas where runners will enjoy the great running atmosphere of Tokyo. Some places to consider:

• Imperial Palace. This is a must for anyone running Tokyo. A beautiful and picturesque scenery in the center of Tokyo you will run around the outside with approx. 2.5 miles loop. The place is favorite to many local and visiting runners.
• Yoyogi Park. Tokyo’s largest park with stunning views, this one is also a great place for any runner with plenty of green routes and pathways.
• Tamagawa River. Excellent for anyone looking for a long run. This pathway has picturesque and scenic views by the river, perfect to push the limits through its vast distance (you can get up to 22 miles of running).
• Koganei Park. A very popular park among local runners (it has its own running club), the park offers spacious grass areas and multiple athletic facilities.
• Komasawa Park. An amazing run with loops for shorts and the full course for longs where markers are placed along the pathway so you know how far you’ve gotten. Splendid landscape to enjoy a morning or evening run.

A small but charming and beautiful green city. With canals across the city, Amsterdam is a stunning and splendid place for runners, where finding scenic routes surrounded by nature becomes relatively easy. Some of the best places for runners are:

• Amstel River. A beautiful landscape makes this run absolutely splendid. You can do either shorts or longs. Make a start in central Amsterdam towards Ouderkerk aam de Amstel and you will be completing a 7-mile run. Or start at Amstelpak towards Ouderkerk aam de Amstel and you will be completing a 3-mile run.
• Vondelpark. A nice place to get away from the hustle and go for a run. A park with wide pathways and stunning views where bikers and pedestrians share to road, so keep an eye on them!
• Flevopark. A relatively small park flooded with nature and tree lines making it a scenic route for any runner. It is a flat circuit with water everywhere and not so crowded and the Vondelpark. A really nice and tranquil park with its own distillery!
• Oosterpark. Very close to Amsterdam’s center this park is also a tranquil place not so crowded as other bigger parks (Vondelpark). Very enjoyable with wide pathways and a relaxed environment mostly visited by locals. Some bridges, beautiful sculptures, and lots of green and water make this one a scenic landscape for any runner.