Running in Madrid

As we all know, Madrid is a beautiful city with loads of great things to see. We also know that the vast quantities of delicious tapas can make it easy to gain a few pounds! So instead of strolling round the city, why not speed things up and get running? The city has loads of wide open, green spaces and parks which make it the perfect city in which to go for a jog!

1. Retiro Park

Retiro Park

Retiro Park is Madrid’s most famous park with its beautiful lake, botanic gardens and stunning palaces. Its perimeter is approximately 4.5km long making it an ideal place to run whether you fancy a short jog or whether you really want to test yourself and increase the distance. It’s a fairly flat run so perfect for beginners as well as the more serious runners. If that wasn’t enough, the route is equipped with numerous water fountains making it even more perfect!

2. Madrid Río

Madrid Río

This impressive 42km stretch of river in a new riverside park in Madrid provides a perfect escape if you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. The picturesque scenery will be sure to motivate you to continue running and will give you a change of scenery from the built up city.

3. Casa de Campo

Like Retiro, Casa de Campo is a huge park offering endless green space in which to run. However unlike Retiro, is not a hugely popular tourist destination and so it’s likely that you’ll find yourself having acres of space to yourself to enjoy both the fresh air and your run. With various metro stops dotted around the park you can tailor your run to the distance you want.

4. Anillo Verde (Madrid’s green cyclist belt)

The green cyclist belt is purpose designed for cyclists and runners. It’s 6km wide, allowing 4km for cyclists and 2km for runners. It’s 64km in distance in total and has metro stations every 5km or less, so you can run for as long or as short as you like. It also covers a large area of Madrid making it convenient for everyone!

5. Parque Canal

Parque Canal

Also known as Parque Santander, this park was opened in 2007 with the aim of minimizing water wastage, as well as providing an area to do sport, as well as other leisure activities. Together with the 1.2km perimeter which is purpose-built for running, it’s home to 8 covered tennis courts, football pitches varying in size and even a golf course. Located in the centre of Madrid, Parque Canal is easily accessible to all and a perfect place to enjoy a run around!