# How do you find good running routes in a new city? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/running-routes-new-city/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Movement · Updated: 2026-10-13 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* Start with the map and look for water, parks and long continuous paths, because rivers, seafronts, canals and city walls almost always make the best routes. Then borrow local knowledge: route-sharing apps and their popularity maps, a running shop, a club's weekly social run, or the person at the hotel desk who looks like they run. Your first outing is a reconnaissance, not a performance. A new city is one of the best reasons to go for a run. You see more in forty minutes on foot than in a day of taxis, and you come back knowing where the bakery is. The difficulty is the first morning, when you open the door and every direction looks like a car park. ## Read the map like a runner Before you go out, spend five minutes with a map and look for shapes rather than streets: - **Water.** Rivers, canals, lakes, seafronts and harbours give you long paths with few crossings and a view that changes. They also make getting lost difficult: keep the water on one side, turn round, keep it on the other. - **Green patches.** Large parks usually have a perimeter loop, and the perimeter is often exactly the distance you want. - **Old walls and ring roads turned boulevards.** Many old European towns have a promenade along their former walls, which is a ready-made loop with a view. - **Disused railways and long cycle paths.** Straight, flat, well surfaced, often car-free. What you are avoiding: routes with a traffic light every hundred metres, narrow pavements full of tourists and anything that looks like a motorway junction. ## Borrow other runners' routes Many running and cycling apps let you browse routes other people have saved near you, and several show popularity maps where well-used paths glow brighter. You do not need to sign up to everything; even a glance tells you where the locals go. Look for the line that is thick, continuous and near water. That line is the city's unofficial running track. Treat any downloaded route as a suggestion. Paths close, parks lock their gates at night and a route that is lovely at seven in the morning can be a scrum at noon. ## Ask the people who know Human sources are underrated: - **Running shops.** Many host a weekly group run and will happily tell you the local favourite loop, often with opinions. - **Clubs and social runs.** A weekly club run or a local parkrun is the fastest way to learn a city's best paths and meet people who will tell you where to eat afterwards. Our guide to [finding a running club](https://zestasy.com/movement/finding-a-running-club/) covers how to pick a friendly one. - **Hotel desks and hosts.** Ask where people run, not where you can run. The answer is more specific. - **Anyone with a dog.** Dog walkers know every park entrance and which ones close. ## The first outing Keep your first run short and easy, and treat it as a scouting mission: - Go out and back along one obvious line rather than attempting a clever loop. - Take a photo of the street you started from and drop a pin on your phone. - Carry a card or phone with the address, a little money for a coffee or a bus, and something to drink if it is warm. - Run in daylight the first time, so you can see the surfaces and the exits. After that, extend. The second day you will know where the water fountain is, which bridge is quieter, and where the coffee is good. ## Make it a way of seeing the city Some of our favourite runs have been aimed at something: the cathedral square before the crowds, a market as it sets up, a viewpoint at sunrise. Pick a destination, run there gently, walk the last bit and look around. The route back can be the same one, which on a first visit is not a lack of imagination but good sense. If you run early or late, our notes on [running in the dark](https://zestasy.com/wiki/running-in-the-dark/) are worth a look. ## FAQ ### Is it safe to run alone in an unfamiliar city? Use the same judgement you would use walking: stick to busy, well-lit routes, tell someone your plan, carry your phone and follow local advice about areas to avoid. If something feels wrong, change direction without debating it. ### What if the city has no good running routes at all? Then run to one. A short taxi or tram ride to a park or seafront turns a stressful run into a lovely one. Or swap the run for a long walk and see the city at walking pace. ### How do I avoid getting lost? Run out and back, keep a landmark like a river or a tower in view, and check your phone map at junctions rather than after you have taken five of them. ### Should I bring running shoes on every trip? If running is how you like to see places, yes. A pair of trainers and one light outfit take very little room and turn any free hour into a tour. ## Related - [How do you keep moving when you travel?](https://zestasy.com/movement/moving-when-you-travel/) - [How do you turn a city walk into a proper outing?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/walking-in-the-city/) - [How slow should an easy run feel?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/how-slow-is-an-easy-run/) - [How do you find a running club that isn't intimidating?](https://zestasy.com/movement/finding-a-running-club/) - [How do you run safely in the dark?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/running-in-the-dark/) - [All Movement answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#movement)