A holiday to relax and disconnect does not have to be at odds with physical exercise. If you want to enjoy a city in which to leave stress behind, but without giving up on your daily training, you will like to know that the Catalan capital has become the perfect destination for runners. You do not believe it? In that case, we invite you to discover the best places to run in Barcelona.
As you can see, some of these places are very close to our apartments close to the beach of Barcelona, so you do not have to worry about taking the metro and you can concentrate on getting your sports fix. Are you ready?
1. Collserola Natural Park
We open this list of the best places to run in Barcelona with the largest green lung in Barcelona: the Collserola Natural Park. With an area of more than 10,000 hectares and located between the Besòs and Llobregat rivers, this paradise for sports fans is just 15 minutes away from the center of Barcelona and is considered one of the largest urban parks in Europe. In 2010, it was elevated to the Natural Park category and today it is one of the most recommended places to enjoy a nice run.
Its many trails are dotted with farmhouses, fountains and hermitages, as well as some interesting monuments. Among them, it is worth mentioning the Collserola tower, designed by Norman Foster on the occasion of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, or the Tibidabo Amusement Park, located on the homonymous mountain. This mountain is 512 m high, making it the roof of the Catalan capital. In addition, we should not forget that this peaceful haven offers exceptional views.
To get to Collserola, you can take the L7 of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) to the Avinguda Tibidabo station and, after walking up this avenue, take the funicular to Tibidabo. Another option is to choose the S1 or S2 lines of these trains to the Baixador de Vallvidrera stop.
2. Carretera de les Aigües
Gateway to Collserola, the Carretera de les Aigües road could be on the list of the best viewpoints in Barcelona, thanks to the spectacular views over the Barcelona skyline and the Mediterranean. This artery has a total length of approximately 20 km, which begins on the road of the Arrabassada and ends in Plaça de Mireia, in the municipality of Esplugues de Llobregat. The origin of its name has to do with the history of the place, since there was a water distribution pipe in the past.
To get to Carretera de les Aigües by train, get off at the Peu del Funicular stop (lines S1 or S2 of the FGC) and, from there, take the Vallvidrera funicular to the Carretera de les Aigües stop (if you use an integrated transport title, you will not have to pay twice). If you travel by car, go on the BV-1465, road from Sarrià to Vallvidrera – for about 2.5 km from the B-20 round – until you find the overpass of the metal walkway.
3. Montjuïc mountain
Together with Tibidabo, Montjuïc – whose name means ‘mount of the Jews’, due to the presence of an old Hebrew cemetery in the area – is one of the two most iconic mountains in Barcelona. Located at 173 m above sea level, Montjuic offers a panoramic postcard of Collserola, the port and the city. Among its best points of observation, it is convenient to refer to the castle of Montjuïc and the Migdia viewpoint, separated from Avinguda Paral·lel by a slope of 200 m. In addition, during your session you will also encounter stairs – ideal for your GAP routine – and places to sit and rest, such as the Mossèn Costa i Llobera gardens or the botanical garden.
To reach Plaça de Espanya by public transport, you can take the underground lines L1 and L3, as well as the L8 of FGC and get off at the stop of the same name. You can start your running session from there, running along Maria Cristina Avenue, or take the 150-line bus, which will take you to the Olympic ring area. In addition, there are many buses that lead to Plaça Espanya (check the website I want to go from TMB to know more).
4. Guinardó Park
Among the best places to run in Barcelona, this is one of the least crowded and most spectacular. Framed in the district of Horta-Guinardó, this green space in the Catalan capital has a great route of about 7 km by the so-called Tres Turons (‘three hills’): Carmel, Rovira and Creueta del Coll. Although the level of difficulty is medium-high, we assure you it is worth it. Start your running at Plaça Sanllehy and take Carrer Ramiro de Maeztu, which later becomes Carretera del Carmel. Here is where the ascension begins! You will pass in front of the facilities of the Club Natació Catalunya, one of the entrances of Park Güell, the Creueta del Coll and the Turó de la Rovira, where anti-aircraft batteries from the Civil War are still preserved. Finally, go down the Guinardó park and … enjoy the scenery!
To get to plaça Sanllehy, choose between bus lines 24, D40 or 92. You can also get off at the Guinardó metro stop | Hospital de Sant Pau (L4), although the walking distance from there is considerable.
5. Park Güell
One of Gaudí’s works in Barcelona is also runner territory. We are talking about Park Güell, an unfinished garden city that has been part of the World Heritage Site list in Barcelona since 1984. Built between 1900 and 1914 at the wish of the industrialist Eusebi Güell, Gaudí’s great patron, was opened as a public park in 1926. Although the monumental zone – where the hypostyle hall and the well-known trencadís salamander are located – is not free, its green space has a free access space. There are steps, viaducts and slopes waiting for you to get fit during your holidays in Barcelona.
To get to Park Güell, take the subway to the Lesseps or Vallcarca (L3) stops, or the buses on lines H6 and D40. The two tour bus operators also pass by this place (although this alternative is quite expensive if what we want is to train, right?).
6. Can Dragó Park
Located in the Nou Barris district, this park has 118,600 m2 of extension, which is equivalent to three blocks of houses. In addition to having various running trails, the place also has a football field, a golf course, running tracks and one of the best outdoor swimming pools in Barcelona. Right next door, there is a shopping and entertainment center with movie theaters, shops and restaurants.
The fastest way to get to Can Dragó is by taking the subway to the Fabra i Puig (L1) stop, the Rodalies Renfe train to Sant Andreu Arenal or the A4, 62 or H6 bus lines.
7. Ciutadella Park
Inspired by the Luxembourg gardens of Paris and built on an old military citadel of the 18th century, this park is a delight for any runner. During your tour, you will enjoy an imposing monumental fountain, a lake where you can take a boat ride, the life-size mammoth sculpture, the Parliament of Catalonia, a military church, the Barcelona zoo and many other claims. All this without forgetting countless plants and trees, such as Australian pine, laurel or magnolia.
To get to the Ciutadella Park, take the metro (L1) or the Rendal Rodalies train, in both cases to the Arc de Triomf stop. It is also near the station of France, long-distance trains; the L4 line (stops of Barceloneta or Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica) and the bus lines H4 and H16.
8. Joan Miró Park
A total of 4.71 hectares await runners to unload adrenaline. This green space in Esquerra de l’Eixample was inaugurated on May 12, 1983 on the grounds of the old slaughterhouse of Barcelona (hence for many years it was known as the park of l’Escorxador, which means ‘slaughterhouse’ in Catalan). In addition to running at your leisure, you can have a drink in a pleasant outdoor bar, enjoy a book in the Joan Miró public library, located on a lake, or admire the ‘Dona i ocell’ sculpture, the work of the Catalan artist that gives the park its name.
To reach Joan Miró park, see point 3, on the mountain of Montjuïc.
9. Section of the Besòs river park (Ronda Verda)
This space, one of the great miracles of post-Olympic Barcelona, connects the Collserola mountain range with the seafront and is a good choice for those who wish to do sports tourism in Barcelona. In one of the best urban interventions in recent years, the mouth of a polluted and bland river gave way to a spectacular river park. Its 115 hectares are visited daily not only by runners looking for a low difficulty circuit, but also by cyclists and families with children. Nearby, you also visit the Can Zam and Molinet parks, as well as the Besòs River Park itself.
It is open to the public every day of the year: from March 21 to June 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from June 21 to September 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from September 21 to December 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and from December 21 to March 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
You can get there by subway by getting off at the stops of Artigues-Sant Adrià, L2, or La Verneda, L4, or with buses on lines B14, B19, B20.
10. Barcelona boardwalk
If you stay in our holiday apartments in Barcelona, you will have the opportunity to run by the sea along the promenade of Barcelona. 5 km long and a Californian flare, it will take you from the Fòrum Park to the Barceloneta neighborhood.
To know how to get there, check out this article about the best beaches in Barcelona, where the best combination will be indicated depending on the area you want to reach.
Here ends our top-10 of the best places to run in Barcelona. However, if you want to provide your suggestions, do not hesitate to send us your comments.
