Do you like urbirun? Then why not buy me a coffee or a chocolate chip cookie to encourage me? Thank you very much for your support!
Subscribe to our newsletter and keep up to date with urbirun news, new destinations and exclusive routes.
Join de urbirun newsletterBecause approaching a landmark on foot, while running, is inevitably different. Unique. Almost intimate. More often than not, it’s early morning. The city is still in a gentle slumber. No traffic, no tourists. The monuments bathed in a completely different atmosphere. Alone. Masters of the place, for a little while longer. The sound of your footsteps on the cobblestones, through the still-silent city, the golden light of sunrise… and suddenly a mythical landmark appears around a corner. Just for you. So here’s how not to miss them by running randomly, and how to approach them from the best possible angle…
The Colosseum when running in Rome
Running to the Colosseum early in the morning is an almost surreal experience. The streets of the historic centre are still silent, the wide esplanade surrounding it is almost empty, and the first light of day gives the ancient stones a spectacular golden colour. A suspended moment. My advice: don’t go and see the Colosseum before your run… you’ll go back later. This first impression, you won’t forget it, and it’s probably the one you’ll carry with you forever.
Running in Rome — the essence of the Eternal City
The Brooklyn Bridge when running in New York
Because yes, it’s a landmark. And crossing this bridge while running in the early morning is probably one of the most iconic runs in the world. Urbirun takes you there by going around it first, so as not to spoil the experience: crossing the East River via the Manhattan Bridge first (a landmark in its own right — from which you have a unique view of the Brooklyn Bridge). Then making the crossing that offers the best views of New York’s mythical skyline, whose facades reflect the first rays of the sun. Your shadow stretches across the wooden planks of the bridge, which vibrate beneath your feet. And your heart beats just a little too fast. You know this run is one you won’t forget.
Running in New York — Brooklyn Classic, the unforgettable run
Charles Bridge when running in Prague
Early in the morning, Charles Bridge finally reclaims its calm. According to legend, the statues lining it — who spent the night quietly chatting among themselves — have climbed back up onto the parapet. And they’re waiting for you. You’re among the first. After the alleyways of the Old Town still spared from the crowds, you pass under the tower. The sun grazes the hill before you, the Castle that dominates it, and the Cathedral spire, towards which the bridge — and the route — leads you. Beneath your feet, the Vltava flows gently. Take a moment to stop. Turn around slowly. The city is yours. Make the most of this rare moment of calm.
The Eiffel Tower when running in Paris
Yes, you’ve seen it a thousand times. But discovering it when it’s still alone — whether from the Trocadéro or the Champ-de-Mars — is something else entirely. It’s no longer the one from the postcards. It’s yours, immense and serene. Enjoy the silence — it’s so rare that anyone leaves it in peace. In an hour it will be mobbed. But for now it’s all yours, and strangely you’ll have the feeling that it’s grateful you’re taking a few moments just for it.
Tower Bridge when running in London
Approaching Tower Bridge from the west, as the first rays of sunlight struggle through the London mist, has something almost mystical about it. The embankment is deserted, to your left the squat mass of the Tower of London’s walls, and the bridge’s structure silhouetted against the light ahead of you. Let yourself be guided, and cross the smooth, calm Thames, the bridge’s towers contrasting with the skyline behind, and the modernity of the Shard and City Hall.
Running in London — The must-sees
Diocletian’s Palace when running in Split
In Split you don’t run near the monument. You run inside it. This city is unique: a gigantic Roman palace from the 3rd century has become a very much alive “old town”, where people live, work and sleep within walls 1,700 years old. Running through this labyrinth of alleyways, when your only company is a few cats, has something unreal about it. It’s hard to imagine that this entire neighbourhood was once a single palace. Urbirun takes you in through the cellars — a succession of gigantic thousand-year-old arches — from which you’ll emerge right into the heart of History, alone with the past. And one or two cats.
Running in Split — The Dalmatian Pearl
The Duomo when running in Florence
You can hardly believe it. But yes, there they are before you — the black and white facades of the Duomo, in the yellowish morning light. And you’re not dreaming: the silence is total. You circle this majestic cathedral clockwise — yes, clockwise — to make the most of the soft light on the Baptistery and the main portal, then of the Campanile rising in magnificent silhouette against the sky. You’ll find it hard to believe this moment of calm ever existed if you pass by again later in the day. Pick up your pace, let yourself be guided — we’re taking you to the Palazzo Vecchio. David stands guard there, and he’s still alone.
Running in Florence — The only museum where running is allowed
The Little Mermaid when running in Copenhagen
Oh, she’s by far not the biggest landmark on this list. But she’s worth the detour — especially since she can no longer run, having sacrificed her legs for love. Would you do the same? What makes the encounter so special is the calm of the waterfront that leads you to her. Serenity — that’s probably the word that best describes Copenhagen, and running there confirms it every time. There’s plenty to feast your eyes on, without the sometimes pompous grandeur of other capitals. Definitely one of my favourites. So yes, go and see the Lille Havfrue. And she’ll lead you on to discover the Kastellet in the best possible way.
Running in Copenhagen — The hidden gem
The Parliament when running in Budapest
It’s hard to know which one makes the other more magnificent — the river or the building. Standing on the banks of the Danube, the Budapest Parliament is one of the most spectacular buildings in Europe. You approach it running along the embankment, where a few shoes serve as a heart-breaking reminder of the horrors of war. Then this immense neo-Gothic structure with its thousands of windows rises before you. Keep going — we’ll also take you to admire it from the opposite bank, at the top of the Fisherman’s Bastion steps. Even from further away, it remains gigantic.
Running in Budapest — Buda, Pest and the Danube
The Rijksmuseum when running in Amsterdam
Amsterdam — a true gem where you run with your head in the clouds, but where one wrong step could land you in a canal. So lively by day and by night, the city is deliciously calm in the morning. Its Hanseatic facades reflect in the perfectly still water of the canals. We take you through the first stretch of Vondelpark before leading you to the museum esplanade, at the far end of which stands the rosy facade of the Rijksmuseum — which we take you through beneath a series of magnificently photogenic arcades.
Running in Amsterdam — The best of
The Reichstag when running in Berlin
Berlin is vast. And yet so calm in the morning that it seems unreal for a capital of this size. Linger a little longer on the still-deserted banks of the Spree, before the esplanade that frames the massive silhouette of the Reichstag. Its glass dome sparkles in the first rays of sunlight, just a few steps from the Brandenburg Gate — another landmark marked by History if ever there was one. Listen to the silence, in which the plaintive murmur of a martyred city mingles with the energy of a creative capital that turns its scars into strength. Trust me — you’ll feel that energy with every step.
Running in Berlin — Where scars become strength
______________________
What is sightrunning ?
It’s memories. Unique. Exclusive. Run with eyes wide open on the scenery. Running moments, not kilometers. Live this running experience that breaks the routine. Be urbirunner.
=> Instant access • Garmin, Strava & Komoot compatible
After clicking your selected route, you’ll be redirected to our secure download platform to access your GPX file.