Some of the best running cities in Europe

We love to jog off-the-beaten-path, coastal routes and up in the mountains but, more importantly, we like to stay fit when we're travelling. So, nothing changes when we visit. a city.

But, there are three other key reasons that we like to run in cities we're visiting:

1. We LOVE to eat and drink so a bit of jogging helps to offset those calories!

2. It's a great way to recover from travel, whether that's a short haul flight, a long roadtrip or from the jetlag you feel after a long haul flight. There's no better way!

3. Last but definitely not least.... A city jog can be a really brilliant to get to know a place so we always try to get our running shoes on shortly after arriving (or the first morning there).

Here's some of our favourite European cities for run training (jogging, for us)....

Lisbon (Portugal) - It's hilly as hell (super ouch) so we like to head down to the waterfront where you can run for miles from one side of the city to the other along the river Tagus. We saw tons along the way, including the TimeOut mall, the train station and bridges and boats galore. If you carry a mobile when you run (as we do for safety), you'll find yourself stopping to take pics, of course! We even came across a few restaurants, bars and a Padel court to get back to later on!

Valencia (Spain) - Now this is a great city for running! We were there to support my dad in the European Tri Championships and thought we'd avoid closed road issues with public transport and run to the start. So, we made our way down through the wonderful Turia gardens - A lovely park that runs some 9km north to south through the middle of the city, leaving you very near the Port area and the beach. Definitely recommended, especially if you're staying in. the top part of town. In fact, it's really full of joggers and people working out so it's got great vibes if you like a bit of motivation from others. Otherwise, the beachfront is always nice in Valencia too!

Granada (Spain) - Also a very hilly city but my god is it gorgeous. We went right up past the Alhambra into the hills beyond where there's paths amongst olive trees and views to die for. It might be tough but it's absolutely beautiful so you may find yourself staying out there much longer than you had anticipated. So leave plenty of time!

Cambridge (UK) - Still considered one of the best running cities in Europe despite the UK no longer being part of the EU (boooooo)! This is hands down a BRILLIANT city for running. You want to be looking for the River Cam as you can run a good ten kilometres one-way (more or less) along a gorgeous riverside path from the heart of Cambridge city, all the way out to Waterbeach and even beyond there if you don't mind some less well-formed paths! You can absolutely expect to see plenty of the Cambridge University rowers out training as well as some gorgeous countryside homes. You can also stop at Waterbeach for a pint and some lunch if you want to as there's a riverside pub there (and you can even get the train back from there if you've had enough)!

London (UK) - London is a huge city with very urban landscapes, rivers, canals and more. However, in central London, we like to head straight for the Royal Parks. There are many but St James' Park. Green Park and Hyde Park all link up at their 'corners' (they're not strictly corners but you know what I mean) so they're perfect for longer runs, and super pretty with lots of green space for yoga, stretching. or core work en route. Within these three parks, you'll pass Horseguards, Buckingham Palace, see the pelicans in St James' Park and have a very good chance of seeing some kinds of calvacade carrying members of. the royal family or their guests. Also, you can stop for some water, an icecream or even a beer at one of many of the Royal Parks kiosks or cafes.

Almeria (Spain) - Another Spanish favourite. of ours although a little more tricky for running as, while the old town is very pretty and well worth visiting, it's difficult for run training. Instead, we always head down to the beautiful beachfront where you can join other walkers, joggers and cyclists to train along the many kilometres of promenade. This is a difficult one for coffee lovers as there's plenty of cafes (and restaurants) with views over the sea to tempt you! There is also some free gym kit available in a few spots along the beachfront, the most popular of which is the port end of the beach. Bring plenty of suncream and. a hat as this is one of the sunniest parts of. the world. We tend to wear togs under our training gear too as it's hard to leave without a swim!

Porto (Portugal) - Back to lovely Portugal again and another tough but gorgeous city for a jog. Again, heading down through the city to. the riverside may be wise here. You can cross the river on the footbridge (which is also a rail bridge on the upper level) and run along the other side of the river if you wish! Either way, you will see several great bridges, many of the big port manufacturers warehouses, and plenty of the lovely old 'rabelo' boats (traditional cargo boats now used for trips on the river which we'd definitely recommend)! From the non-city side, you'll have a view back to the famous coloured houses of Porto (so bring your camera)! It's a tough climb back up into the city but, don't worry if you don't fancy the steps or ramps as there is also a funicular lift!

We totally get that that this isn't the definitive list of the best cities for running in Europe so please help us out by letting us know yours at hello@gadabouttheplanet.com!

[We've got lots more on travel fitness on our roadtrippin' and life in Spain sections - and more being added all the time!]