Where to jog in Bologna

The Bologna Marathon on 2 March 2025 will be attracting more and more running and jogging enthusiasts to the streets to train.

To prepare for a 10km, a half-marathon, the fateful 42km or simply to stay in shape, the running public demands space for their exercise.

Many seasoned runners already have their favourite, well-established running routes, but for new practitioners or anyone who knows little about the city, it can be useful to choose where to go running to better plan their training.

So, what are the places to run in Bologna? Here are some tips

Run in the city parks

The most popular places to practice are certainly parks and gardens. To breathe purer air and escape the traffic, many runners opt for city greenery, a favourite in Bologna:

• Giardini Margherita

As the city's main park just outside the city centre, there is room for everyone at Giardini Margherita with its tree-lined avenues and wide streets: runners, cyclists, families strolling, pensioners. Busier during the warm season, the gardens are a landmark for the entire city and many runners who live in the area come here to train.

How many kilometres are the Giardini Margherita?

It depends, of course, on the path you choose; many of them cross grassy areas. By following the outermost ones, you can achieve 2km laps.

Alternating them with the innermost roads will certainly result in a more varied and balanced workout between asphalt and dirt.

In addition, some of the inner asphalt roads are marked with route signs, with reference points to facilitate specific work and training over short distances.

• Giardini Lunetta Gamberini

Located in the eastern part of the city, this neighbourhood park offers a green glimpse away from traffic. Overall, it covers a smaller area than the Giardini Margherita, but even here it is possible to make circular laps of around 2 km.

• Parco Talon and Ciclopedonale Certosa

Outside the city to the south-west is Parco Talon/della Chiusa, located in Casalecchio, next to the Reno river. This green area is perfect for running on groomed trails and trail running. Here itineraries and routes are potentially infinite and you can grind out more and more kilometres along the stretch along the Reno where trails are shared with mountain-bikers

• Parco Villa Angeletti and Navile Canal

North of the centre, beyond the station, the Villa Angeletti Park joins the Navile CanalCycle Route: a course along the canal allowing joggers to extend their mileage at will as they leave the city, always running away from traffic on the embankment into the Bolognese plain.

Run at San Luca

Another very attractive place to jog is along the Via di San Luca. Just under 2 km uphill under the portico is an excellent workout with about 200 m of elevation gain, so it is best to avoid it if you are a beginner. Ideal for running in Bologna in rainy weather, the route can be extended by 2 km starting from Porta Saragozza, again under the porticoes.

Running tracks

An alternative to parks or road running are athletic tracks - even when it rains, to get more grip and avoid the slippery porticoes. Certainly suitable for more specific work and for training short and medium distances, several can be found in the city: 

• Centro sportivo Baumann, via Giovanni Bertini 9

• Pista atletica Arcoveggio, Via di Corticella, 180/4

• Pista atletica Cavina, Via Biancolelli, 36

• Centro sportivo CUS Bologna, via del Terrapieno 27

Trail running in the hills

Bologna is also famous for its hills, adjacent to the historic centre. For the more experienced and adventurous runners, trail running offers endless possibilities, made up of roads mixed with trails, uphill routes and various elevation differences to be conquered.

From the areas of Saragozza, San Mamolo, Castiglione and Murri, we ascend towards the hills of Bologna; here running on the road - it should be noted - requires greater attention: the roadways become narrow, it is not often possible to see beyond the curve, and the road is shared with cyclists and cars. However, you can quickly get to pathways into hillside parks such as Villa Ghigi and Parco del Pellegrino, or secondary roads with little traffic.

If you would like to suggest other running routes or itineraries, please write to redazione@bolognawelcome.it