If you’re one of those people who carry the desire to run with you wherever you go, this is for you. Budapest is a beautiful city with endless possibilities for leisure and culture, but it also has an ecological heart that never stops beating for lovers of bicycles, rides and races. 

There are small tracks in its main parks and special lanes to enjoy your favourite hobby, as well as some of the best views you can have in the old continent. These are the best areas where you can enjoy a good race at any time of the day.

Parks and places to run in the city centre

Margaret Island

Our first place could not be other than the favourite of many locals, but not all, as well as running enthusiasts from other parts of the world; Margaret Island. It has a flat rubberized running track that stretches about five and a half kilometres around the island. 

What you’ll see around you as you run is what makes it the special place that it is; a small zoo, lots of greenery, cafes, beautiful views and even a spa. A privileged spot in the heart of a unique city.

City Park

All those locals who don’t have Margaret Island as their favourite place to go jogging prefer to do it in City Park, “Liget” for the inhabitants of the Hungarian capital, another privileged place to enjoy this international hobby. 

It is an area where the main tourist and cultural points of interest converge; you will be able to enjoy the Heroes Square, the main square and meeting point, with the two museums that guard the place, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as the Transport Museum, Vajdahunyad Castle, botanical gardens, swimming pools and thermal baths and a zoo, among other interesting points. 

The park is 300 acres, a loop of the park provides a run of around 4 km. In the park you can time your race with its digital timer along the running track.

Gellért Hill and Buda hills

If you’re looking for a bit of uphill and downhill, a bit of elevation gains to wake up your calf muscles, here’s the perfect solution; Gellért Hill and Buda hills. 

On Gellért Hill a trail full of possibilities awaits you. If you start your route at the gates of the Gellért spa, you can choose between running up the hill, down the track to Tabán, a charming and quiet neighbourhood that will make you want to stay there and live, or prepare to pay a short visit to the castle. Whichever option you choose, you’ll either have a fantastic view or a beautiful run, there’s no way to go wrong. 

The Városmajor park awaits you if you start your run at the foot of the Buda hills, which is a huge place full of possibilities where you can choose, as in the previous case, the type of route; flatter or using the slopes to work on your endurance. Take the paths leading north to discover some of the city’s essential sights such as the National Library, the Fountain of the Fishing Children or the Budapest History Museum.

Danube

We cannot forget one of the jewels of the city; the Danube. Budapest is as closely linked to its river as the river’s history is to the country’s capital. A visit is a must and, in addition to a cruise, there is no better way to enjoy its banks and views than running along it. 

You’ll be able to enjoy this route both close to the riverbank and on bridges that cross over it or on roads from which you can enjoy the view. With the Danube as a reference point, we recommend these routes:

Both routes proceed northwards even if the side of the river bank changes. Thus, you can choose to start in Buda or Pest. Start your first route from the Szabadság híd (Freedom Bridge) and proceed along the riverbank, passing the bottom of Gellért Hill – a nice spot to end at Margit Bridge, although once there, you’ll want to enjoy Margaret Island, there’s no doubt about it. 

You can also start at Rákóczi Bridge and walk the six kilometres to Margit Bridge. Choose your shore and enjoy a pleasant walk.

Parks and places to run further out Budapest city centre

If you want to leave the city centre for a more leisurely stroll and sightseeing, you can take some public transport and visit these places which, as well as being perfect for runners, will give you the opportunity to see parts of the city that not all tourists are willing to see due to distance or time.

Orczy Park 

Although it looks like it’s in the middle of the countryside, it’s actually located in the 8th district, which makes it a stone’s throw from the city centre, so you don’t need to cancel all your plans to visit to enjoy a good run and, why not, a nice picnic. 

To give you an idea, it’s only 30 minutes away by metro from Heroes’ Square, and a mere 15 minutes by metro from Budapest’s Central Market. It’s a luxury location within easy reach.

Bikás Park

Changing banks, we find this park, somewhat smaller than the previous one, about seven kilometres south of Buda. Again, if we take a major monument in the city as a reference point, it will take you about 30 minutes to get there if you use public transport, mainly the M4 subway line, departing from Buda Castle. 

There you will find several surprises, the first one being the metro station, which is well worth a visit, as well as numerous facilities such as soccer fields, table-tennis and basketball court, as well as the artwork “Monda” of Kiss István. Focusing on what we are interested in, the first thing you will discover is its hills, as well as a well-kept athletics track with interesting stretches, which has a distance of just over a kilometre.

Kopaszi gát

One of the most peculiar places you can visit in Budapest. It is a small artificial peninsula, originally created as water protection for the city’s industrial area. With time, and the gradual decline of this industry, the place has evolved to become a nice meeting point for both locals and tourists, with numerous bars, terraces and a more than interesting green area where you can enjoy the pleasant weather and running.

Normafa park

We end with one of the best places to spend the day and unwind during your visit to the Hungarian capital. Normafa Park is located in the west of the city, in Svábhegy, in the 12th district, and is home to places of great beauty and tranquillity. Enjoy its green meadows and hills for picnics and trails to discover its forests. A true natural paradise just 40 minutes away from Buda Castle.