My wife and I will be on the RS tour to Venice, Florence, and Rome in October 2017. I am an early morning runner and would like to get a five-mile run in every day, if possible. I have never been to Europe. Is it OK to run through the neighborhoods where our hotels are located, or should I try to find a park? Is it "normal" to see a 65-year old guy running around in the early a.m?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16409 posts
We have run in those three cities. Don't worry about it being "normal"--- you will see a few other people.
In Florence and Rome, we ran along the river to avoid so many street crossings. In Florence we met a woman who was also out running. In Rome, we encountered homeless men under a bridge or two; we nodded and they smiled and waved. Some will say this area is unsafe, but it is patrolled by the police and we did not feel at all unsafe. We did prefer the run from Trastevere west ( or south?) rather than going toward the Vatican.
In Venice, when there for a month, we liked to run the steps of the Rialto Bridge before it gets crowded--say before 8 am. 10 times over and back or a nice workout. We may have started a fad, as by the time we left there were others doing that too. If you prefer a more level run, there are wide sidewalks along the water at Riva Della Schiavoni (near San Marco) and Zattere (Dorsoduro, along the Giudecca Canal).
Posted by
OP
Slidell, LA
3 posts
Thanks, Lola.