Barcelona & Running; what a perfect combination! The city’s unique blend of geography and culture makes it a paradise for runners. Just grab your running shoes and pick your route along the beach, the impressive city streets or up in the mountains for breathtaking vistas. With its mild climate, Barcelona is also the ideal destination for runners all year round.
The city’s vibrant running culture is inclusive, catering to everyone from seasoned marathoners to complete beginners. Whether you’re indulging in your daily running routine or exploring a new way to stay active, Barcelona’s variety of routes, scenic beauty, and welcoming community make it a truly inspiring destination for runners of all levels.
This blog is sponsored by Running Barcelona®.
Running in Barcelona
Events - Running in Barcelona
Barcelona is host to many incredible running events throughout the year. These races are not only a great way to get fit and active, but are also a way of meeting new people, building communities and getting to see the city from a different perspective.
Why not take on one of the most attractive marathon routes in Europe, or enjoy a pleasant run around some of Barcelona’s best scenic routes. Check out some of the most popular races below, running in Barcelona is fun!
Cursa Moritz Sant Antoni
The Cursa Moritz Sant Antoni is an annual 10km event that opens Barcelona’s athletic calendar. In addition to the main 10km race, there are shorter distances for children, ranging from 200 meters to 1.6km. The 2025 edition of the Cursa Moritz Sant Antoni is scheduled for 26th January, featuring a new 5km race alongside the traditional 10km. This event not only promotes physical fitness but also fosters community spirit.
- 26th January 2025
- Sant Antoni neighbourhood
- 5 / 10 kilometres
- Cursa Moritz Sant Antoni
eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona
Runners from around the world will sign up to run this route through the centre of Barcelona. eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona event brings together both experienced athletes and novice runners who want to participate in big events.
- 16th February 2025
- City Centre
- 21.0975 kilometres
- eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona
Zurich Marató de Barcelona
One of the biggest sporting and running events in the city by far is the Barcelona Marathon. The Barcelona Marathon is a 42.195km race which is becoming a popular classic on the international marathon calendar. It has been run since 1977 on a flat and scenic route through some beautiful parts of Barcelona. According to runners who have already tackled it, the course of the Zurich Marató Barcelona is one of the most spectacular on Earth. If you’re taking part, don’t miss the traditional Breakfast Run the day before the Barcelona marathon and the Pasta Party on the Saturday before the marathon.
- 16th March 2025
- City Centre
- 42.195 kilometres
- Zurich Marató de Barcelona
Salomon Run Barcelona
Do you want to run in Barcelona in a different way? The Salomon Run Barcelona gives you the opportunity to run in places that are not usually accessible. Come and enjoy our city and its surroundings while you run through slopes, hundreds of stairs and the different emblematic points where the race takes place. Come and discover some of the nooks and crannies that the magical mountain of Montjuic has to offer. Do you want to get to know the less urban side of the city? Get ready to experience the Salomon Run Barcelona! A different kind of race.
- 13 April 2025
- City Centre
- 5 - 10 kilometres
- Salomon run Barcelona 2023
Cursa El Corte Inglés
The Cursa El Corte Inglés 10 km run is one of the most popular running in Barcelona events and one of the biggest in Europe. The all time record number of runners in this race, which is also a Guinness World Record, was when the 1994 Cursa Corte Ingles registered a grand total of 109,457 runners.
- 11 May 2025
- City Centre
- 10 kilometres
- Cursa El Corte Inglés
Cursa de la Mercé
The Cursa de la Mercé run is a popular 10 km run forms part of the annual La Mercè festival at the end of September, and fills the city’s street with athletes of all abilities. It’s the perfect way to get back into training after a long summer.
- September 2025
- City Centre
- 10 kilometres
- Cursa de la Mercé
Vueling Cursa de Bombers
The Vueling Fire Department Barcelona (typically a group of 300 firefighters from Barcelona, the Generalitat of Catalonia and AENA, along with others from several European countries) take part in this race every year. Most of them will be dressed in their regulatory intervention uniform. This involves not only the suit, but also the oxygen cylinders or helmet. This Barcelona event remains the second largest in Spain in terms of participation behind the San Silvestre Vallecana in Madrid.
- October 2025
- City Centre
- 10 kilometres
- Vueling Cursa de Bombers
Carrera de la Mujer
Calling all women in Barcelona! Sign up now to Europe’s biggest female sports event, a race in support of the fight against breast cancer. Taking place not only in Barcelona, but similarly in the Spanish cities of Valencia, Madrid, Vitoria, Gijon, La Coruña, Seville and Zaragoza.
- 16th November 2025
- City Centre
- 7.8 kilometres
- Carrera de la Mujer
Jean Bouin run
The annual Jean Bouin run will take place at the very beginning of December (2025 date TBD). As the oldest running race in Barcelona, this year over 15,000 runners will come together to celebrate this years 101st edition. The race is open to people of nearly all ages and experience levels, as there are a variety of race lengths and categories to choose from. If you’re interested in taking part, you can register online 6-8 weeks before the race.
The race is named after the French athlete, Jean Bouin, who held various world records between 1911 and 1913 and was the runner-up in the Stockholm Olympics of 1912. The first edition of the race took place in 1920. The Jean Bouin run was initiated by three journalists and sports promoters, passionate about athletics. Runners will run past some of Barcelona’s most beautiful locations, such as Parc de la Ciutadella, Arc de Triomf, the port of Barcelona and Plaza Espanya.
- December 2025
- City Centre
- 5 / 10 kilometres
- Jean Bouin run
Cursa dels Nassos
Say farewell to last year with this annual 10km charity race, which takes place on New Year’s Eve along the beachfront. The run has a distinctly celebratory atmosphere with many runners in fancy dress to match the festive spirit. Either for sport or for burning those extra calories gained over the Christmas period, La Cursa del Nassos attracts more and more participants every year.
The race is part of the tradition of L’Home dels Nassos, a mythical figure that symbolizes the end of the year and is part of Catalan folklore. The mythical figure can be admired at the special parade where he is portrayed as a friendly ‘capgròs,’ a man with a giant head.
The race is open to anyone who wants to participate. One can register on the race’s official website and only have to pay a €16 registration fee. There isn’t a healthier way to end the year than to join in on this fantastic race!
- 31st December 2025
- City Centre
- 10 kilometres
- Cursa dels Nassos
Trails - Running in Barcelona
Running in Barcelona: The seaside routes
In addition to the many routes to try out in the city or mountain areas of Barcelona, let’s not forget about the abundance of beautiful routes along the coast. These routes are mostly paved paths, nothing too strenuous and are suitable for people at all levels. Just imagine, going for a nice relaxing jog along the sea front, with the wind in your hair and the sun on your face.
Running in Barcelona: Carretera de les Aigües
If you’re looking for an ideal running in Barcelona get away, we would recommend going to the zona alta . Halfway up Tibidabo hill you will find perhaps the most beautiful natural sports street in the world “la Carretera de les Aigües”. The combination of running (or walking or cycling) in nature with trees, birds, fresh air and sometimes even wild boars around you, with the constant view over the city of Barcelona and the sea makes it a unique place to get out and go for a run!
- Start: Tibidabo
- Length: 10km (markings every 0.5km)
- Sand and loose stones
- Light trail shoes
Costa Brava GR 92
The GR 92 is a sunny, Mediterranean coastal trail along the Costa Brava and offers not only a wonderful landscape with sun and sea, but also many cultural and historical highlights along the way! This route alternates between customs roads along the coast, flat stages and more “mountainous” sections which offer excellent sea views.
- Start: Costa Brava, Portbou
- Length: 187.5km (marked with red and white stripes)
Running Barcelona® has been founded by a lover of sports, Dutch born, Koen Willems.
Running Barcelona® offers every runner, from beginner to expert, a range of services to enjoy life, enjoy Barcelona… and enjoy running in Barcelona!
Its aim is to support the growth of running as a sport, for enjoyment and as part of a healthy lifestyle. With services focused on training, physiotherapy, tours and coaching in Barcelona. With Running Barcelona®, Koen will help you enjoy running to the fullest. The training with him will not only help you get better, but also relax, breathe, and enjoy. The philosophy of Running Barcelona® is “Running without Suffering”!
Koen has lived in Barcelona for over 10 years and has seen the evolution of the different places to run. After studying Physiotherapy, Psychology and Health Sciences, he worked in the Netherlands first, then in the USA, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. After coming to Barcelona, founding Running Barcelona® combined his two passions, running and treating. His vision is that good health makes you enjoy sport and daily life activities in the best way possible. If you have the willpower to do it, there will always be a way to reach your goal. Koen will help you to focus.
Running in Barcelona may seem easy and natural but like any sport, if you practise it without some techniques, you can hurt yourself. Unfortunately up to 90% of runners have bad technique and end up injured. To avoid this, we suggest you come in for a session. It is important to know how your body reacts, how to position yourself, how to breathe.
This is why Koen will first work on the core-muscles. If you have good control of this central part of your body, you will see the changes in your posture and in the footstep. Secondly, with some tips and doing specific exercises on the running technique, you will enjoy running in no time! As a last step, a training programme can be offered which will be supported by additional physiotherapy or coaching.
You can book an appointment for an initial session by sending us an email, calling us, or Whatsapping us. We are also active on Facebook and Instagram.
c/Puig-reig 10 I, 08006 Barcelona
info@runningbarcelona.com
+34 931 05 01 59
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