Tuscany is famous for its cultural heritage, landscape and great food. Running while travelling in this region is the perfect way to experience all of this and much, much more. Tuscany’s towns are moderately sized, so in a 10k run you can enjoy all the highlights of Siena, Florence, Pisa, Lucca or Arezzo. There is a great variety of landscapes to discover in the region, from the seaside with Regional Natural parks like the Maremma, to the countryside with the famous Chianti Region or the mountains like the Apennines with their great forest and wonderful views.
Running is also a great way to have a day trip. Try a run ending with a nice meal of traditional regional food, like the “Pici” from Siena, the ”tortelli” from Maremma or the T-bone steak – “Fiorentina” – in Florence!
RUNNING TOURS
The best way to visit Tuscany while running is doing it with a local guide. A private guide can bring you to the lesser known sights, making you feel like a real local. At Go! Running Tours Florence, we have tours in Florence, Siena and Pisa. We can also organise running day trips to any location you like, usually starting from Florence.
RUNNING RACES IN TUSCANY
Taking part in one of the many running races in the region is another way to combine running and travelling. Tuscany has a very nice, broad running movement, with lots of smaller and bigger running clubs (there are more than 200 in Tuscany) that organise races everywhere. Races usually take place on Sunday mornings but in the summer they also take place in the evenings. The best place to find out more about races is Calendario Podismo.
Please note that in Italy to run a competitive race you need a medical certificate. However, competitive races often offer a non-competitive jog that you can sign up for instead. There are also bigger races, with six marathons: Florence in November, Pisa in December, Carrara Marble Marathon in February, Mugello, Italy’s oldest marathon, in September, Chianti, an impressive trail held in October (with shorter distances) and Elba in May, which is a great occasion to visit this incredible island (shorter distances available) and a lot of half marathons in almost every month of the year!
CLIMATE
Tuscany has a very comfortable climate for running. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for running, although winter is never so cold that you cannot run. In summer, when the temperatures may rise, the best solution is to run early morning or late afternoon.
RUNNING ALONE IN TUSCANY
If you wish to discover Tuscany running on your own we have collaborated with Great Runs designing some routes. My favourites are the Cala Violina run which is the perfect way to visit one of the area’s most beautiful beaches, with crystal clear waters, and the Bilancino Lake Run on the Apennines. Parkrun is a good occasion to meet other runners and share your passion while visiting a park or city walls. Tuscan parkruns are held on Saturdays in Florence, Montecatini Terme, and Lucca. Parkrun is free but don’t forget you have to be registered on the parkrun site to participate!
RUN WITH FRIENDS – RUNNING FOR A CAUSE WITH FRIENDS INTERNATIONAL