Running in Santiago Chile

It’s often hard to find time to exercise when we travel.  It could be that we’re on a business trip and we’ve hardly got a moment to ourselves.  Or perhaps we’re traveling for pleasure and we’re too busy enjoying ourselves (and the food!) to make time for a workout.  But if you’re a fitness enthusiast, you may find yourself wanting to go for a jog during your trip to Santiago.  You’re in luck—if you can find the right spots, the city is very hospitable to runners and joggers, and you’ll likely get to see some interesting scenery while you work on your cardio.

Simply running on the sidewalk is not the way to go in Santiago.  There are too many people, cars, and dogs to make this particularly enjoyable or effective.  It’s not insanely crowded, but it definitely isn’t ideal for someone trying to maintain your stride.  It is better to head to one of Santiago’s surprisingly leafy and abundant city parks.  Nearly all of the parks are equipped with some sort of running track, which expats and Chileans alike use with frequency.  Although Santiago wouldn’t be deemed a “fitness-crazed” city like Los Angeles, there is absolutely a wide culture of people who run outdoors.  On any given day, you’ll see people in brightly-colored jogging gear trotting along the paths in the park.

A great park for running is the long and narrow Parque Forestal, which has sizeable dirt paths around the perimeter of the park.  This park is located along the Mapocho river between Plaza Baquedano and Estación Mapocho.  It is most easily accessed via the Bellas Artes metro stop.  It is also home to the Fine Arts museum, so there are interesting sculptures throughout the park that will make your run a bit more culturally scenic.  This park is popular among runners.  Another favorite spot is Parque O’Higgins, which is located a bit outside of the center of the city—just take the yellow line to the stop of the same name.  This sprawling park is home to several different running tracks as well as areas for other sporting activities.  It’s a favorite spot for locals to picnic on the weekends, so it’s not the greatest place for a secluded run, but it does make for some great people-watching.

For something a bit more grueling, suit up in your sports gear and head up the San Cristobal Hill, located at the edge of Bellavista, a ten minute walk from the Baquedano metro stop.  On the weekends, the more athletic denizens of Santiago can be found running (or power walking) up this hill.  It can be very hot, and it’s a bit steep at times, but the view from the top is enough of a reward: it’s the highest lookout point in the city.  Plus, when you arrive at the summit, there’s lots of little vendors selling cold treats like ice cream and mote con huesillos, if you’re looking to treat yourself to a bit of the local fare after your workout.

In general, Santiago is a safe place to run.  If you do choose to run on the streets, watch out for cars, bikes, and buses—the traffic can be quite dangerous, especially if you have headphones in.  Keep your wits about you as you would if you weren’t exercising—it’s easy to get caught up in the buzz of your workout, but make sure you’re paying attention to your surroundings.  Women may experience catcalls while running, but running in the park (as opposed to on the street) will diminish this a bit.  The tap water is potable, so you can drink it before, during, and after your run if you like.  However, the water is rather hard in Santiago, so many tourists find it unpleasant to drink. Regardless of what you choose to sip, make sure you stay hydrated, especially in the heat of the summer months.

Update to this post:

If you fancy the idea of combining a run with some urban tourism, then Chile Running Tours is a new company to take a look at. They offer personalized, private running tours, and for those who are looking to join a group tour, they meet every Sunday at the fountain in Loreto Square, just a block away from the Metro Golf station.