The sunshine, the light and a mild temperature for most of the year mean that outdoor activities are possible on the Costa del Sol from January to December. One of these, which is becoming more and more popular, is running, a sport that, in these times of stressful living, is beneficial for both physical and mental health.
There are lots of places in Málaga where you can run outside in the fresh air, but we're going to focus on five that are ideal if, for example, after a conference or an intense day of meetings and work, you need to eliminate the accumulated stress before winding down and relaxing.
Seafront promenades in Málaga
These are the best and most popular places to run in the capital and in all the coastal towns. From the early hours of the morning until well into the night, lots of people enjoy running in the sea breeze and in a spectacular setting for doing sport, whatever your level, as all these routes are flat. If you want to go beyond the seafront promenades (for example the Misericordia promenade in Málaga is 9 kilometres long), the province has the Coastal Path, with a total of 180 kilometres running through 14 municipalities.
Gran Senda de Málaga (The Great Málaga Path)
This is a circular route that runs around the entire province via paths and trails, and it has become a national benchmark of adventure tourism. It's the sister project of the Coastal Path, and in fact there are several stretches where they coincide. The Great Path goes through four natural parks, two nature reserves and three areas of outstanding natural beauty, although not all the stages are ideal for running due to the rough surfaces and steep slopes.
Montes de Málaga Natural Park
The hustle and bustle of the city gives way to the tranquillity of nature in this Málaga Natural Park, starting from Fuente de la Reina, but it's a very hilly area and so is mainly recommended for experienced runners. At an altitude of almost one thousand metres, it's the lung of Málaga, and it's another great place for cycling or hiking.
Guadalhorce Estuary
This area is a natural park which, due to recent improvements to the paths and trails, is becoming more and more popular among the routes used by runners in Málaga. Very close to the City of Málaga Athletics Stadium and the José María Martín Carpena Sports Arena, it's a flat route that's several kilometres long, surrounded by lagoons where the numerous birds and species of animal and plant life that populate this area to the west of the capital can be seen.
City of Málaga Forest Park
This route follows a rural trail a bit further out of the city, to the north, with hard ground, ideal for those who like running on this kind of terrain.
