I started my running journey long before I moved to Basel, but really fell in love with running here in the city – I did my first 20 kilometers ever along the Rhine and ran my first half-marathon in Basel. I am not a pro – although it is my favourite way to unwind and stay active – so I am sharing a few things that might be useful for those of you who run too.

Running routes:

1. Loop along the Rhein between Dreirosenbrücke to Schwarzwaldbrücke (I love to run this route around sunrise when the city’s still asleep and it feels I’m the only person there + the views)
2. Along the Wiese (there’s a nice trail next to the water so you don’t have to run on the pavements :)) and in the forests of Lange Erlen
3. Near Breite along the Birs and Birsköpfli with a loop (or a few) on the Birs Kraftwerk Insel – Kannenfeldpark to Schutzenmattpark
4. Round the hills of Bruderholz and the backroads of Gundeli (it’s called Gundeli Trail and it is really beautiful – linking the route HERE :)).

Where to buy running shoes in the city:

You can of course shop online (nike.com, zalando etc.), but if you need a personal advice what’s best for your feet, here are a few recommendations:

1. MEM Sport (Laufsportklinik) – most recommended by those ones of you who run – they help you find a perfect pair and offer a professional consultation based on your excercise goals and assessment of dynamic foot-to-ground.
2. SportXXMigros MPark Dreispitz
3. Ochsner Shoes Freie Strasse
4. Nike Store in Basel

Tips for running in Basel:

• Most of the local fountains have drinking water so you can make a break along the way to get hydrated 🙂
• Dress appropriately for the weather: from my experience a t-shirt is enough when it’s +15 degrees and long sleeve + a light-wear running jacket in the winter times.
• Basel is a safe city and I myself feel comfortable running in the evening. My tip for late runners: send your Whatsapp location to your partner/ friend so they can track you along the way.
• Run with an app to track your performance/prepare for the race – I use Nike Run Club since a few years now and I love it.
• Very important now given the circumstances – keep the distance while running along the Rhine and avoid the city center from 10-18 – it gets crowded and normally you need a mask, when running down the Freie Strasse for example.
• Keep others in mind – try to avoid bicycle paths and respect the rules on the road.
• Take a break with a view: Pfalz behind the Münster, Garten der Alten Universität Rheinsprung or St. Alban Rheinweg 🙂
• If you run with a dog – keep your dog on a leash in and around the forests from 1 April to 31 July (that especially applies for Lange Erlen – outside these dates dogs can run freely if they respond to commands. Along the Rhein – always on a leash!)

Interesting running events around Switzerland:

(most of them postponed to 2022, so it’s a good motivation to stay fit until then :))

1. Dreiländerlauf – the half-marathon I ran in 2019. It goes through three countries: Switzerland, Germany and France. Will re-do it in 2022, when it’s possible again.
2. Glacier 3000 Run – it’s number one on my running bucket list and hopefully we will get to do it one day!
3. Engadiner Summerlauf – scenic 25 km run during the St. Moritz Running Festival.
4. Rund um den Wägitalersee – beautiful run around the lake that takes place every August (around 13km long).
5. Zermatt Marathon – for those who are not afraid of long distances – epic marathon with the best views possible.

You’ll find more scenic Alpine runs HERE. And if you’re not into races, MySwitzerland has a great selection of scenic trail runs. You can find them HERE.

Hope you guys found this post useful. See you on the run!