Locations Archive - Page 2 of 9 - Trail Runners Connection

Águeda

The most colorful town in Portugal, famous for its art and cycling/running culture. Culture & History: Famous for the Umbrella Sky Project (July-Sept). It has a strong industrial heritage, particularly in bicycle manufacturing. Nature Highlights: Pateira de Fermentelos, the largest natural lagoon on the Iberian Peninsula, located just a few kilometers away. Running: The trails around the Pateira are flat, soft, and surrounded by reeds and birdlife. The city also has several “Percursos Pedestres” (PR routes) that are well-marked for trail running. Clubs: Águeda Track & Field (at the Municipal...

Porto

A granite city of hills, bridges, and a world-famous riverfront. Running: The “Marginal” (riverside/oceanside) route from Ribeira to Foz do Douro and Matosinhos is a flat 10-12km paradise. For hills, run the bridges connecting Porto and Gaia. Culture & History: A UNESCO World Heritage site known for its Port Wine cellars, the Ribeira district, and the iconic Dom Luís I Bridge. Nature Highlights: The Douro River estuary where the river meets the Atlantic, and the Parque da Cidade—the largest urban park in Portugal. Clubs: Founders Running Club for a social,...

Braga

Known as the “Rome of Portugal,” Braga offers a blend of intense elevation and deep history.It’s also a former European City of Sport. Culture & History: One of the world’s oldest Christian cities. The Sé de Braga (Cathedral) and the sprawling Bom Jesus sanctuary are architectural marvels. Nature Highlights: Monte do Picoto offers a panoramic forest park overlooking the city, while the nearby Gerês National Park is a short drive away for alpine-style nature. Running: The climb to Bom Jesus do Monte is a legendary challenge for local runners, featuring...

Cevide

The “Kilometer Zero” of Portugal, this tiny hamlet is where the country begins. Culture & History: Cevide is the northernmost point of Portugal. The history here is defined by the border; look for Marco n.º 1, the first of thousands of stone markers delineating the frontier with Spain. Nature Highlights: Set at the confluence of the Trancoso and Minho rivers, it is a place of deep silence, lush Atlantic flora, and river mists. Running: This is the symbolic start of the N1 National Road or the Caminho Minhoto Ribeiro. The...

Eemshaven

Eemshaven is located at the northern tip of The Netherlands. Besides being an important deepwater port, oil terminal and the largest coal-fired power plant in the Netherlands, Eemshaven also hosts huge wind turbine parks on land as well as at sea, and a solar panel farm, to generate carbon-free energy. The port of Eemshaven is a major shipping destination for cargo ships, including those transporting wind turbine parts. With an installed capacity of 8,000 MW Eemshaven provides ca a third of all energy that is being produced in the Netherlands,...

Groningen

A lively city in the northern part of Holland with a longstanding trading history. Traces of early settlements date back to the second and third centuries. In the year 1040, the original name of the city Groningen, ‘Villa Cruoninga,’ was first mentioned in a letter. The iconic Martinitoren (tower) dates back to the 15th century and is part of the Martinikerk, which is the largest church in Groningen city and dates back to the 13th century. The Martinitoren stands has a height of 97 meters (318 feet) tall, making it...

Assen

Assen is the capital city of the Northern province of Drenthe, in the Netherlands. It is known for the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Sunday in June the Dutch so-called TT is being held, and also for the annual Assen Dance Festival in November. The city is also home to the Drenthe Marathon, an annual running event that takes place in April. The event attracts thousands of runners from around the world and offers several distances, including a full marathon, half marathon, and 10-kilometer race. Besides Stadsbroek Park...

Zwolle

Capital of the province of Overijssel, in the middle of the Netherlands. Archaeological findings indicate that the area surrounding Zwolle has been inhabited since the Bronze Age period. During the Roman era, the area was inhabited by Salian Franks. The modern city was founded around 800 CE by Frisian merchants and troops of Charlemagne. It has several historical landmarks, including the beautiful Sassenpoort gate and the Gothic-style St. Michael’s Church, which dates back to the 14th century. Zwolle has many parks and green spaces that are great for running, including...

Apeldoorn

Apeldoorn is a beautiful city located in the eastern part of the Netherlands, known for its green spaces, like the Oranjepark and the popular Beekpark, beautiful architecture, and great running opportunities. The Midwinter Marathon is an annual running event that takes place in February. The event offers several distances, including a full marathon, half marathon, and 10-kilometer race. Apeldoorn is surrounded by beautiful nature reserves. The Veluwe, which is the largest continuous nature reserve in the Netherlands, includes 2 National Parks, Hoge Veluwe and Veluwezoom, with plenty of running trails...

Nijmegen

For about 300 years, from 19 BC to 270 AD, Nijmegen was the northernmost and by far the largest city of the Roman Empire in the later Netherlands. It’s the The oldest city of the country.