While vacationing, exercise may not be one of the things on your mind. But if you find yourself in Buenos Aires and have an urge to go running without going to a gym, don’t fret. As a runner I was looking for a place to run when I arrived in the big city but first impressions left me worried that I would sooner be hit by a car, or step in dog poop, than actually get a decent work out.

After a little adventuring through the city and talking with some hostel hosts I found just what I was looking for: Palermo Park. There are many different attractions to Palermo Park that can be enjoyed on a regular basis: a rose garden, the Buenos Aires Zoo, beautiful lakes, a Hippodrome, even a Planetarium. And for the runner looking for a good place to get some much needed exercise you will be impressed to see the early morning crowds of other athletes that gather in the park for the same purpose. There is a “track” of sorts that is set up around the Rose Garden and is a great place to put in a few laps. When I arrived my first day I felt encouraged and motivated by the fellow runners who have seemed to form a community for the Buenos Aires athletes, or hopefuls in losing a few pounds.

The world class marathon trainers along with the old couples looking for a breath of fresh air can be found here on any given day. There are no cars allowed in the park so when crossing the street you only need to look both ways in order to avoid the other runners. And you won’t be struggling to suck in air through the clouds of car exhaust like you find on the main streets. While running laps you may even forget you are still in the midst of this huge city and the time will fly by.

If for some reason this route still isn’t what you are looking for another great option is Puerto Madero. The long boardwalks are typically quiet during the mid-day hours and also free from motor traffic. You can admire el Puente de La Mujer (Woman’s Bridge) and run through the large neighboring parks – Micaela Bastidas and Mujeres Argentinas – that sit along the waterfront and the Eco Reserve. And for those of you with bad knees the sand paths that line the parks are an added benefit.

You will definitely feel safe running these routes and never run out of things to look at in an attempt to distract yourself from your stop watch that is counting down the minutes.