Here’s another cool running path for those who want to jog or hike in the same tracks where the locals do. It’s a bit longer challenge of 12 km. The track goes around Vanhankaupunginlahti, the Old Town Bay. The name refers to the origin of the city – this is where Helsinki got started. For the sake of expectation management: you won’t see medieval ruins, gobble stone pathways nor Hansa style quarters. No. The architecture of the original Old Town of Helsinki was merely ditches and holes.

The running route starts and ends at Kalasatama metro station, so it’s an easy track to access even though you’d be staying in another neighbourhood. If you want to cut off 2 km, you can start the run from Kulosaari metro station. You will only miss the Kulosaari bridge (which is not a big loss to be honest).

You’ll pass by a garden community with cute small little cabins, rugged rocks settling down to sea, wooden stairs (great opportunity for stair workout), bird watching towers, city silhouette in the horizon and cows on the field 180 degrees from the same spot where you could see the cityscape.

The most enjoyable part of this route is the green arboretum area. Arboretum is kind of a forest exhibition showcasing typical vegetation of various geographic areas. The wonderful fresh smell of forest is the best anti-stress agent.

On the way back you’ll run through the Rapid of Old Town, a popular fishing spot. The last 2 km is not so idyllic in terms of nature, but it’s more of an outdated warehouse area. But on the other hand, the warehouse area shows how small of a town Helsinki really is – you can have this kind of a wasteland by the sea in such close proximity of the city centre. In 5 to 10 years these areas will be built as posh residential areas – come and see the wasteland while you still can!

Maps of the running route:

Old Town Bay 1
Old Town Bay 2
Old Town Bay 3
Old Town Bay 4
Old Town Bay 5
Old Town Bay 6
Old Town Bay 7
Old Town Bay 8 and 10
Old Town Bay 9
Old Town Bay 11
Old Town Bay 12
Old Town Bay 13
Old Town Bay 14
Old Town Bay 15

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