Running over the (European) bridge

The starting point of the New York City Marathon, the Verrazano Bridge is possibly the most famous bridge among runners. But you can enjoy some of the most spectacular bridges from around Europe, joining one of the following races.

Venice Marathon, Italy

www.venicemarathon.it http://www.venicemarathon.it

Forget the crowded Venice Carnival, the Film Festival and the Regata Storica: October is the best time to visit the historical centre of Venice. Less people, more reasonable prices and an amazing marathon. After the Brenta Riviera and the park of San Giuliano, if you can manage the very long and often windy bridge from Mestre to Venezia, you can enjoy possibly the best finish in the world, just outside St. Mark's Square after 14 bridges over the canals.

Lisbon Half Marathon, Portugal

www.lisbon-half-marathon.com http://www.lisbon-half-marathon.com

The Lisbon Half Marathon is the most popular half marathon in Iberian Peninsula: from Bairro Alto to Chiado, from Baixa to Alfama district, with the bonus of crossing the Tagus river over the 25 de Abril Bridge. The finish line is just in front of the absolutely gorgeous Monastery of Geronimos. But even if you won't break Paul Tergat's record, you will enjoy the best bica (coffee) and delicious pasteis de nata (pastries) in the capital of Portugal.

Nike Budapest Half Marathon, Hungary

www.budapestmarathon.com http://www.budapestmarathon.com

The Nike Budapest International Half Marathon is a fast half marathon through the most picturesque streets of the capital of Hungary, crossing two of the seven bridges on the Danube. The finish is on the Olof Palme promenade. After the race, you will have a chance to rest for free in the Szechenyi Bath, one of city famous thermal baths.

Swiss Alpine Marathon, Switzerland

www.swissalpine.ch http://www.swissalpine.ch

Known as well as the crazy peak experience, the Swiss alpine marathon offers several trail races for runners of different abilities. From the K11 along the superb Davos Lake to the K78, there's an ultramarathon at an altitude of 2600 meters - it's not for the faint hearted! There are two differentt marathons, C42 and K42 each with different ascents and descents. The K21 starts on the spectacular Sunniberg Bridge in Klosters. Two half marathon and K30 complete the weekend of running which is in late July.

Les Foulees du Gois, France

www.lesfouleesdugois.com http://www.lesfouleesdugois.com

Not technically a bridge but an amazing causeway: a race against the advancing tide on the Gois, just 8 kilometers from the main land to the island of Noirmoutier and back, thanks to an historic causeway. A slippery surface is not necessarily bad for running: more than 600 years old, the Passage du Gois is an amazing location in France and an unique monument that you can walk (or run) most of the time.

Need more running ideas? From the Dom Luis I bridge in Porto (www.meiamaratonasportzone.com ) to the Cologne Marathon in Germany that crosses the Rhine twice, you can cross many famous bridges joining a city marathon.

Renato Losio is a (slow) long-distance runner and the author of RunAbroad.com. With the help of a Weissbier in Munich, a cappuccino in Milan and a camembert sandwich in Paris, he is planning on running a half-marathon in every EU country before the end of 2010. Follow him on www.RunAbroad.com , the site to find "101 races to run before you die" (or you break your knees).