Arguably the greatest challenge a runner can face, a marathon covers a distance of 26 miles and 385 yards, or 42.195 kilometers.
There are more than 800 marathons held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes.
This guide will outline our top five recommended marathons in Europe for 2024 as well as look at some popular half marathons.
- London Marathon: Sunday April 21, 2024
- Berlin Marathon: Sunday September 29, 2024
- Athens Classic Marathon: 2024 date TBC – usually 2nd Sunday of November
- Paris Marathon: Sunday April 7, 2024
- Rome Marathon: Sunday March 17, 2024
Best marathons in Europe 2024
London Marathon
Founded by athletes Chris Brasher and John Disley in 1981, the London Marathon is a largely flat course around the River Thames that starts in Blackheath to the south east of the city center and finishes at The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. The 2024 competition will take place on Sunday April 21, 2024.
One of the six races that make up the World Marathon Majors, the route takes in some of the best landmarks in the capital of England including the Houses of Parliament, the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf.
The current elite course records are held by Kelvin Kitpum (2:01:25) in 2023 and Paula Radcliffe (2:15:25) in 2003. There is also a significant charity running aspect to the London Marathon with participants helping to raise over £1 billion since it began.
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is held annually on the streets of Berlin, Germany, with this coming year's edition set for Sunday September 29, 2024.
Founded by Horst Milde—a resident baker and running enthusiast—in 1974, the city’s flat course often produces fast performances; the marathon world record has been broken in Berlin on 13 separate occasions.
The other European race to be included in the World Marathon Majors, the route takes in several districts of Berlin and finishes near the Brandenburg Gate.
Athens Classic Marathon
Normally held in Athens on the second Sunday of November, the Athens Classic Marathon was founded in 1972 and serves as Greece’s national marathon championship.
The race and course was inspired by the Ancient Greek legend of Pheidippides, a messenger who is said to have run from Marathon to Athens to bring news of the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon.
Panathenaic Stadium is the finishing point for the Athens Classic Marathon, considered by some as the most difficult marathon race given the course veers uphill from the 10km mark to 31km.
Paris Marathon
The Paris Marathon 2024 will be held on Sunday April 7, 2024. The race boasts the second-most finishers in the world behind only the New York City Marathon.
The course begins along the Champs-Élysées and runs southeast through the city to the Bois de Vincennes, before heading back through the city along the River Seine and finishing on Avenue Foch.
Rome Marathon
The Rome Marathon will next take place on Sunday March 17, 2024, in the capital city of Italy, where participants are treated to the wonders of the Eternal City as they run.
The route takes you through the history of Roman civilization starting out at the Colosseum, before going along the Fori Imperiali, up to the Vatican and through St Peter’s Square.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Rafal Olkis
Best half marathons in Europe 2024
There are also a number of great half marathons that take place in Europe for those not quite ready for the full 26 miles. They include:
- Barcelona Half Marathon: Sunday February 11, 2024, in Barcelona, Spain.
- Lisbon Half Marathon: Sunday March 10, 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal.
- Great North Run: Sunday September 8, 2024, in Newcastle, UK.
- Copenhagen Half Marathon: Sunday September 15, 2024, in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Brussels Half Marathon: Sunday September 26, 2024, in Brussels, Belgium.
No need to run!
With live departure times on our app, you can skip running for your train and save it for the race. Download the Trainline app and find cheap tickets on trains across Europe.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, napoleonak. Image Location: London, England.