Rome Marathon 2025

The Rome Marathon 🇮🇹 (or Run Rome The Marathon, its official name 😌), is like a delicious spritz! 🍸 At first, you wonder how you're going to finish that glass race. Then, after a few sips kilometers, you start feeling pretty good. And finally, when you've conquered that delightful cocktail marathon, you're almost tempted to run order a second one! 😏 No cocktail today (sorry 😭), but let us take you on a journey to discover the marvelous event that is the Rome Marathon! 💫

Every year, about 25,000 participants (across all events ✊) gather to run through the city of seven hills ⛰️. As its nickname suggests, Rome has its ups and downs 🪜 (including the Vatican, Villa Borghese... 🌳). However, the organizers have designed a relatively flat course 📏. Though not Europe's fastest marathon 🇪🇺, aside from one or two hills, some tight turns and the cobblestones, you won't face any insurmountable challenges! 🧘‍♀️ Enveloped by the beauty of the monuments and the delightful atmosphere of the city 🥰, the runners will quickly forget these few quirks 👍. As for the races, there's plenty to choose from! The lineup includes a marathon of 42.195 kilometers that you can tackle solo or in a relay team of 4 🤝, as well as a fun-filled Fun Race 🤪 of 5 km. And what if we told you that you might just find love, the real, grand love, in the eternal city? 🩷 The love for running and marathons, of course!

Uno, due, tre… Andiamo! Keep your eyes wide open 👀, you're in for a spectacular view (and quite the workout for your legs too 🦵🔥). Rome is an open-air museum! 🏛 Indeed, at every kilometer, or rather, every 100 meters, you'll spot a new monument… 😍 Your race will start and finish at the Colosseum, a fabulous setting for the gladiator of running that you are, right? ⚔️ Next, you'll head to the oldest, largest, and most beautiful racetrack in Rome... AKA the Circo Massimo 🐎 (or Circus Maximus for the Latin class veterans 🗣️)! After about ten kilometers, you'll reach the popular neighborhood of Trastevere. However, its charming narrow streets 🤏 are too tight to accommodate the thousands of marathon runners. But you must visit this picturesque borough before or after the race (especially in the evening when it comes alive... 🪩). Let's continue describing the course... ➡️

Just before the halfway point, you'll pass by the iconic Castel Sant'Angelo 👼 (tied at second place for must-visit monuments on Tripadvisor, right alongside the Vatican 🇻🇦). Talk about timing! And speaking of the Vatican... 🙄 Around km 17, you'll be running toward St. Peter's Basilica 🪨, up the renowned "Via della Conciliazione" leading to the Vatican, exclusively reserved for the occasion 🛑. It's truly one of the marathon's most beautiful stretches... 🤌 For a bit of history, in 2013, the organization of the marathon was disrupted by an incredible event. Due to the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI ✝️, a conclave to elect the new Pope threatened the race 🏃‍♂️. Nonetheless, the organizers managed to modify the course… 👏 But worry not, this year, you should be able to run close to the Vatican! 😅 Along the way, you'll see the Caracalla Baths, the Pyramid of Cestius, the Tiber Island, and the St. Peter's Basilica ⛪️. Next, you'll pass by the imposing Supreme Court of Cassation. Afterward, you'll weave through the Prati neighborhood, strolling down the grand boulevards of this early 20th-century district 👍.

For the second half of the marathon, you'll head North of Rome 🏛️, along the West bank of the Tiber. This section is a bit greener 🍃, with fewer monuments 🌬️. Football fans will relish the moment they run past the Stadio Olimpico 🏟️. A must-see: the 30th km! Characterized by a challenging hill 🐾 (at the 29th km), followed by a gentle downhill, which some call a "slide" 🛝. After this, you'll gradually return to the heart of Rome, where crowds will gather 📣, and you'll feel invigorated by fantastic stretches (and plenty of cobblestones, of course 😅). Notably, you'll run along the Via del Corso, making a 180° turn at the Piazza del Popolo, before heading down towards the Spanish Steps 🇪🇸 (it's majestic, you'll see 😉). And there's more! You'll also discover the Piazza Navona, with its three exquisite fountains ⛲️, its cafés ☕️, and its baroque architecture. Finally, as the gladiator you've always been 🤺, you'll cross the finish line 🏁 at the Colosseum! 🏆 "No nature", you might say? True 👊, but don't forget that the legendary river, the Tiber, where Romulus and Remus were abandoned, will always be near. And you'll cross it six times!

If 42 km solo seems too much (and we get it 🫠), you can opt for the marathon relay with a team of 4. This event is highly popular, attracting nearly 1,500 teams! 💪 Alternatively, you can go solo in the 5 km, which circles the Circo Massimo and the Colosseum, arguably one of the most beautiful 5 km races in the world 🌎. Alongside the marathon, a fair 🛋️ is organized at the Rome Convention Center, in the EUR district (Esposizione Universale di Roma). At the fair, you can: pick up your race bib 🎽, do some shopping 🛍️ for gear before the big day 😜, grab a bite 🍕 and stock up on carbs! 😬 Plus, a variety of activities are planned throughout the weekend (photo booth 📸, live music 🎷, guest interviews 🎤…).

So, what's next after all that? 🤔 Any guesses? Well, let's stop making your mouth water 🤤, and finally answer the (only?) real question: "where to find the best spritz in Rome?" 🍸 If you're looking for a quiet, charming spot to enjoy this precious drink, we highly recommend heading to the Trastevere district, particularly the Piazza Trilussa! 😊 Alternatively, for something off the beaten path, you must visit the EUR district. Built by Mussolini in the 1930s as a showcase of fascism, this district has something truly unique about it. Don't miss the Square Colosseum, it's well worth the detour! ↩️ Finally, if you're already familiar with Rome, you can also head to Ostia. Located to the South of Rome 🧭, about 15 minutes by train 🚞 from the Pyramid Station, Ostia is a gorgeous seaside resort! 🌊 Now the vacation spot for wealthy Romans 🤑, Ostia and its harbor ⚓️ were once Rome's gateway to the world!

You're thirsty for a spritz intrigued, aren't you? Don't wait too long to reserve your spot 🪑. Every year, the event draws a large number of runners, and spaces are limited! ⚠️