Completing a marathon – the magical 26.2-mile distance (or 42.195km) – has become a bucket-list item for beginner and competitive runners alike.
The six biggest marathons in the world – Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City – form the Abbott World Marathon Majors series and there’s also hundreds of other running events to choose from on any given month throughout the year.
From events in major cities and snow to vineyards and African safari, here’s our pick of the best marathons around the world in 2024. All events and dates are subject to change.
Travel agencies
A number of travel agencies offer packages to various marathons and running events around the world, including:
- Marathon Travel & Tours
- Sports Tours International
- Destination Sport Experiences
- 2:09 Events
- RunFun Travel
- Marathon World Travel
- Tri Travel
Related articles
Marathons and running events in 2024
PolarNight Marathon
- When: 6 January 2024
- Where: Tromsø, Norway
- Events: marathon; half marathon; Coop Mila (10k); mini-marathon (4.2k); kids race (800m)
- Website: msm.no
Hong Kong Marathon
- When: 21 January 2024
- Where: Hong Kong
- Website: hkmarathon.com
Dead Sea Marathon
- When: 2 February 2024
- Where: Ein Bokek, Israel
- Events: 5km fun run; 10km; half marathon; full marathon; 50km ultra-marathon
- Website: deadsea.run
Tokyo Marathon
- When: 3 March 2024
- Where: Tokyo, Japan
- Website: marathon.tokyo
Run Rome The Marathon
- When: 17 March 2024
- Where: Rome, Italy
- Website: runromethemarathon.com
Côte Chalonnaise Wine Marathon
- When: 23 March 2024
- Where: Burgundy, France
- Events: marathon, half marathon, 10km, and MARA3 (race with three runners – the first runner on the 42km, the second for the 21km and third on 10km. All three runners will then finish together)
- Website: marathondesvinsdelacotechalonnaise.fr
Manulife Danang International Marathon
- When: 24 March 2024
- Where: Bien Dong Park, Danang City, Vietnam
- Events: marathon; half marathon; 10k; 5K; 1.5k run categories for children
- Website: rundanang.com
Brighton Marathon Weekend
- When: 7 April 2024
- Where: Brighton, England
- Events: marathon, 10km
- Website: brightonmarathonweekend.co.uk
Boston Marathon
- When: Monday 15 April 2024
- Where: Boston, USA
- Website: baa.org
London Marathon
- When: 21 April 2024
- Where: London, England
- Website: tcslondonmarathon.com
Run the Great Wall – Jinshanling Great Wall
- When: 21 April 2024
- Where: Jinshanling Great Wall Scenic Area, China
- Events: 10km, half marathon and full marathon
- Website: rungreatwall.com
Nashville Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series
- When: 27-28 April 2024
- Where: Nashville, Tennessee, US
- What: Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 Mile, Kids Rock, Doggie Dash
- Website: runrocknroll.com
The Sierra Leone Marathon
- Organisers: Street Child UK (registered charity)
- When: 1 May 2024
- Where: Northern Sierra Leone
- Website: street-child.co.uk
Belfast City Marathon
- When: 5 May 2024
- Where: Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Website: belfastcitymarathon.com
Great Ocean Road Running Festival
- When: 18-19 May 2024
- Where: Melbourne, Australia
- Website: greatoceanroadrunfest.com.au
Edinburgh Marathon
- When: 26 May 2024
- Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Website: edinburghmarathon.com
Icefjord Midnight Marathon
- Organiser: Albatros Adventure Marathons
- When: 1 June 2024
- Where: Ilulissat, Greenland
- Website: icefjord-midnight-marathon.com
Stockholm Marathon
- When: 1 June 2024
- Where: Stockholm, Sweden
- Website: stockholmmarathon.se
KLM Aruba Marathon
- When: 2 June 2024
- Where: Aruba
- Website: klmarubamarathon.com
Comrades Marathon
- When: 9 June 2024
- Where: Durban to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- What: 89km ultra-marathon
- Website: comrades.com
- Travel packages: Marathon Tours & Travel
Big Five Marathon
- Organiser: Albatros Adventure Marathons
- When: 15 June 2024
- Where: South Africa
- Website: big-five-marathon.com
Midnight Sun Marathon
- When: 22 June 2024
- Where: Tromsø, Norway
- Events: Marathon; Mizuno Half Marathon; Coop Mila (10km); Mini-marathon (4.2km); Children’s race (800 m)
- Website: msm.no
Zagori Mountain Running 2024
- When: 20-22 July 2024
- Where: Zagori, Greece
- Events: 80km, 44+km marathon, 21km, 10km
- Website: zagorirace.gr
Australian Outback Marathon
- When: 27 July 2024
- Where: Uluru, Australia
- Website: australianoutbackmarathon.com
San Francisco Marathon
- When: 27-28 July 2024
- Where: San Francisco, California, US
- Events: marathon; half marathon (bridge half/city half); 10k; 5k; family 1k
- Website: thesfmarathon.com
Iceland Volcano Marathon
- Organiser: Albatros Adventure Marathons
- When: 24 August 2024
- Where: near Lake Mývatn, Iceland
- Website: iceland-volcano-marathon.com
Tallinn Marathon
- When: 6-8 September 2024
- Where: Tallinn, Estonia
- Events: marathon; half marathon; 10k; 5k
- Website: jooks.ee
Petra Desert Marathon
- Organiser: Albatros Adventure Marathons
- When: 7 September 2024
- Where: Petra, Jordan
- Website: petra-desert-marathon.com
Médoc Marathon
- When: 7 September 2024
- Where: the vineyards of the Médoc in the Gironde, France
- Website: marathondumedoc.com
Sydney Marathon
- When: 15 September 2024
- Where: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Events: Marathon, 10km, Mini Marathon
- Website: sydneyrunningfestival.com.au
Berlin Marathon
- When: 29 September 2024
- Where: Berlin, Germany
- Website: bmw-berlin-marathon.com
13 Valleys Ultra
- When: 27-29 September 2024
- Where: Lake District National Park, England
- Events: 2 Valleys (21km); 5 Valleys (55km); 7 Valleys (110km); 13 Valleys (180km)
- Website: 13valleysultra.com
Loch Ness Marathon
- When: 29 September 2024
- Where: Loch Ness, Scotland
- Website: lochnessmarathon.com
Kosice Peace Marathon
- When: 6 October 2024
- Where: Kosice, Slovakia
- Website: kosicemarathon.com
Budapest Marathon
- When: 12-13 October 2024
- Where: Budapest, Hungary
- Events: marathon, marathon relay, 30km, 15km, 10km, 5km
- Website: marathon.runinbudapest.com
Chicago Marathon
- When: 13 October 2024
- Where: Chicago, USA
- Website: chicagomarathon.com
Amsterdam Marathon
- When: Sunday 20 October 2024
- Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Events: Marathon, Half Marathon, Mini Marathon – De Borcht, Kids Run Olympisch Kwartier, Mini Marathon – Galileïplantsoen, Mini Marathon – Olympiaplein
- Website: tcsamsterdammarathon.eu
Toronto Waterfront Marathon
- When: 20 October 2024
- Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Events: marathon; half marathon; 5k
- Website: torontowaterfrontmarathon.com
Palma Marathon Mallorca
- When: 20 October 2024
- Where: Palma, Mallorca, Spain
- Events: marathon; half marathon; 9k
- Website: palmademallorcamarathon.com
Venice Marathon
- When: 27 October 2024
- Where: Venice, Italy
- Events: marathon; half marathon; 10k; family run
- Website: venicemarathon.it
Dublin Marathon
- When: 27 October 2024
- Where: Dublin, Ireland
- Website: irishlifedublinmarathon.ie
- Travel packages: sportstoursinternational.co.uk
EVA Air Marathon
- When: Sunday 27 October 2024
- Where: Taipei, Taiwan
- Events: marathon; half marathon; 10km; 3km
- Website: evaairrun.com
New York City Marathon
- When: 3 November 2024
- Where: New York City, USA
- Website: nyrr.org
Lake Maggiore Marathon
- When: 3 November 2024
- Where: Arona, Italy
- Events: marathon; 33km; half-marathon; 21km; 10km
- Website: lagomaggioremarathon.it
Athens Marathon: The Authentic
- When: 9-10 November 2024
- Where: Athens, Greece
- Events: marathon; 10km; 5km
- Website: athensauthenticmarathon.gr
Philadelphia Marathon Weekend
- When: 22-24 November 2024
- Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
- Events: marathon; half marathon; 8k; kids fun run
- Website: philadelphiamarathon.com
Torino City Marathon
- When: 1 December 2024
- Where: Turin, Italy
- Events: marathon, half-marathon
- Website: torinocitymarathon.it
Run Barbados Marathon Weekend
- When: 6-8 December 2024
- Where: Barbados
- Events: Garrison Savannah Fun Mile; fun run; Sleeping Giant 5k; Sand Dunes 10k; Farley Hill Half; full marathon; Joe’s River coastal walk
- Website: visitbarbados.org
Honolulu Marathon
- When: 8 December 2024
- Where: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
- Website: honolulumarathon.org
ABP Newport Marathon Festival
- When: Sunday 13 April 2025
- Where: Newport, Wales, UK
- Events: marathon, half marathon, 10K, mile races
- Website: newportwalesmarathon.co.uk
Main image: pxhere.com