On 21 April 2024, the 44th London Marathon will take place in our nation’s capital.
Over the last four decades, more than a million people have completed the course, raising more than £1 billion for charity. The event saw around 48,000 finishers in 2023 while applications for the 2024 race exceeded half a million.
Around 750,000 will take to the streets in April, to cheer on the elite and amateur runners, to support great causes, and to take in the sights and atmosphere of London on marathon day.
But other cities worldwide are also famous for their annual marathons. Here are five you might consider visiting in 2024.
1. Paris
The annual Paris Marathon also takes place early in the year, avoiding the heat of summer.
Each year, there are six Abbott World Marathon Majors, and while Paris isn’t one of them, the turnout for the event marks it as one of the globe’s biggest.
In fact, back in 2019, a massive 48,029 competitors finished the race. This figure meant it was second only to the New York City Marathon (more on which later) for that year.
Paris is a city steeped in history and culture and the marathon route takes in huge swathes of it. Beginning in a cramped and nervy Champs Elysee, the route passes Le Louvre and the Bastille as it follows the Seine. It passes the Eiffel Tower at the 17-mile mark before finishing on the Bois de Boulogne in sight of the Arc de Triomphe.
Be sure to pack these world-famous landmarks into your holiday itinerary.
2. Berlin
Held on 29 September 2024, the Berlin Marathon is one of the Abbott Majors.
With a field of around 48,000 – including wheelchair, hand cyclist, and inline skater racers – the packed course is also a fast one, increasing your chances of seeing a record broken.
Outside of marathon season, the city is a vibrant cultural hub. You’ll find its history explored at the Holocaust Memorial and Berlin Wall Memorial. Also visit the Museum Island, a Unesco world heritage site made up of five museums.
Elsewhere, you’ll find street art, a buzzing nightlife, delicious food and large open spaces perfect for relaxing in the summer sun, from the Tiergarten to the Tempelhofer Feld.
3. New York City
November’s New York City Marathon promises to be one of the year’s largest, attracting around 50,000 runners and a massive 2 million spectators.
The course winds its way through each of the five boroughs – Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx – before returning to Manhattan for the finish line in Central Park. The event first took place in 1970.
On your trip, you might opt to take in many of the same landmarks as the runners, from the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building to Central Park. But without the small matter of a 26-mile race to complete, you’ll have plenty of time to take in the rest of the culture and sights this amazing city has to offer.
From Times Square and the Brooklyn Bridge to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Grand Central Terminal, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
4. Rio de Janeiro
If you want to incorporate the race itself into your summer getaway then you might head to Rio, for the Rio de Janeiro Marathon which takes place on 1 June.
A truly stunning marathon course, the Rio route takes in stretches of Ipanema, Copacabana, and Flamengo as it winds along the beachfront in the shadow of the Serra do Mar Mountains.
Once the race is over, head to Corcovado Mountain for a close-up view of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Or take a cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain.
5. Athens
A list of famous marathon cities can only end in one place, the city where it all began.
Legend states that Pheidippides, a messenger or courier, set off running when the Persians landed at Marathon. He first ran to Sparta to ask for assistance, then to the battlefield at Marathon, before heading to Athens to announce the victory, shouting “We win!” as he collapsed and died.
Athens, then, is a city steeped in history and its modern marathon takes place in November each year.
On your summer excursion, you’ll want to visit the Acropolis (and the Acropolis Museum) as well as the Parthenon. Also be sure to take in the impressive Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Hephaestus, and the Ancient Agora (or marketplace) of Athens.
Get in touch
Your long-term plans are a marathon, not a sprint and we’re on hand to help every step of the way. If you need help or reassurance about any aspect of your finances, speak to us now. Get in touch by emailing hello@fingerprintfp.co.uk or calling 03452 100 100.
