Firenze Marathon
Florence, Italy · November · Independent
Why people love it
- Start and finish at the Duomo, passing Ponte Vecchio
- Flat: 60 m (197 ft) of gain with one flyover near 30 km (19 mi)
- Tea, fruit and sweets on course after 17 km (10.6 mi)
- Open entry; mild late-November air, about 12 °C (54 °F) at the start
Watch out for
- 6 hour cutoff with a 4:15 limit at 30 km (18.6 mi); support ends early
- Cobbles in the old city at the start and the last 5 km (3 mi)
- Industrial stretch around miles 14 to 21 (km 23 to 34) is lonely
- Saturday expo crowded and little English spoken
- Few athletes have written about this race, so details are thin
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.9
MarathonGuide shows 4.2 of 5 from two reviews, and a 2016 blogger and a 2022 runner are positive. Few athletes have written about it. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.5
Markers and medics were accurate, with tea and fruit on course. Runners report a cramped corral (2013) and a crowded Saturday expo (2016). · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.3
Flat and near sea level, but the 6 hour cutoff is firm, with a 4:15 limit at 30 km (18.6 mi). Support ends early. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.0
Flat, with 60 m (197 ft) of gain and a men's record of 2:08:41. Cobbles and a flyover near 30 km (19 mi) cost time. · Low confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful4.2
Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Cascine park and Santa Croce. A blogger found the industrial stretch from about miles 14 to 21 (km 23 to 34) lonely. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.1
Many turns, cramped corrals, a 400 m (0.25 mi) stadium lap and narrow old-city streets at the end. · Low confidence
- Road surfaceMixed2.9
Starts and ends on old-city cobbles. A blogger estimates about 10 km (6 mi); the organiser says few. Ankle complaints late on. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.8
City roads are closed, but one 2016 report has tourists wandering onto the course near 40 km (25 mi). · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessPancake flat4.6
60 m (197 ft) of gain per Finishers, with one overpass and one underpass. · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
A single loop from the Duomo back to the Duomo, so no net drop. · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.3
8:30 start from the Duomo. Corrals were cramped in 2013 and the last runner started at 8:45. · Low confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups3.4
Pace groups are not described by any runner. Accurate kilometre markers were reported. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportStrong3.6
Strong in the centre and the last 3 km (1.9 mi), thin elsewhere. One runner reported good support throughout. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.8
Water about every 5 km (3.1 mi), sports drink, hot tea, fruit after 17 km (10.6 mi) and cakes after 35 km (21.7 mi). · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.5
Runners rarely mention wind. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant4.0
About 12 °C (54 °F) at the start in 2022 with clear skies. Cold rain in 2010 and warm sun in 2013. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.3
Late November can bring cold rain or a mild sunny day. Few reports. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.6
A central loop with the Duomo start and finish. Fewer fans away from the centre. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
Florence sits at roughly 50 m (164 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.4
Tourist city in its off-season in November. No runner has written about booking. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.3
Late-November hotels are said to be cheaper than summer, but prices were not checked. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalk to everything4.5
Start and finish at the Duomo; one runner stayed in an Airbnb steps from both. The expo is at the stadium near a train station. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.0
Florence Airport is 5 km (3 mi) from the centre, and the city is a train hub. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.4
Expo at the stadium. Friday pickup had no line but Saturday was crowded and short-staffed, and little English was spoken. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.8
Florence's old city, art and food. One runner called it a run through a city full of history. · Medium confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.1
Open entry, and the field fell after 2018. Whether it sells out was not confirmed. · Low confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.6
Runners praised the medal and finisher tea. The entry fee was not found. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Florence, Tuscany, Italy
- Typical month
- November
- Latest or next date
- 29 November 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 7,500 athletes
- First held
- 1984
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- loop
- Climbing
- 60 m (195 ft)
- Start time
- 08:30
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Surface
- Asphalt with cobbles in the old city; amount disputed
- How to get in
- open
- Air temperature
- 6–15 °C (43–59 °F)
- Altitude
- 50 m (165 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Florence Airport (Peretola), 5 km (3 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Centro Storico near Duomo, Santa Croce
- Booking
- Late-November hotels cheaper than summer; Airbnb near the Duomo used by reviewer.
What racers and reviewers say
- MarathonGuide (Lawrence S.)Raced 2022 · aggregator · Positive
Four river crossings, clear skies and about 12 °C (54 °F) at the start; water every 5 km (3.1 mi), fruit and pastries after 17 km (10.6 mi); loud crowds in the last 3 km (1.9 mi); cobbled old town at the end. 4.0 of 5; page shows 4.2 from 2 reviews.
- Marathon Training AcademyRaced 2016 · blog · Mixed
First marathon, back of the field. Super flat, cobbled start and end, lonely industrial stretch roughly miles 14 to 21 (km 23 to 34), crowded expo on Saturday, 6 hour hard cutoff, 80 percent Italian field.
- DC RainmakerRaced 2013 · blog · Mixed
3:17 finish; sunny and warmer than preferred, cramped corrals, essentially flat with one overpass and one underpass, tea and biscotti praised, accurate markers, paramedics late. Blames himself, not the race.
- La PresseRaced 2022 · article · Positive
Organiser interview: about 7,500 runners, fast course and perfect weather. Promotional source, seen only via a search snippet.
- The MallRaced 2023 · article · neutral
Preview: 8:30 start at Piazza del Duomo, Cascine park, Ponte Vecchio, a 400 m (0.25 mi) stadium lap, and an Affrico flyover around km 30 to 35 (miles 18.6 to 21.7) as the toughest bit.
Show 2 more
- FinishersRaced 2026 · aggregator · neutral
29 November 2026, 8:30 start, 6 hour cutoff and 4:15 at 30 km (18.6 mi), 60 m (197 ft) gain, single loop through Cascine and along the Arno.
- WikipediaRaced 2021 · article · neutral
Field fell from 7,606 finishers in 2018 to 3,751 in 2021; course since 2012 passes Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and Santa Croce.
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Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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