Zurich Maratón de Sevilla
Seville, Spain · February · World Athletics Label
Why people love it
- Very flat: 64 m (210 ft) of gain or less, at 17 m (56 ft) altitude.
- Passes Plaza de Espana, Torre del Oro and the Giralda.
- Race-time temperatures of 8 to 12 °C (46 to 54 °F) and usually dry.
- Low fee for a label race: about EUR 82 ($95).
- Pace groups from under 2:45 to 5:30.
Watch out for
- Sells out fast: 2027 bibs went in about a day, and the waiting list costs more.
- Aid is only about every 5 km (3.1 mi); carry your own gels before 25 km (15.5 mi).
- The Triana bridge near 17 km (10.6 mi) is exposed to wind.
- Narrow old-town streets from 8 to 11 km (5 to 7 mi) and near the finish bunch up.
- Transit only on race morning; collect your bib at the expo with ID the day before.
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: Easy
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.1
No aggregator reviews exist, but eight club and personal reports from 2017 to 2026 are warm about PBs, crowds and the city. Gripes: warmth. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.7
A record 17,000 entrants were handled in 2026. A 2019 pasta dinner was called poor, and a 2022 runner reports finish congestion. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.8
Flat, with a 6 hour limit and pace groups to 5:30. A large elite-focused field, transit-only race morning and a sold-out entry complicate it. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAmong the fastest4.8
Course record 2:03:27 (2024) and amateurs report PBs of 16 minutes. Gain is 64 m (210 ft) or less. · High confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.8
Plaza de Espana, Torre del Oro, the Giralda and Maria Luisa park. A 2020 runner notes some dull dual-carriageway stretches mid-race. · Medium confidence
- Room to runRoomy3.5
38 direction changes and narrow historic streets at 8 to 11 km (5 to 7 mi). An AIMS feature says the course is wide. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.6
Urban asphalt, but a 2026 runner found the old-town stretch from about 35 km (22 mi) uneven. No other complaints. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.9
City-centre closures begin early per organiser notes. No reports of traffic conflict, but little first-hand confirmation. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessPancake flat4.8
Gain is 64 m (210 ft) per one listing, 10 m (33 ft) per the organiser and 120 m (390 ft) per another. · High confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Point to point with a flat profile and equal gain and loss. Boston eligible. · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.2
Waves and pace corrals, but public transport only, early closures and no race-morning bib pickup. Start and finish are separate sites since 2026. · Low confidence
- Pacers and timingGood4.2
Pace groups from under 2:45 to 5:30 plus elite pacemakers, a live photo service and wave starts. · Medium confidence
- Crowd supportStrong4.2
Dense in the narrow centre from 8 to 11 km (5 to 7 mi) and near the finish, with bands and flamenco. Quieter mid-course. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.4
Water, sports drink and fruit about every 5 km (3.1 mi), with gels from 25 km (15.5 mi). Sparser than the usual 3 km (1.9 mi). · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.6
Mostly sheltered, but a 2020 runner met a headwind on exposed sections, and the Triana bridge near 17 km (10.6 mi) is windy. · Medium confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant4.0
8 to 12 °C (46 to 54 °F) at the 8:30 start is ideal, but 70 to 90% humidity and a hot 2025 show variability. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.8
Usually dry and mild with ideal 2022 reports. February can bring rain, and some years are humid or warm. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.9
Loops through the compact centre make repeat viewing plausible, and the organiser publishes cheering points. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
The course high point is 17 m (56 ft) and the low point 5 m (16 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.6
Hotels near the start sell out quickly once bibs are confirmed. Plenty of rooms are further away. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood4.0
Three-star rooms run about EUR 60 to 90 ($65 to $100) a night in February. · Medium confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Recommended hotels are 1 to 2.5 km (0.6 to 1.6 mi) from the start. Public transport is the only race-day option; the finish is separate. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.5
The local airport has limited international links. Madrid plus a 2.5 hour train is the usual route, and that line was suspended in 2026. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
Expo at FIBES with ID checks, mandatory bib pickup the day before, separate start and finish, and transit-only race morning access. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.8
Seville's old town, tapas and weather feature in every race report. · High 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 inHard1.9
2027 bibs sold out in about a day, 15,000 were waitlisted for 2026, and bibs are non-transferable with no charity places. · High confidence
- Value for moneyGood value4.2
About EUR 82 ($95) is among the lowest fees for a label marathon. Goody bag, pasta meal and a 5 km (3.1 mi) breakfast run are included. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Seville, Andalusia, Spain
- Typical month
- February
- Latest or next date
- 21 February 2027
- Organiser
- World Athletics Label
- Field size
- About 12,400 athletes
- First held
- 1985
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Climbing
- 64 m (210 ft)
- Descent
- 64 m (210 ft)
- Start time
- 08:30
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Urban asphalt
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Entry fee
- About $95
- Air temperature
- 8–15 °C (46–59 °F)
- Humidity
- 70 to 80%, up to about 90% in 2025
- Altitude
- 17 m (56 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Seville San Pablo (SVQ), 10 km (6 mi) away
- Where to stay
- El Arenal / Paseo de Colon, Prado / San Bernardo, Centro / Santa Cruz, Triana
- Booking
- Hotels near the start sell out soon after bibs are confirmed; 3-star about EUR 60 to 90 (about $65 to $100) a night in February.
What racers and reviewers say
- Steel City Striders (Hal Roberts)Raced 2020 · blog · Positive
A club runner starts at 8:30 am as the sun rises, shelters in packs from stiffening wind on exposed sections and fades after 35 km (22 mi). Notes some loops and dull dual-carriageway but crowds never far away. Based on a search summary only.
- Steel City Striders (2019 report)Raced 2019 · blog · Mixed
Pre-race notes cover an airport transfer, a pasta dinner the runner found poor, expo collection and a goody-bag jacket that made runners easy to spot. Based on a search summary only.
- Teignbridge TrottersRaced 2022 · blog · Positive
Club runner set a 3:06:14 PB with a negative split in ideal, low-humidity weather. Describes a flat, fast course past the main landmarks with bands and cheering crowds, but congestion in narrow streets over the last 2 to 3 miles (3 to 5 km).
- Cambrian NewsRaced 2025 · article · Positive
Two Welsh club runners ran 3:39:33 (a 16-minute PB) and 4:09:25, calling the day hot but the course flat and the field not too busy. Both did the 5 km (3.1 mi) breakfast run the day before.
- AIMS (Run in Spain, mainly on the plain)Raced 2016 · article · Positive
Promotional feature: about 13,000 entered and 10,800 finished; about 10 m (33 ft) between course high and low; crowds brimming from about km 30 (mile 18.6); wide course; expo with nearly 100 exhibitors, goody-bag windbreaker and a free pasta meal; entry fee among Europe's lowest.
Show 9 more
- Fat Marathoner guideRaced 2027 · article · Positive
Detailed 2027 guide: start 8:30 am at Avenida de Maria Luisa, cap 20,000, 6 hour limit, EUR 82.10 fee, aid every 5 km (3.1 mi) with gels from km 25, 8 to 12 °C (46 to 54 °F), Triana bridge exposed to wind. Promotional tone with no criticism.
- Marathon Handbook (Barega debut)Raced 2025 · article · neutral
2025 race ran in humidity near 90%. Pacemakers dropped out at about 24 km (15 mi) and the winner hit the wall near 37 km (23 mi) to finish 2:05:15, slower than the 2:02 to 2:03 target.
- SuperSport (2026 rail disruption)Raced 2026 · article · neutral
A record 17,000 runners registered for 2026, with train service from Madrid suspended after a fatal accident; organisers offered deferrals to 2027. 2026 budget EUR 2.3 million.
- Andalucia.comRaced 2026 · article · neutral
Says the 2027 bibs sold out in a day, the race is the third largest in Spain, the 2026 route was modified slightly, and 2025 morning was humid.
- Endorphins RunningRaced 2027 · aggregator · neutral
Listing: 120 m (390 ft) gain, World Athletics Elite Label, waves and pacemakers, live photo service. No runner reviews on the page.
- RaceRaves, FindMyMarathon and RacecheckRaced 2026 · aggregator · neutral
All three aggregators had zero runner reviews at the time of research; FindMyMarathon lists 12,448 finishers in 2026 and 10,719 in 2025, plus a 64 m (210 ft) gain.
- SportsShoes (Lisa Knab interview)Raced 2026 · article · Positive
Ambassador ran a 3:21 PB with a small negative split among about 17,000 starters. Flat course with music along the way, but the closing old-town stretch from about km 35 (mile 22) has an uneven surface, and 12 °C (54 °F) in sunshine felt warmer than expected. Sponsored content.
“The course is very flat overall”
- The Blog by JavierRaced 2017 · blog · Positive
A 16-time marathoner ran 3:41:39 (4,475th of 10,144) in cool, cloudy weather he liked, on the older Cartuja stadium course. He lost touch with his pacer at the start, needed a toilet stop after km 15 (mile 9), and faded over the last 3 to 4 km (2 to 2.5 mi).
- Claremont Road RunnersRaced 2023 · blog · Positive
Club report on the 5 km (3.1 mi) breakfast run the day before the 2023 marathon (656 runners, through Maria Luisa park to Plaza de Espana). Lively atmosphere, but the runner found the warm Seville winter harder than expected.
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Sources
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