The Race
The Ecomaratona del Chianti Classico is a 42 km race with about 1,180 m of ascent on white gravel roads, field paths, forest singletrack and some asphalt. It is not a measured 42.195 km road course, so finishing times do not compare with road marathons, and the race sits outside certified-marathon filters, qualifying claims and course-record language.
| Next Race Date | Sunday 18 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Distance | 42 km (organiser's figure), about 1,180 m of ascent |
| Course type | Loop (start and finish in Piazza Marconi), white roads, tracks and some asphalt |
| Registration | Open entry |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Piazza Marconi, Castelnuovo Berardenga, 09:30 |
| Finish | Piazza Marconi, Castelnuovo Berardenga |
| Total finishers | Not published |
| Avg race-day temp | 9 to 19°C (mid-October) |
| Cutoff time | 8 hours, with a gate at 31 km at 16:00 |
| Free race-day transport | No shuttle from Siena in 2026 |
| Course certification | Not a certified road course |
History
The Ecomaratona del Chianti Classico is organised by ASD Polisportiva La Bulletta and ASD SP Torre del Mangia through an event committee, and the 2026 race is the 19th edition. It is part of the Trail Mountain League for 2026 and 2027 and uses UISP category rules. The weekend runs from Friday to Sunday, with a relay, a test run, a market, dinners and three races: 42 km, 21 km and 15 km.
The course changes between editions. In 2022 the race advertised 950 m of ascent and a start at Castello di Brolio. The current 42 km route starts and finishes in Piazza Marconi in Castelnuovo Berardenga and the organiser gives 1,180 m of ascent, so older results and figures should not be compared with it.
The organiser's results archive lists the 2025 and 2024 editions, and earlier years back to 2007, on external timing platforms. No course record was verified. The race is a different event from the Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB, which runs in another season with another organiser.
The course
The Ecomaratona del Chianti Classico starts at 09:30 in Piazza Marconi, Castelnuovo Berardenga, and finishes in the same square. The distance is 42 km with about 1,180 m of ascent, according to the organiser.
The route links the Chianti Classico estates of Poggio Bonelli, Castelli in Villa, Castello di Bossi, San Felice and Castello di Brolio on asphalt, white gravel roads, field paths, forest singletrack and vineyard tracks. The SRTM profile reads between about 233 m and 444 m above sea level, with the high point at about 35 km near the cypress avenue at Tenuta di Arceno, where the organiser gives 450 m.
The half marathon and the 15 km start at the same time and split from the marathon at 6.7 km and again at 32.5 km. Aid stations are at eight points. The time limit is eight hours, with a gate at 31 km at 16:00.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 4: down from the square. All three races leave Piazza Marconi together at 09:30. The first kilometres follow Via dell'Arbia on asphalt, falling 103 m over 3.4 km at 3 per cent to the course's low point of about 233 m, with views across the Chianti hills and the Crete Senesi. It is easy to run these too fast. The first aid station is near Poggio Bonelli.
Km 4 to 9: the first white road. From 3.4 km the route climbs 106 m over 2.5 km at 4.2 per cent on the SP62 and a white gravel road to about 342 m at 6 km, alternating steep and flat sections, and the shorter races split away at 6.7 km. A descent of 87 m over 2.5 km at 3.5 per cent follows, with a steeper pitch of about 6 per cent at 7 km.
Km 9 to 17: field, forest and Bossi. A climb of 98 m over 2.3 km at 4.3 per cent from 9.3 km combines a field and a forest singletrack, which will frustrate anyone holding a rigid road pace, and a second climb of 57 m at 3.4 per cent leads to about 380 m near 14 km. Castello di Bossi is at 13 km with the third aid station. A descent of 90 m over 2.2 km at 4.1 per cent follows to about 302 m at 16 km.
Km 17 to 23: Brolio. The longest climb of the race starts at 16.3 km: 144 m over 5.6 km at 2.6 per cent on white roads, to a high of about 434 m at 22 km, in the territory of Castello di Brolio, about 1.2 km from the castle at its nearest, with aid stations on the way. The organiser's account puts a climb near Casale Podernovi here. A descent of 123 m over 3.1 km at 4 per cent follows from 21.9 km.
Km 24 to 31: ups and downs. After a short climb of 35 m at about 5.9 per cent at 25 km and a descent of 67 m at about 6.1 per cent, the course climbs 122 m over 4.7 km at 2.6 per cent from 26.7 to 31.4 km, through the San Felice and Monteaperti roads to about 398 m, with aid stations near Villa di Pagliaia and at the Montecucco mill at 29.5 km. The route passes within 130 m of Castell'in Villa at about 7 km and again at about 27 km.
Km 31 to 35: Arceno. A descent of 47 m leads to the vineyards of Tenuta di Arceno at 32 to 33 km, and the half marathon rejoins at 32.5 km. From 32.9 km the course climbs 86 m over 2.4 km at 3.6 per cent on a white road under oak trees to the cypress avenue at about 444 m at 35.3 km, the high point of the course, where there is an aid station.
Km 36 to 42: Fèlsina. A descent of 137 m over 2.7 km at 5.1 per cent takes the course to about 304 m at 38 km, and a short, hard climb of 93 m over 2.3 km at 4 per cent into the Fèlsina estate follows, with the last aid station at Casale di Rancia at 40 km. The finish is on flat or downhill ground through the Fèlsina cypress avenue on Via del Chianti to Piazza Marconi.
The eight aid stations sit near Poggio Bonelli, Castello di Bossi, 18 to 19 km, the Brolio area, Villa di Pagliaia, the Montecucco mill, the cypress avenue at 35 km and Rancia.
An asphalt descent of about 100 m, then the first white-road climb to about 342 m.
Field and forest climbs, Castello di Bossi, and the longest climb of the race towards Brolio.
San Felice, Montecucco and Arceno, ending at the high point of about 444 m near 35 km.
A 137 m descent, a short hard climb into the Fèlsina estate and the finish in the square.
Course Map
Tap a marker for the start and finish, the showers and the estates named on the course, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Mid-October in Chianti can be fresh at 09:30 and warm by the afternoon, and the course may proceed in any weather. Expect roughly 9 to 19°C, with the possibility of rain that turns the white roads slick and sticky.
Wear trail shoes with grip if you have them. A vest with arm sleeves suits most runners, and a light waterproof is worth carrying in case the weather turns. The race pack includes an exclusive technical garment. The organiser does not list a mandatory kit. There is no bag deposit in 2026, because the start and finish are both in Piazza Marconi, so carry what you need or arrange to leave things with a supporter.
Entry
The 42 km fee bands are €40 to 31 May, €45 to 31 July, €50 to 30 September and €60 to 15 October 2026. At €1 to £0.858 that is about £34, £39, £43 and £51. On-site entry costs €5 more if places remain. The 42 km field is capped at 700. The race is on 18 October, so the €60 band is the only one left after 30 September.
Entry is through the organiser's site. A change to the next edition costs €10 if requested at least ten days before the race. There is no ballot, guaranteed-entry standard or charity allocation. The minimum age is 20 by race day.
Entering from outside Italy. Italians need a valid medical certificate covering athletics. The rules list UISP, FIDAL and RunCard or promotion-body membership, and non-members with the right certificate, so a RunCard is not required for everyone. A foreign citizen resident abroad must supply either a medical form completed by their own doctor, using the organiser's health form, or a liability waiver. The waiver excludes the runner from official rankings and prizes. Check the current rules with the organiser before paying.
Fast runner standards
There is no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standard.
Ecomaratona del Chianti Classico: rules and entry →Race Weekend
Bib collection and weekend programme
Bib collection is at the Circolo Arca on Via Mazzei, about 100 m from Piazza Marconi. It is open on Friday 16 October from 15:00 to 18:30, Saturday 17 October from 10:00 to 19:30 and Sunday 18 October from 07:00 to 08:30. Bring photo ID. A proxy needs a delegation and ID. The race pack is handed out in Piazza Marconi.
The weekend has a market and expo, a dog-friendly walk, guided nature hikes and a 5 km test run at 11:00 on Saturday with a briefing by the coach Fulvio Massini. The official opening with a route presentation is on Saturday at 17:00. The race pack contains a technical garment, a bottle of Chianti Classico wine and one pasta party voucher, usable for Saturday dinner or Sunday lunch.
Getting to the start
The start and finish are both in Piazza Marconi, Castelnuovo Berardenga, and all three races leave together at 09:30. Stay in the town if you can. There is no shuttle from Siena in 2026 and no bag deposit.
Showers. Showers are at the Campo Sportivo, 300 m from the finish, and at the Palestra Comunale on Via F. Turati 1. The FAQ gives shower times for Friday and Saturday, and Sunday is not stated, so check on the day.
Timings. The 42 km time limit is eight hours, and there is a gate at 31 km at 16:00, which is 6h30 after the start. The final participants are expected in the square by about 17:00. The pasta party starts at 12:00 and the 42 km awards are at 15:00.
Nutrition on course
The organiser lists eight aid stations on the 42 km course. They are near Poggio Bonelli, Castello di Bossi at 13 km, a point around 18 to 19 km, the Brolio area between 20 and 23 km, the Villa di Pagliaia section between 24 and 27 km, the Montecucco mill at 29.5 km, the cypress avenue at about 35 km and Casale di Rancia at 40 km. Some stations offer local products such as new olive oil and bruschetta.
The organiser does not publish the drinks, gels or a cup policy, or a mandatory kit list. The gaps between stations are 5 to 10 km on the early hills and about 5 km later. Carry the fuel you have trained with and a soft flask for the longer gaps.
Spectating
Piazza Marconi is the best base for a supporter without a car, because the start, the finish, the market, the awards and the pasta party are all there. The course itself runs through private wine estates on white roads and tracks, so access along the route is limited.
The organiser has not published spectator points or a public transport plan. Do not send a support car along the course roads. A supporter with a driver may be able to reach an estate, but it needs a booked visit and the organiser's permission.
- Watch the 09:30 start in Piazza Marconi
- Visit the market and expo through the morning
- Return for the finish, the pasta party at 12:00 and the awards at 15:00
Post-race food
Each 42 km pack includes one pasta party voucher for Saturday dinner or Sunday lunch, at the Circolo della Filarmonica. The Sunday party starts at 12:00, so a runner finishing in five or six hours can arrive after it has started. Check when the voucher can be used. For a table elsewhere, confirm Sunday opening hours and book ahead.
Where to Stay
Stay in Castelnuovo Berardenga if you can. Rooms in the town are limited and the festival fills it all weekend.
Castelnuovo Berardenga centre
The ideal small-town base, within walking distance of Piazza Marconi, the Via Mazzei bib collection, the showers and the pasta party.
Countryside agriturismi
Many estates around the town offer rooms, and several are on the course. They need a car or a driver to reach the start.
Siena
A larger base with more hotels and a rail connection, about 20 km away, but no race shuttle in 2026 and a Sunday transfer must be arranged in advance.
The organiser's where-to-stay page lists 16 partner properties and asks runners to contact each directly for event offers. It gives no distances to Piazza Marconi.
Booking timeline
The race is 18 days away as of 30 September and the field is capped at 700, so book now. The €50 fee band ends on 30 September and the €60 band runs to 15 October. Contact the partner properties directly and arrange a race-morning transfer if you are not staying in the town.
A change to the next edition costs €10 if requested at least ten days before the race, which is 8 October.
See & Do
Castelnuovo Berardenga is the base, with the estates and Siena a drive away.
Castelnuovo Berardenga
The start and finish town, with a small centre around Piazza Marconi. The festival market and expo run all weekend.
Castello di Brolio
The Ricasoli estate and castle, named on the course, in the heart of the Chianti Classico area. Visits and tastings usually need booking, and a car or a driver.
Castell'in Villa and the cypress avenue
A village and a cypress-lined avenue on the course.
Fèlsina estate
A wine estate at the end of the course, reached by a cypress avenue.
Siena
A larger medieval city, reached by road from Castelnuovo Berardenga. Check current bus times.
After the Race
Mid-October is harvest season in Chianti. Recovery days can drive the estates, walk the Crete Senesi or take the bus to Siena and Florence.
A pale clay landscape of rolling hills and lone cypresses, with an abbey nearby. A gentle way to spend a Monday.
The estates of the course, visited by car with a booked tasting. A recovery day with no running in it.
A medieval hill city with a shell-shaped square. Steep, so take it slowly.
A two-night base in Florence, reached by bus or by train via Siena.