The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 24 October 2027 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop, start and finish in the south of Granada |
| Registration | Open online entry from 1 October 2026, no ballot |
| Ballot opens | No ballot |
| Start | South of the centre, near the Estadio Núñez Blanca, 08:30 |
| Finish | Same area as the start |
| Total finishers | First edition of the revived race |
| Avg race-day temp | 9 to 23°C (AEMET Granada Airport October normal: average daily minimum and maximum) |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours |
| Free race-day transport | Not yet published |
| Course certification | Not yet published |
History
Granada has not held a full marathon since the mid-1990s. The city kept its half marathon, the Media Maratón Ciudad de Granada, a separate municipal race that still runs every year, but the 42.195 km distance disappeared from its calendar.
The Asociación Maratón de Granada spent close to a decade working to bring it back. In October 2025 the association announced a return for November 2026, on a route through Granada and eight towns of the metropolitan area.
That plan changed. In July 2026 the association set a new date, Sunday 24 October 2027, and a simpler route. The marathon is due to start and finish at the Estadio Núñez Blanca in the south of the city and run through Armilla, Ogíjares, La Zubia, Cájar, Monachil and Huétor Vega before returning to Granada. Local reports describe it as the race’s return after 32 years. The revived race has no results or course record yet, and records from the original marathon of the 1980s and 1990s have not been traced to an official archive.
The course
The marathon starts at 08:30 in the south of Granada, on Paseo del Emperador Carlos V near the Estadio Núñez Blanca, and finishes in the same place. The route published for 2027 is a loop through the towns of the Vega and the foothills south of the city, then back through the centre and up into the old town.
The first 5 km run north past the Palacio de Congresos and then south-west through the Zaidín, falling 27 m to the low point of the course, 651 m, on the edge of Armilla. From km 5 to km 16 the route loops through Armilla and the edge of Ogíjares, rising very gently, 39 m over 10 km. Then the real climb begins: 73 m over 7.6 km, about 1 per cent, through Ogíjares to La Zubia and the high point, 751 m at km 23.4.
From there the course falls 71 m over 9 km through Cájar and Huétor Vega and back into the city by km 30. The last test is the old town: from Paseo de la Bomba at km 32.3 the route climbs 50 m in 2.2 km, about 2.3 per cent, past Puerta Real and up the Carrera del Darro into the Albaicín, close to the Mirador de San Nicolás at km 34.7. The last 7.7 km descend 53 m past the cathedral at km 38 and south to the finish.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 5: out of the city. A loop north past the Palacio de Congresos, then south-west through the Zaidín, falling 27 m. The field is capped at 2,000; start steadily.
Km 5 to 16: Armilla. Around 10 km of loops through Armilla and the edge of Ogíjares, the flattest part of the course, rising only 39 m in all. Find a rhythm and a group.
Km 16 to 23: the climb to La Zubia. The longest climb of the day, 73 m over 7.6 km, about 1 per cent, through Ogíjares to the high point at La Zubia, 751 m at km 23.4. Run it by effort.
Km 23 to 32: down through Cájar and Huétor Vega. A long descent of 71 m over 9 km back into Granada. Let it come without forcing it; the steepest climb is still ahead.
Km 32 to 42.2: the old town. From Paseo de la Bomba the course climbs 50 m in 2.2 km up the Carrera del Darro into the Albaicín, near the Mirador de San Nicolás at km 34.7, on narrower, older streets. Then it drops past the cathedral at km 38 and south through the city to the finish. The limit is six hours.
Down through the Zaidín, then flat loops of Armilla. Find a rhythm.
73 m over 7.6 km to the 751 m high point. Run by effort.
71 m down through Cájar and Huétor Vega.
50 m up into the old town, then down past the cathedral to the finish.
Course Map
A loop from the south of the city out through Armilla, up to La Zubia, down through Huétor Vega and into the Albaicín. Tap a marker for the start, the landmarks and the stations, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
Pace groups have not been announced.
The Maratón de Granada returns on 24 October 2027, its first full-distance edition in more than three decades. Registration opens on 1 October 2026, with 2,000 places, and the route through the southern towns and the old city is now published. Bib collection, aid stations and race-morning logistics will follow.
October in Granada is mild but changeable. The AEMET normal for Granada Airport gives an average daily minimum of 8.7°C and an average maximum of 23.2°C, with about 40 mm of rain across the month. The city sits at around 700 m, so the 08:30 start is usually cool and the finish warm: race kit with arm warmers or an old top for the wait suits most mornings. A cap and sunscreen help on the open roads of the Vega.
Entry
Registration opens on 1 October 2026 on the official site and runs until 23:59 on 17 October 2027 or until the 2,000 places are gone. There is no ballot. Runners must be 18.
The price rises with bib numbers: €65 for the first 1,000, €75 for 1,001 to 1,500 and €85 from 1,501. Runners with an Andalusian or national federation licence get €5 off. Transfer and refund terms have not been published. The Media Maratón Ciudad de Granada is a separate race with its own entry.
Fast runner standards
No fast-runner or good-for-age entry has been announced. Enter early for the cheapest band.
Official Maratón de Granada site →Race Weekend
Bib collection
The venue and hours for bib collection have not been published.
Getting to the start
The marathon starts at 08:30 in the south of Granada, near the Estadio Núñez Blanca. Road closures, transport to the start and the bag drop have not been published.
Getting there. From hotels around the Palacio de Congresos the start is about 1 km on foot; from the centre, about 2 km.
Getting to Granada. Granada Airport (GRX) is about 17 km west of the centre, and the airport bus takes about 45 minutes. Many UK visitors fly to Málaga instead and continue by bus or train.
Nutrition on course
The number and position of aid stations, and what they serve, have not been published. Plan to carry your own gels until they are.
Spectating
The course comes back into the city from km 30, so the centre is the easiest place to watch: Paseo del Salón near km 31, the Carrera del Darro and the Albaicín at km 33 to 35, and the cathedral at km 38 are all within a short walk of each other, and the finish is 2 km south. Earlier, the towns of Armilla and La Zubia need a car or bus before the roads close.
Post-race food
Granada is known for its tapas bars, many of which still serve a small tapa free with each drink, and the streets around the Cathedral, the Realejo and the Albaicín are full of them. Named post-race recommendations will follow once the finish area and the race timetable are published.
Where to Stay
Stay near the finish, which is also the start, in the south of Granada. The streets around the Palacio de Congresos, 1 km from the start, are the natural base; the centre is 2 km away and better for the city.
Palacio de Congresos and the south
The streets around the Palacio de Congresos, south of the centre, are the natural choice for race logistics, 1 km from the start and on the course at km 1.7 and km 41. The Hotel Saray and the Senator Granada Spa Hotel are here.
Centro and the Realejo
The centre around the Cathedral and Puerta Real and the old Jewish quarter of the Realejo are the best base for the trip itself, with restaurants, tapas bars and the Alhambra and Albaicín within walking distance, 1.5 to 2 km from the start. The course comes through here from km 31.
The Alhambra hill
Hotels on the Alhambra hill, such as the Hotel Alhambra Palace, have the views over the old city, and steep streets that do not suit post-race legs.
October is a busy month in one of Spain’s most visited cities. Book a refundable room as soon as you enter.
Recommended hotels
Close to the Palacio de Congresos, 50 m from the course at km 41.
A spa hotel south of the centre, a flat walk from the start and finish.
Central, near the course at km 32.5, with the old town on the doorstep. A longer walk on race morning.
Views over the city from the hill, and a steep walk back after the race.
Booking timeline
The race date, Sunday 24 October 2027, is announced; the entry route is not. Book refundable accommodation once registration opens and the start time is known. If the trip includes the Alhambra, book its timed, personal tickets as early as they are released, because they sell out in autumn.
For flights, compare Granada (GRX), with a small network, with Málaga (AGP), which has far more UK routes and is linked to Granada by bus and train.
See & Do
The finish is in the south of the city; the Alhambra, the cathedral and the Albaicín are 2 to 3 km north.
Granada Cathedral and the Royal Chapel
The Renaissance cathedral, passed at km 38, and the chapel where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried, on flat streets in the centre.
The Alhambra
The Nasrid palace-city and the gardens of the Generalife. Entry is by timed, personal ticket; book well ahead for October, and allow a morning.
The Albaicín and the Mirador de San Nicolás
The old Moorish quarter the course climbs into at km 34, with the classic view of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolás. Take a minibus up and walk down.
After the Race
Post-race trips will be added with the full race guide, written for the confirmed route and finish area. Granada is a strong base in its own right: the Sierra Nevada, the villages of Las Alpujarras, the Costa Tropical at Salobreña and Almuñécar, and Córdoba are all within reach.