The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 18 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (two laps from Piazza del Plebiscito) |
| Registration | Open, online (sold out for 2026) |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Piazza del Plebiscito, 08:00 |
| Finish | Piazza del Plebiscito |
| Total finishers | To be Confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | To be Confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours, with gates at 21.09 km (3:15), 30 km (4:25) and 38 km (5:30) |
| Free race-day transport | No |
| Course certification | FIDAL Type A homologated; FIDAL national Bronze |
History
SSD Neapolis Marathon, the organising club, listed in FIDAL as NA578, runs the October marathon in Naples. The 2026 race is the sixth edition. The organiser's site lists the second edition on 23 October 2022, the third on 1 October 2023, the fourth on 13 October 2024 and the fifth on 18 October 2025, which implies a first edition in 2021 whose date and size were not found. The marathon runs with a half marathon, a recreational Sea Run and a walking programme on the Saturday. It is a separate organiser and a separate race from ASD Napoli Running's spring Napoli City Half Marathon.
FIDAL lists the marathon as a national Bronze event with a Type A homologated course, and the 2026 edition includes the Italian Interforces marathon championship. Bronze is the Italian federation's own grade, and nothing found shows a World Athletics Label.
Press covering the 2024 edition reported about 3,000 athletes from around the world in the weekend as a whole. The 2026 entry page says registration is sold out at a 7,500 participant cap, while the organiser's homepage mentions more than 8,000 across the races. The two figures count different things and neither is a marathon finisher count.
Course records, winners and times have not been published, and the prize thresholds of 2:17:08 for men and 2:41:44 for women in the rules are elite criteria, not records.
The course
The marathon starts and finishes in Piazza del Plebiscito, in front of the Royal Palace, and is run as two laps of the same city course, each of about 21 km. The 2025 route heads down to the seafront, runs west along the Lungomare Caracciolo to Mergellina, comes back through the Villa Comunale streets, and returns to the centre through the Galleria della Vittoria road tunnel. It then crosses to the port by Molo San Vincenzo, runs east along Via Nuova Marina to Via Alessandro Volta and comes back by Corso Umberto and Piazza Municipio, beside the Maschio Angioino, to the Plebiscito.
The organiser's 2026 road closures cover Via Caracciolo, Via Partenope and Piazza Vittoria in Chiaia and Mergellina, the port streets around Piazza Municipio, and parts of Fuorigrotta, which the 2025 route does not reach. Press coverage of the 2024 race names Lungomare Caracciolo, Viale Gramsci, Molo San Vincenzo and Via Marina, returning by Piazza Bovio, Corso Umberto and Via San Carlo.
The course is city asphalt and close to flat. The seafront sits at 2 to 10 m, the only real ramps are the descent from the Plebiscito to the sea and the road through the Galleria della Vittoria, and the organiser publishes no elevation figure.
Kilometre by kilometre
Positions below describe the first lap, from the 2025 route scaled to 42.195 km, and are approximate. The second lap repeats the first about 21 km later, apart from its closing stretch. Check the organiser's final 2026 map before relying on any street.
Lap one, km 0 to 4: down to the sea. The race starts from Piazza del Plebiscito at 08:00, with runners in their pens by 07:50. The first kilometre drops from about 20 m beside the square to sea level by Via Chiatamone, about 17 m in a kilometre. The course then runs west on the Lungomare Caracciolo to Mergellina at about 4 km, flat and open to the wind off the bay.
Lap one, km 4 to 10: Mergellina and the Villa Comunale. From Mergellina the course turns back along Viale Gramsci at 5 km and Viale Dohrn at 6 km beside the Villa Comunale gardens, then returns to the Caracciolo for a second pass of the western seafront near 7 km. It comes back east through Chiaia at 8 km and enters the Galleria della Vittoria road tunnel at about 9 km, a short climb of the lap, before dropping to the Molo San Vincenzo breakwater at 10 km.
Lap one, km 10 to 21: the port and Corso Umberto. The course runs along Molo San Vincenzo at 10 and 11 km, then north to Via Cristoforo Colombo and east along Via Nuova Marina to Via Amerigo Vespucci at 14 km and Via Alessandro Volta at 15 km, the eastern turn. It comes back along Via Nuova Marina at 16 km, crosses the port to Corso Umberto at 18 and 19 km and reaches Piazza Municipio, beside the Maschio Angioino, at 20 km. The Galleria della Vittoria at 21 km returns it to the Plebiscito area, where the first lap ends. This part has more turns and traffic marshalling than the seafront.
Lap two, km 21 to 42: repeat. The second lap repeats the first. The half marathon runners finish at the end of their lap, so the field thins out and the marathon runners continue alone. Gates are strict: 3:15 at 21.09 km, 4:25 at 30 km and 5:30 at 38 km, with a final limit of 6 hours. A runner behind the gate must withdraw and hand in the bib or continue unclassified. The organiser's help to 6:30 does not extend the classified limit.
Km 38 to 42.2: the closing stretch. In 2025 the last lap left the port by Corso Umberto at 39 and 40 km, ran out towards Piazza Garibaldi, and came back by Via Luigi Palmieri at 41 km and Via Vittorio Emanuele III at 42 km to finish at the Plebiscito. Those last kilometres differ from the end of the first lap.
A drop of about 17 m from the Plebiscito to Via Chiatamone, then west along the Lungomare Caracciolo to Mergellina. Open to the wind with little shade.
Back through Viale Gramsci and Viale Dohrn, a second pass of the western seafront near 7 km, then the Galleria della Vittoria tunnel at 9 km.
Molo San Vincenzo, Via Nuova Marina to the Via Volta turn at 15 km, and back by Piazza Municipio. More turns, less regular surfaces, and the first lap ends at the Plebiscito.
The same course again, with a thinner field after the half marathon. The gates at 30 km (4:25) and 38 km (5:30) are strict.
Course Map
The map shows the 2025 edition route. Tap a marker for the start, finish, Marathon Village and the places on the course, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the two laps with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
The organiser's pacer page lists marathon pacers for 3:00, 3:10, 3:20, 3:30, 3:40, 3:50, 4:00, 4:10, 4:20, 4:30, 4:40, 4:50, 5:00, 5:30 and 6:00. The 6:00 group offers running and fitwalking guides. The half marathon has its own pacer list. Paces are computed from 42.195 km.
| Target time | Pace per km |
|---|---|
| 3:00 | 4:16 |
| 3:10 | 4:30 |
| 3:20 | 4:44 |
| 3:30 | 4:59 |
| 3:40 | 5:13 |
| 3:50 | 5:27 |
| 4:00 | 5:41 |
| 4:10 | 5:56 |
| 4:20 | 6:10 |
| 4:30 | 6:24 |
| 4:40 | 6:38 |
| 4:50 | 6:52 |
| 5:00 | 7:07 |
| 5:30 | 7:49 |
| 6:00 | 8:32 |
The marathon is run as two laps of the same course from Piazza del Plebiscito. Gates close at 3:15 at 21.09 km, 4:25 at 30 km and 5:30 at 38 km, with a final limit of 6 hours. A runner who misses a gate must withdraw and return the bib, or continue unclassified.
Mid-October in Naples is warm by day and mild at 08:00, but the weather can change quickly. Sun, humidity, wind and rain are all possible on the seafront, and a late-summer heat can return in a warm year. The start at 08:00 means the first lap is in cooler air and the second lap, which many runners finish between 11:00 and 13:00 or later, can be much warmer.
Dress for the second half of the race, with a light singlet and a cap, and carry a layer for the wait in the pen if it is cool. The seafront has little shade and the wind off the bay matters. Bags are collected in numbered organiser bags, with open-air changing and no showers, so bring dry clothes and a towel for the changing area. Choose shoes you have run in on wet asphalt, because stone paving in the centre can be slippery in rain.
Entry
Registration for the 2026 race is sold out. The organiser's entry page reports a participant cap of 7,500 reached. The fee tiers for the marathon were as in the table below, with a service fee extra. At about €1 to £0.858, those were about £51, £60, £69 and £77. Because the race is sold out, a village entry is not a dependable route. Next year's fees and opening date have not been published.
To run competitively an entrant needs a FIDAL card, a card from a foreign athletics federation recognised by World Athletics with a self-declaration, or a RunCard or RunCard-EPS with a valid competitive athletics medical certificate. A foreign RunCard holder resident abroad may submit the organiser's form or an equivalent home-country examination, urine test, resting and exercise ECG and spirometry; paperwork was due to iscrizioni@nextrace.net by 13 October 2026. Foreign residents abroad without a federation card may use a non-competitive waiver at bib collection, are listed separately in alphabetical order and are not eligible for prizes.
Entry fees are not refunded. The organiser describes a deferral to a later edition with a €15 handling fee and a deadline of 27 September, which has passed. A bib transfer was possible until 4 October in the rules and 5 October in the FAQ, and both dates have passed. Ask the organiser for written confirmation of any change.
Headphones are allowed for non-elite runners, who then cannot take an absolute placing. Up to 20 strollers are permitted, with a signed waiver. Pets are not allowed.
Sold out. Registration for the 2026 race is sold out. Check the organiser's website for the 2027 date and the opening of entries.
| Registration window (2026) | Marathon fee |
|---|---|
| To 29 March | €60 (about £51) |
| To 30 August | €70 (about £60) |
| To 4 October | €80 (about £69) |
| At the village, only if places remained | €90 (about £77) |
Fast runner standards
There are no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standards. Pens are set by a marathon result in the past two years: elite from 2:17:08 for men and 2:41:44 for women, then A under 3:00, B 3:00 to 3:29, C 3:30 to 3:59, D 4:00 to 4:59 and E from 5:00.
Neapolis Marathon: official site →Race Weekend
Marathon Village and bib collection
The Neapolis Marathon Village is in Piazza del Plebiscito, the start and finish square. Bibs are collected on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October from 10:00 to 19:00. On Sunday 18 October, collection from 06:30 to 07:30 is available only by advance request for exceptional need, by email to info@neapolismarathon.it, and no document problem can be corrected then. Bring photo ID. Someone collecting for you needs the organiser's delegation form.
Saturday morning is the safer day, because a medical or certificate problem needs time to fix. The village is in the same square as the finish, so the walk is short from a hotel nearby.
Getting to the start
Runners gather in Piazza del Plebiscito at 07:00 and must be in their assigned pen by 07:50 for the 08:00 start. Pens are set by the best marathon time you declared in the past two years: elite pens from 2:17:08 for men and 2:41:44 for women, then A under 3:00, B 3:00 to 3:29, C 3:30 to 3:59, D 4:00 to 4:59 and E from 5:00. An incorrect or missing time puts you in the last pen, and the organiser does not allow a later change.
The organiser warns against driving to the square. Closures start at 07:00 and the main roads reopen between about 14:00 and 14:30. A press closure notice recommends Metro Line 2 and the Cumana railway for race morning, and the organiser suggests walking or taking the metro towards Municipio or Toledo. Check ANM service times for Sunday and any strike notice shortly before the race.
Bags go in a compact numbered organiser bag, with no suitcases or large backpacks. The bag drop, the changing area, which is open-air, and the finish refreshments are in the square. There are no showers. Headphones are allowed for non-elite runners, who then cannot take an absolute placing. The chip is disposable.
Nutrition on course
The rules promise water, supplements and fruit at stations on the course under FIDAL rules, with refreshments at the finish. The number and kilometre positions of the stations, the brands and whether you can leave your own bottle have not been published.
Because the course is two laps, a runner passes the same stations twice, which is a help with planning. Learn where the stations are on the first lap, use water at each one in October warmth, and keep your own gels for the second lap, when the field thins and the gates at 30 and 38 km are close. The seafront is open to sun and wind, so drink early. Fuel you have used in training is safer than anything handed out on the day.
Spectating
The start and finish square, Piazza del Plebiscito, is the one reliable position. Because the marathon is two laps, a supporter standing there sees the runners at the start, at the end of the first lap near 21 km and at the finish. Half-marathon runners and the Sea Run use the same area, so check bibs and live tracking.
A second position is on the seafront on Via Chiatamone and the seafront below Castel dell'Ovo, which runners pass at 1 to 2 km of each lap. It is a walk of about 0.9 km from the Plebiscito. A third is the Maschio Angioino at Piazza Municipio, on the way to the port streets. Road closures and foot crossings are decided in the final order, so check the organiser's map before choosing a spot. Do not follow the course by car.
Metro Line 2 and the Cumana railway are the transport options a press closure notice recommends. Metro Line 1 stops at Municipio, near the Maschio Angioino, and at Toledo; confirm service times on the day.
- Walk to Piazza del Plebiscito for the start at 08:00
- Walk down to Via Chiatamone and the seafront near Castel dell'Ovo for the first pass
- Go to Piazza Municipio for the course on the port side
- Return to the Plebiscito for the finish
Post-race food
The only meal the organiser promises is the refreshment at the finish, and the rules list no pasta party, so plan the first proper meal yourself. Naples eats late, and many restaurants open at 12:30 and fill quickly on a Sunday, so book a table or have a bag of food for the walk.
Pizza is the local answer to a tired runner, and the area between Via Toledo and the Quartieri Spagnoli has many places to eat. Sfogliatella, the shell-shaped pastry, is the usual sweet with a coffee. A runner finishing near the six-hour limit may reach a kitchen on its afternoon break.
Where to Stay
Stay as close to Piazza del Plebiscito as possible. The start, the finish, the village and the bag drop are all in the square, so a hotel within walking distance removes every race-day transfer. Closures from 07:00 make a taxi unreliable, and the organiser discourages driving into the centre.
Plebiscito and Santa Lucia
The streets around the square and the Santa Lucia waterfront put you within a short walk of the start and finish, and the course runs within about 0.3 km of Castel dell'Ovo early in each lap. This is the best base for a runner.
Toledo and the edge of the Quartieri Spagnoli
The area has metro access at Toledo and a short walk to the square, and many restaurants. It is livelier at night, so ask about noise.
Chiaia waterfront
Hotels along the seafront have sea views but sit on streets closed on race morning, so the walk to the square could be longer. A hotel here could be cut off by the running corridor.
Napoli Centrale and Garibaldi
Rooms near the main station suit a rail arrival, with Metro Line 1 to Municipio and Toledo. The area has a rough reputation at night and the organiser's closure order includes the streets of the port. Plan a Sunday-morning route in advance.
The organiser lists the Royal Continental hotel among its partners and gives an accommodation contact.
Recommended hotels
Listed by the organiser as a partner. Confirm the rate, the walk to Piazza del Plebiscito and breakfast time.
A seafront hotel on Via Partenope, which is closed to traffic on race day. Confirm access and the walk.
A seafront hotel on Via Partenope. Confirm access and the walk.
Booking timeline
The race is sold out for 2026, so runners with an entry should book a hotel now. Naples is a busy city, and mid-October is still a high-season month for tourists. Reserve a cancellable room near Piazza del Plebiscito and confirm breakfast hours. Book flights to Naples airport, which is close to the centre.
Bib collection is on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October. Settle any medical-certificate question first; the foreign-runner paperwork deadline was 13 October. For 2027, no date or fee has been published. Check the organiser's site after the 2026 race.
See & Do
Distances are from Piazza del Plebiscito. The seafront and the centre are flat.
Palazzo Reale
The Royal Palace faces the start and finish square. Check opening days and entry prices before planning a visit.
Castel dell'Ovo
The castle on the seafront, which the course passes within about 0.3 km early in each lap. A short walk from the Plebiscito on level ground.
Maschio Angioino
The medieval castle on Piazza Municipio, which the organiser lists as a highlight of the course.
MADRE
A contemporary art museum named by the organiser as a separate option. Check the weekly closing day before a Monday visit.
After the Race
The race is on a Sunday in October, so recovery days start on the Monday. Take the Circumvesuviana to Herculaneum, Pompeii or Sorrento, or a hydrofoil to Procida or Capri.
Two Roman towns buried by Vesuvius in AD 79, one small and well preserved, one vast. The paving is uneven, so choose one site or pace the day.
A small, colourful fishing island across the bay, with a harbour that is flat and a short walk to the old village on a hill. Ferries run all year.
A clifftop town on the Sorrentine peninsula, with a flat centre, a lift to the sea and views back across the bay.
An island with a funicular from the harbour and a flat walk in the town. Autumn means fewer services and cooler weather.