The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 15 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (start and finish at the same square) |
| Registration | Open, online through ENDU |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Piazza Ruggero Settimo, by the Teatro Politeama, 08:30 |
| Finish | Piazza Ruggero Settimo |
| Total finishers | To be Confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | To be Confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Free race-day transport | No |
| Course certification | FIDAL Type A homologated; FIDAL national Bronze |
History
The 2026 race is billed as the 31st Maratona Città di Palermo, and the organiser's winners archive begins in 1995, when Carmelo Lo Presti won in 2:24:12. ASD MEDIA@, the organising club, runs the race under the slogan Per…corriamo l'arte, a reference to the city's architecture, and it is listed with FIDAL as a national Bronze event with a Type A homologated course. Bronze is the Italian federation's own grade, and no World Athletics Label has been established.
The marathon is the smaller of the weekend's races. Press in 2023 counted about 2,000 athletes in all events and roughly 500 in the marathon. The organiser announced more than 3,000 across the events in 2025, from 50 nations, and closed entries early that year. Those are event-wide figures, not marathon finisher counts.
Gilbert Masai of Kenya won the men's race in 2024 in 2:14:09, which the organiser called one of the best Palermo times, and Peris Jepkorir of Kenya won the women's in 2:44:33. A results site lists Martin Cheruiyot and Eleonora Zecchinato as the 2025 winners in 2:20:16 and 3:01:39, a figure from a single source. A men's or women's course record is deliberately not quoted: the course has changed between editions and the full archive was not compared.
The course
The marathon starts and finishes at Piazza Ruggero Settimo, beside the Teatro Politeama, in the middle of the modern city. Press accounts of the 2023 edition describe two identical laps of about 21 km. Each lap runs north along Viale della Libertà into the Parco della Favorita by Viale Diana, loops past the Palazzina Cinese and Viale Ercole, and returns to the centre by Via Roma, Via Vittorio Emanuele and the Quattro Canti, with a passage by the Palazzo Reale before the Politeama.
The surface is city asphalt with some stone paving in the historic centre. The organiser publishes no elevation figure. The Favorita park and the centre include gentle rises that the SRTM profile reads as a total range of about 57 m, from 23 to 80 m, with the highest ground in the park.
The organiser's 2026 event listing also names Mondello, and the 2023 press says the course did not reach it, so the route for 2026 should be checked against the final map.
Kilometre by kilometre
Kilometre positions are from the 2023 route, approximate to about a kilometre. The second lap repeats the first. The 2026 route may differ, and if it includes Mondello the course profile and distance from the city would change.
Lap one, km 0 to 9: Libertà and the park. The gun fires at 08:30 at Piazza Ruggero Settimo, with assembly from 07:30. The course runs north along the wide Viale della Libertà at 1 and 2 km and reaches the Favorita park by Viale Diana at 3 to 5 km, climbing from about 30 m to 70 m. It continues on Viale Margherita di Savoia at 6 and 7 km, the northern end of the lap, 5.7 km from the start in a straight line, at about 76 m. This is the most open and the quietest part of the loop, and the highest ground of the course.
Lap one, km 9 to 14: the Palazzina Cinese and the return. Around 8 km the course passes Pallavicino, by the Palazzina Cinese, the pink Chinese-style pavilion at the edge of the park, then turns by Viale Ercole at 9 and 10 km, falling about 30 m, and heads back through Viale Diana at 11 km and Via Cordova at 12 km to Via della Libertà at 13 km. The Politeama area is passed again around 14 km at Piazza Castelnuovo.
Lap one, km 14 to 21: the historic centre. The course goes by Via Roma at 15 km, close to the Teatro Massimo, then Via Vittorio Emanuele and the Quattro Canti at 16 km, and Piazza Indipendenza by the Palazzo Reale at about 17 km. It continues by Corso Vittorio Emanuele at 18 km, Via Trieste at 19 km and Via Roma again at 20 km, 24 to 42 m. The streets are narrower, with stone paving and spectators. The lap ends back near Piazza Ruggero Settimo at about 21 km, where half-marathon runners finish.
Lap two, km 21 to 42.2. Marathon runners continue on the same circuit. The field is much thinner after the half marathon finishes, and the relay teams are running the same loop. The 5h30 limit works out at about 7:49 a kilometre, so a runner at the limit passes the Quattro Canti the second time at about 37 km, nearly five hours into the day. The finish is at Piazza Ruggero Settimo.
North along Viale della Libertà into the Favorita. The most open part of the lap and the highest ground, up to about 76 m.
The pink pavilion at the edge of the park, then back along the avenue towards the Politeama.
Via Roma, the Quattro Canti and the Palazzo Reale on narrower stone-paved streets. The half marathon finishes at the end of this lap.
The same circuit with a thinner field. The 5h30 limit is about 7:49 a kilometre.
Course Map
The line is the 2023 route, two laps of the same loop. The 2026 route has not been published as a map and may differ. Tap a marker for the start, finish and expo and the places on the route, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
The 2026 rules promise several pacer groups but do not list them. The 2025 press listed 3:10, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00 and 4:15, which is not a 2026 schedule.
Press accounts of the 2023 edition describe the marathon as two identical laps of about 21 km from Piazza Ruggero Settimo, and the half marathon as one lap. You pass the Politeama and the Quattro Canti twice. The 2026 course is published only as a video, and the organiser's event listing also mentions Mondello, so check the final 2026 map.
Mid-November in Palermo is mild compared with northern Europe, but it is the wet season, and the weather can swing between sun, wind and heavy rain. The start at 08:30 means cooler air in the pen and a warmer run later, so wear what you can run in for several hours and carry a throwaway layer for the wait. A light rain jacket is worth having in the bag if the forecast is unsettled.
Stone paving in the historic centre can be slippery when wet, so wear shoes with grip. The loop has shade in the Favorita but little on the avenues. A cap and sunscreen are useful if the day is clear. Check the forecast for the day, because November in Sicily can bring storms.
Entry
Entry is open and online through ENDU, with no ballot. The 2026 marathon bands are in the table below, and €50 is the current band. At about €1 to £0.858, €50 is about £43, before payment charges. The online deadline is 15 October 2026 and entries may close early: in 2025 they closed early after the combined events passed 3,000. A 2026 marathon cap was not published. There is no information on race-day entry.
To run competitively you need a 2026 FIDAL membership, a card from a federation affiliated to World Athletics with a self-declaration, or a RunCard or RunCard-EPS with a competitive athletics medical certificate. A foreign national resident abroad without an athletics licence may use the organiser's non-competitive tourist waiver, receive a time and be excluded from the ranking and prizes. An EPS or general fitness certificate alone should not be presumed enough.
Fees are not refundable. You can ask for a transfer to the next edition or to another person by 2 November 2026, with a €7 administrative payment.
Entry closes 15 October. The online entry deadline is 15 October 2026, and entries can close earlier. A transfer to the next edition or another runner can be requested until 2 November.
| Registration window (2026) | Marathon fee |
|---|---|
| From 15 January | €25 (about £21) |
| From 15 April | €30 (about £26) |
| From 15 June | €40 (about £34) |
| From 15 September | €50 (about £43) |
Fast runner standards
There are no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standards.
Maratona Città di Palermo: official site →Race Weekend
Expo and bib collection
The organiser's FAQ places the expo and bib collection in Piazza Castelnuovo on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November from 10:00 to 19:30. The weekdays match 2026, but the FAQ keeps some generic wording, so confirm against the final expo bulletin. The 2025 expo also had Sunday activity; do not assume a Sunday collection in 2026.
Bring photo ID, your registration confirmation and any federation card, RunCard or medical certificate required. The proxy conditions and the deadline for uploading documents have not been published. Collect on Friday if you can, so that any paperwork problem can be fixed on Saturday.
Getting to the start
Runners assemble from 07:30 for the 08:30 gun in the Politeama and Piazza Ruggero Settimo area. The start, the finish and the expo are all within walking distance of each other, so stay within a short walk. A taxi on race morning may be blocked by closures and the restricted traffic zone.
The rules list bag drop, toilets, medical and technical assistance, insurance, a shirt and a finisher medal as included, along with a closed-traffic course. The exact bag-drop opening and the location have not been published. Timing uses a MyLaps chip. Bicycle accompaniment is forbidden.
Falcone Borsellino airport has a railway station below the terminal that links to the city centre. This is sensible for arrival the day before. Check the actual Sunday service and station stop before relying on a race-morning connection. The entry does not include public transport. The 2026 police closure plan, the Sunday AMAT bus service and any strike notice for 15 November have not been published, so check them in race week.
Nutrition on course
The rules promise refreshment stations on the course and a finish pack, with medical assistance. The kilometre positions of the stations, the drink, gel and food brands, the cup type and the procedure for your own bottle have not been published.
Because the course is two laps, a runner passes the same stations twice, so note on the first lap where the water is and where it is not. The Favorita park section is the longest stretch away from the city, so carry what you need for it. In November warmth is rarely a problem, but a bright day can still dehydrate you on the avenues. Fuel you have used in training is safer than anything handed out on the day.
Spectating
The best single place to watch is Piazza Ruggero Settimo and the Politeama. It is the start, the finish and the end of the first lap, so a supporter standing there sees the runner at the start, near 21 km, and at the finish. Half-marathon and relay bibs share the course, so check the bib type.
A second place is Viale della Libertà, the long avenue north of the Politeama that the runners use both on the way out and on the way back, so one spot gives two views on each lap. Walk back to the Politeama after each pass. A third position is the historic centre near the Quattro Canti, around 16 km on the first lap, which is a short walk from the Teatro Massimo. Do not plan to drive along the course, because the roads are closed.
- Start in Piazza Ruggero Settimo for the 08:30 gun
- Walk north on Viale della Libertà to a spot near Piazza Vittorio Veneto and watch the field pass on the way out
- Return to the Politeama for the end of the first lap
- Stay for the finish, or walk to the Quattro Canti for the second pass
Post-race food
The finish pack is the only food the organiser promises, so plan the first proper meal yourself. The area around the Politeama and Viale della Libertà has restaurants, and the old city's street food is a short walk away. Palermo's street food includes panelle, chickpea fritters, and arancine, fried rice balls, and pasta con le sarde, the island's dish of sardines and wild fennel.
Sunday kitchens close in the afternoon, so book a table for lunch or eat at a stall. A runner finishing near the 5h30 limit may arrive when places are on their afternoon break.
Where to Stay
Stay within walking distance of Piazza Ruggero Settimo. The start, the finish and the expo in Piazza Castelnuovo are close together, and a taxi on race morning may be blocked.
Politeama and Piazza Castelnuovo
The best base for a runner. The expo, the start and the finish are a short walk apart, and the district has shops and restaurants.
Libertà
The long avenue north of the Politeama is a smart residential and shopping street. Hotels here are slightly outside the tightest centre and sit on the course, so access is restricted on race morning.
Historic centre near the Quattro Canti
This area favours sightseeing and puts you on the course at about 16 km, but the streets are narrow and the restricted traffic zone can complicate a taxi. The walk to the start is about 1.3 km.
Palermo Centrale
The area near the main station is practical for the airport train, but about 2.2 km from the Politeama and less attractive at night.
Mondello
The seaside district suits a beach stay but is far from the start, and a race-morning transfer is unverified.
Recommended hotels
On the start square. Confirm breakfast hours before an 08:30 start.
A well-known hotel facing the Teatro Massimo on Via Maqueda. It sits near the course at about 15 km, so check access on race morning.
Booking timeline
Mid-November is shoulder season in Palermo, so rooms are easier to find than in spring, but the Politeama area has a limited stock. Enter before 15 October and book a cancellable room near the Politeama as soon as your entry is confirmed.
Check flights into Palermo, where the airport train runs to the centre. Collect your bib on Friday 13 or Saturday 14 November. The transfer deadline is 2 November. In race week, check the closure plan, bus service and any strike notice.
See & Do
Distances are from Piazza Ruggero Settimo. The centre is compact.
Teatro Politeama
The neoclassical theatre at the start and finish. A flat, open square for an easy walk.
Quattro Canti and Teatro Massimo
The baroque crossroads and the opera house, both on or near the course in each lap.
Palazzo Reale and the Cappella Palatina
The Norman palace passed by the course near 17 km on each lap. Check opening hours and whether the chapel is open on the Monday.
Parco della Favorita and the Palazzina Cinese
The park that the course loops through, with the Chinese-style pavilion. Check opening and access.
After the Race
The race is on a Sunday in November, so recovery days start on the Monday. Take a bus to Monreale or Mondello, or a train to Cefalù.
A Norman cathedral covered in Byzantine mosaics, with a cloister of 228 columns. The bus is cheap and the walk is short but uphill.
A seaside district with a flat promenade and a wide sandy bay. In November it is quiet and mild.
A seaside town under a rock, with a Norman cathedral and a flat old town. A simple overnight by train.
A ridge of Greek temples above the sea, with the best-preserved temple in Sicily. The valley is large and sloping, so pace the day.