The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 18 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (single circuit from the Parco della Cittadella) |
| Registration | Open, online through ENDU |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Parco della Cittadella, Via Passo Buole, 09:15 |
| Finish | Parco della Cittadella |
| Total finishers | 376 (2025) |
| Avg race-day temp | To be Confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Free race-day transport | No |
| Course certification | FIDAL Type A homologated |
History
The organiser bills the 2026 race as the tenth Parma Marathon, and its results archive goes back to 2016. FIDAL counted the 2025 race as the ninth, so the count may not describe an unbroken yearly series. Parmarathon ASD runs the marathon with the Comune di Parma from the Parco della Cittadella, alongside a 31.7 km race, a 24.7 km race and a 10 km. The city's half marathon is a separate event held in September.
On 19 October 2025, 376 runners finished the marathon. Joshua Meinke of Germany won in 2:32:26, ahead of the Italians Filippo Bovanini (2:34:31) and Azeddine Majdoubi (2:35:27). Laura Innocenti won the women's race in 3:06:40, with Elisabetta Luchese 19 seconds behind. These are the 2025 winners only. A course record is not quoted because the full archive was not compared.
The race is part of HypER 5, a series run by Maratone dell'Emilia-Romagna with Bologna, Rimini, Ravenna and Reggio Emilia. Marathons count from Parma 2025, and a runner who finishes all five by April 2030 earns the series medal. FIDAL lists the marathon as a national road race on a Type A homologated course and assigns it no 2026 tier.
The course
The marathon is a single 42.195 km circuit that starts and finishes at the Parco della Cittadella on Via Passo Buole, just south of the old centre. The organiser says plainly that it is one circuit and not repeated laps. The route runs through the historic centre, loops through the Parco Ducale, and then leaves the city for the countryside to the south.
The ground is flat at 60 to 70 m above sea level for the first 12 km. It then rises steadily for 15 km, about 100 m at 0.7% on the SRTM profile, to a high point of about 167 m near 27 km, and falls back to the Cittadella. The organiser's page quotes a maximum elevation difference of about 130 m without saying what that measures, so no gain figure is given here. The course is certified and homologated by FIDAL. The organiser publishes no street list, so check the final map in race week.
Kilometre by kilometre
Kilometre positions are from the 2025 route, approximate to about a kilometre. The organiser publishes no street list, and the 2026 map should be checked in race week.
Km 0 to 11: the Cittadella, the centre and the Parco Ducale. The gun fires at 09:15 at the Parco della Cittadella, a star-shaped Farnese fortress now used as a public park. The course loops the park, then reaches Strada Nuova at 2 km and Strada Giuseppe Mazzini at 3 km, in the historic centre near the Pilotta and the Duomo, where the streets are paved and narrow in places. It returns to the Cittadella's side along Viale Berenini at 4 km, crosses Viale San Michele at 5 km and Piazza Garibaldi at 6 km, then Ponte Giuseppe Verdi at 7 km into the Oltretorrente and the Parco Ducale on Viale Centrale at 8 and 9 km. It comes back across the river by Via Garibaldi at 10 km. All of it is flat, at 61 to 66 m.
Km 11 to 16: south out of the city. Viale Basetti at 11 km, Viale Rustici at 12 km and Viale Du Tillot at 13 km take the route south of the Cittadella to Porporano at 14 km. From 12 km the road starts to rise, 68 m at 13 km and 80 m at 16 km, on Strada Martinella. The 24.7 km Venti4 turns back early at about 17 km and the 31.7 km Trenta2 at about 21 km, so shorter-distance runners share much of this road and then leave it. Do not follow a runner carrying a shorter-event bib.
Km 16 to 28: the climb. Alberi di Vigatto at 17 and 18 km and Vigatto at 19 to 22 km take the road from 83 m to 124 m, then Corcagnano at 23 km and Panocchia on Strada Quercioli at 24 to 27 km to the high point of about 167 m near 27 km, the turn of this out-and-back stretch. This is a long, steady incline, 8 to 11 m a kilometre, with no steep walls. Runners going out too fast through the flat city pay for it here.
Km 28 to 42.2: the descent. The route comes back on Strada Val Parma at 28 to 31 km, falling from 162 m to 129 m, and then retraces Strada Martinella through Vigatto at 32 to 34 km and Alberi di Vigatto at 35 to 37 km, dropping from 122 m to 78 m, so the same road carries runners in both directions. It reaches Porporano at 38 km, Montanara at 39 km and Viale Du Tillot and Viale Solferino at 40 and 41 km, and finishes at the Cittadella. The 5h30 limit is about 7:49 a kilometre.
The organiser places withdrawal collection points near 20 km and 30 km. Roads reopen progressively around the time limit, and some sections are managed traffic and not fully closed.
Past the Pilotta and the Duomo on paved streets, then the Parco Ducale. Flat ground at 61 to 66 m.
Viale Du Tillot and Strada Martinella. The 24.7 km and 31.7 km races share the road and turn back later.
A steady rise of about 100 m through Vigatto and Panocchia to a high point near 27 km. No steep wall, but it adds up.
A fall back along Strada Val Parma and Strada Martinella to the Cittadella. The 5h30 limit is about 7:49 a kilometre.
Course Map
The line is the 2025 route, since the 2026 street list has not been published. Tap a marker for the start, finish, expo and bag drop 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 organiser says pacers are included in the fee, but no target times, flag colours or meeting point have been published.
The marathon is one circuit from the Cittadella, not repeated laps. The first 12 km are flat at 60 to 70 m, then the road climbs steadily for 15 km to a high point of about 167 m near 27 km and falls to the finish. The organiser publishes no gain figure. Pace the first half to leave something for the climb.
Parma counts towards the HypER 5 series with Bologna, Rimini, Ravenna and Reggio Emilia. Marathons count from 2025, the five must be finished by April 2030, and registration for the series is separate. The shorter Parma races do not count, and the series gives no entry discount.
Parma in mid-October is mild, but mornings can be cool and damp, and the Po plain can hold fog or low cloud. The 09:15 gun means a long wait in the park, so bring a throwaway layer or a bin bag to wear until the start.
By the middle of the race you are out in open countryside with little shade, and the climb can feel warm if the sun is out, so choose kit you can run in comfortably in either case. A light jacket is worth putting in the bag in case rain is forecast. The finish is at the park, where the bag drop is, so you can change there. Check the forecast in race week.
Entry
Entry is open and online through ENDU, with no ballot. The 2026 fee bands rose from €35 in January to €65 until 30 September, and the current band is €70 until 15 October. At about €1 to £0.858, €70 is about £60 before payment charges. The organiser's live page says few marathon bibs remain, so entries may close before 15 October. A desk on the weekend sells a bib only if any remain, at the last band plus a secretariat charge whose size is not published. A club promotion for ten runners has its own bands.
To run competitively, entrants resident in Italy need a FIDAL or RunCard membership, and foreign residents may also use a foreign federation card. Foreign runners living abroad can enter with a foreign athletics federation card, a RunCard, or as tourist participants with the liability-exclusion form. The minimum age for a non-resident is 18, or 20 with a RunCard. A RunCard runner should expect to need an athletics-specific competitive medical certificate. The deadline for uploading documents and the equivalent foreign certificate are not stated, so confirm them with the organiser.
The fee includes the race pack, medal, bag drop, pacers, medical cover, insurance, aid stations, chip timing, showers and a diploma. An injury-supported transfer to 2027 is free with a medical report and a request by email. Other deferrals earn a code for half the fee of the next edition. A transfer to another runner was free until 5 October 2026, and a change of distance is normally refused. A general cash refund is not offered. HypER 5 registration is separate and optional.
Sunday bib collection closes at 08:45. Collect on Saturday 17 October, from 10:00 to 20:00. The Sunday desk closes at 08:45, and the bag drop closes at 09:00.
| Registration window (2026) | Marathon fee |
|---|---|
| January | €35 (about £30) |
| Up to 30 September | €65 (about £56) |
| Up to 15 October | €70 (about £60) |
Fast runner standards
There is no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standard.
Parma Marathon: official site →Race Weekend
Expo Village and bib collection
The Expo Village and the race secretariat are at the Parco della Cittadella, entered by the main gate on Via Passo Buole or the second gate on Via Italo Pizzi. The organiser's entry page gives Saturday 17 October from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday 18 October from 07:00 to 08:45. A line on the live info page that reads Sunday 20 October is out of date; use 18 October and check the final bulletin.
Bring photo ID, your registration confirmation and any federation card, RunCard or medical certificate named in the ENDU email. Someone else may collect for you with a signed delegation and a copy of your ID. Collect on Saturday, even if you are staying locally, because the Sunday window closes at 08:45, half an hour before the bag-drop deadline.
Getting to the start
Everything happens at the Cittadella: expo, bib, bag drop, start and finish. Enter the park by 09:00 at the latest, with your bag handed in by then. The marathon and the 31.7 km race start together at 09:15, followed by the 24.7 km at about 09:35 and the 10 km at about 09:50. Follow your own pen and the signs for your own distance.
The bag drop is on the basketball courts in the park from 07:30 to 09:00. In bad weather it may move to the Stadio Tardini, about 400 m away. Use your own bag with the bib tag. After the race, showers are at the Palalottici on Via Po from 10:45 to 16:00, with four shuttles about every ten minutes from the Cittadella. These are shower shuttles, not a transfer to the station.
The organiser names the Goito and Toschi car parks as partner garages, and says blue street bays in the residential area around the Cittadella are normally not charged on Sunday, subject to signs. Do not rely on a car reaching Via Passo Buole once the closures start. The station is north of the old centre, about 1.8 km from the Cittadella, and the old town has a restricted traffic zone, so walk from a central hotel if you can. Check the TEP bus timetable, any Sunday diversions and any strike notices.
Nutrition on course
The organiser promises aid stations at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 km, with liquids and solids to be announced nearer the race, plus sponges at 7.5 km and then every five kilometres if health rules allow. A recovery bag is handed out at the finish. The drink, gel and food brands and quantities have not been published.
Stations are five kilometres apart, so carry what you need between them, particularly through the long climb from about 12 km to 27 km where there is little shade. Gels taken before the stations at 20 and 25 km are worth planning. Cups and gel wrappers go in the bins near each station. Fuel you have tested in training is safer than anything handed out on the day.
Spectating
The only dependable viewing point is the Parco della Cittadella. The marathon and the 31.7 km race start together at 09:15, and the marathon finishes there. A runner at the 5h30 limit reaches the finish at about 14:45 on gun time.
The centre of the city, near the Pilotta and the Duomo around 3 km, Piazza Garibaldi around 6 km and the Parco Ducale around 8 km, are the next easiest places for a spectator on foot, but the exact crossing points and closures should be taken from the final 2026 map. Do not plan to follow the course by car. Roads close from the early morning, and the central zone reopens only when the field has passed.
- Start at the Cittadella for the 09:15 gun
- Walk to the Pilotta and Duomo area and watch the field pass at about 3 km
- Walk to Piazza Garibaldi for about 6 km, or the Parco Ducale for about 8 km
- Return to the Cittadella for the finish
Post-race food
The recovery bag is the only food the organiser promises, so plan your first proper meal. Parma is one of Italy's best food cities, and the dishes to look for are prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, tortelli d'erbetta, a stuffed pasta with ricotta and greens, and torta fritta, a fried dough served with cured meats.
Sunday kitchens close in the afternoon, so book a table for lunch before the race and check the venue's own hours. A runner finishing near the limit arrives at about 14:45, when many kitchens are on a break. Do not mistake the Food Valley Walk, a separate tasting walk, for finish catering.
Where to Stay
Stay within walking distance of the Cittadella, or in the old centre if you are happy to walk 1 to 2 km. The start, finish, bag drop and expo are all in the park.
Cittadella and the eastern edge of the centre
The best base for a runner. A walk to the start takes minutes, and the hotels here are close to the old town as well. The Parco della Cittadella is a public park used for walks, so a short shake-out on Saturday is easy.
Historic centre
The streets around the Duomo, the Baptistery and the Pilotta suit sightseeing and restaurants. The restricted traffic zone applies, so check access if you arrive by car. The walk to the Cittadella is about 1 to 2 km.
Station area
Practical for a train in and out, but about 1.8 km from the park. Check the Sunday TEP service or allow a 30-minute walk.
Outside the city
Hotels on the ring road may cost less, but they need a proven early transfer, and the road closures begin before the gun.
The organiser's lodging page warns that the Festival Verdi and the Mercanteinfiera trade fair overlap with the marathon weekend and raise demand in the city. It also links to a partner offer for 2026. Check the offer with the property before relying on it.
Recommended hotels
Listed among the closest hotels to the park. Confirm breakfast hours for a 09:15 start and the race-weekend rate.
Booking timeline
Parma fills up in October because of the Festival Verdi and the Mercanteinfiera fair, so rooms near the Cittadella go early. Enter by 15 October, and sooner if you can, because the organiser's live page says few bibs remain. Book a cancellable room as soon as the entry is confirmed. Name changes are accepted until 5 October.
Prepare your federation card, RunCard and medical certificate, or the tourist waiver. Collect your bib on Saturday 17 October, since the Sunday desk closes at 08:45. In race week, check the bag-drop location, the shower shuttle stop, the street closures and the Sunday transport.
See & Do
Every stop below is within about 2 km of the Cittadella.
Parco della Cittadella
The star-shaped Farnese fortress, now a public park. Flat paths for a shake-out run.
Duomo and Baptistery
The Romanesque cathedral and the pink-marble Baptistery, both on the course around 3 km. Check opening hours for a Monday visit.
Palazzo della Pilotta and the Teatro Farnese
The Farnese palace complex with the wooden Teatro Farnese. Check Monday opening hours and tickets.
Parco Ducale
The Duchy's formal park, passed by the course around 8 km. A flat, gentle place to walk the day after.
After the Race
The race is on a Sunday in October, so recovery days start on the Monday. Take a bus to Torrechiara or Fontanellato, or a train to Modena or Bologna.
A 15th-century hill castle with a frescoed Golden Room, above the town that cures Parma ham. The castle is closed on Mondays.
A moated castle with a Parmigianino fresco and an optical chamber that projects the square onto a wall.
A flat, arcaded city with a Romanesque cathedral, a covered food market and balsamic vinegar. A simple overnight by train.
A porticoed university city with the longest covered walkway in the world and a market quarter. Two days on flat ground, with one optional hill.