The Race
The 26th edition ran on Sunday 27 September 2026, and the organiser has not announced 2027. Recent editions fell on the last Sunday of September, but that pattern is not a confirmed date. The details on this page describe the 2026 race. Check before you book.
| Next Race Date | To be Confirmed |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop |
| Registration | Open, online through TimingRun |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Via Nicola Fabrizi, beside Piazza della Rinascita (09:15 in 2026) |
| Finish | Piazza della Rinascita |
| Total finishers | To be Confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | To be Confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours |
| Free race-day transport | No |
| Course certification | To be Confirmed |
History
The Maratona D'Annunziana ran its 26th edition on 26 and 27 September 2026. It is organised by ASD Vini Fantini and takes its name from Gabriele D'Annunzio, the poet born in Pescara. The city's notice describes the weekend as an established event, with a Saturday inclusive walk and children's races in Piazza della Rinascita and the main races on the Sunday. The organiser recalls earlier editions that ran as a single loop through San Giovanni Teatino or Montesilvano. The current design uses a southward coastal leg and repeated northern sections, so the course has changed over time.
The marathon is the smaller part of a weekend of several races. In 2026 the weekend included a 32 km race, new that year, a half marathon and a 10.5 km event. Press expected about 2,000 attendees in 2026 and about 1,200 competitors in the full and half marathons in 2025, and a secondary report puts about 500 starters across all distances in 2026. None of these is a marathon finisher count.
The winners' times for 2026 conflict between sources, so none is quoted here. The race is a local event and not a World Athletics Label race.
The course
In 2026 the marathon started on Via Nicola Fabrizi beside Piazza della Rinascita at 09:15 and finished in the square. The route ran along the seafront, crossed the Ponte del Mare, and followed the Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo, Viale Primo Vere and Viale Alcione towards Francavilla al Mare. It then returned through Pescara by the Lungomare Matteotti, Viale della Riviera and Viale Aldo Moro towards Montesilvano. The full marathon repeats a northern seafront section twice before the finish in the city centre.
The organiser calls the route flat and traffic-closed. It runs at sea level, so the wind off the Adriatic is the main variable. The course has changed between editions, so check the final map before planning. The organiser's rules contain a duplicate marathon label for a 32 km route, so read the full-distance description with care.
Kilometre by kilometre
Kilometre positions are from the 2026 route, approximate to a kilometre or two, and must be rechecked against the 2027 map.
Km 0 to 12: south towards Francavilla. The gun fires at 09:15 on Via Nicola Fabrizi, beside Piazza della Rinascita, the central square known as Piazza Salotto. The route heads for the seafront by Via Ugo Foscolo at 1 km and crosses the Ponte del Mare at about 2 km, the long cycle-and-pedestrian bridge over the Pescara river mouth. It follows the Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo at 3 km and Viale Primo Vere at 4 and 5 km south towards Francavilla al Mare, and turns on Viale Alcione at about 6 km, 5.8 km from the start in a straight line. The runners return over the Ponte del Mare at about 11 km and reach the Lungomare Matteotti at 12 km.
Km 12 to 21: north towards Montesilvano. The course goes north along the seafront by Viale della Riviera at 13 to 15 km and Viale Aldo Moro in Montesilvano at 16 and 17 km, turning at about 17 km, and returns by Viale della Riviera at 18 to 20 km. It reaches the centre at Viale Regina Margherita at 21 km, the half way point.
Km 21 to 42: two northern repeats. The full marathon then repeats the northern section twice, each time of about 10.5 km. Via Foscolo at 22 km leads back to Viale della Riviera at 23 to 25 km and Viale Aldo Moro at 26 and 27 km, with the first repeat turning near 27 km. The return passes Via Nicola Fabrizi at 32 km and the Lungomare Matteotti at 33 km, and the second repeat runs Viale della Riviera at 34 to 36 km to Viale Aldo Moro at 37 and 38 km, turning near 38 km, and back by Viale della Riviera at 39 to 41 km. These repeats run along the exposed seafront. Keep to the full-marathon signs and do not follow the 32 km or half-marathon flow at the junctions.
A runner at the 6-hour limit finishes at about 15:15 from a 09:15 start, which matches the city's finish window of about 11:45 to 15:15. The organiser's two figures of 21.097 km and two of 10.5 km are rounded and do not sum exactly to 42.195 km, so use the final map.
Over the Ponte del Mare and along the coast road to the turn at 6 km, then back to the city.
Back through the centre and up the seafront to the northern turn, then back to the centre at the half way point.
The same northern seafront again, about 10.5 km.
A last 10.5 km on the same road before the finish at Piazza della Rinascita.
Course Map
The line is the 2026 route, since the 2027 map has not been published. The northern seafront section is repeated, so the line is drawn once. Tap a marker for the start, finish and the places on the route, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course.
No elevation chart is drawn for this course. It is flat at sea level, and satellite elevation along the coast and the river mouth reads the sea and returns values at or below zero. The organiser calls the route flat and publishes no profile.
Pacers
No pacer service or target schedule has been published.
The 2026 marathon went south over the Ponte del Mare, then north towards Montesilvano, and repeated a northern section twice. Earlier editions used different routes, so check the map for the edition you plan to run.
Late September on the Adriatic is mild, but the race starts at 09:15 and the sun is strong by mid-morning on an exposed seafront with little shade. Wear light kit, a cap or visor and sunscreen. The wind off the sea can be strong, and a headwind on the northern repeats feels cooler or harder, so think about how you would run with it. Carry a throwaway layer for the wait at the start, because early mornings can be cool. Check the forecast in race week.
Entry
No 2027 entry window, fee or rules have been published. This is the 2026 precedent. Entry was open and first come, first served through TimingRun and by email, with a cap of 400 full-marathon entries. Online entry closed five days before the race. At about €1 to £0.858, €40 is about £34 before fees. Expect a similar structure in 2027, with the date and amounts to be announced. In 2025 the organiser's cap was 1,200 competitors across the full and half marathons and the deadline was the Friday before the race.
Eligibility rules for FIDAL members, RunCard holders and foreign athletes, the medical certificate requirements, the tourist option for foreign runners, and the refund and transfer terms for 2027 have not been published. Do not assume the 2026 terms carry over. The organiser's 2026 entry page had a stale Saturday 27 September subheading, although 27 September was a Sunday, so check dates carefully.
Entry is capped. In 2026 the full marathon was capped at 400 entries, and online entry closed five days before the race. Expect an early cap in 2027.
| Registration window (2026) | Marathon fee |
|---|---|
| To 31 July | €30 (about £26) |
| To 30 August | €35 (about £30) |
| To 22 September | €40 (about £34) |
Fast runner standards
There are no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standards.
Maratona D'Annunziana: official site →Race Weekend
Race village and bib collection
In 2026, bib collection and the race village were in Piazza della Rinascita, with the bib desk open on Saturday from 16:00 to 20:00 and on Sunday from 07:30 to 08:30. Another line in the programme says the village opened at noon on Saturday, which does not necessarily mean the bib desk did. Collect on Saturday if you can. Bring photo ID, your registration confirmation and any federation card or medical certificate the organiser asks for. The 2027 venue and hours have not been announced.
Getting to the start
In 2026 the runners assembled at 08:00 and the gun fired at 09:15 on Via Nicola Fabrizi beside Piazza della Rinascita. The 2025 start was 09:30, so the time changes between editions. Bag storage was near the start and finish. Plan to walk to the start from a central hotel, because the city's traffic order closed the seafront and the Ponte del Mare, which makes crossing the course by car difficult.
The race-day rail and local bus service, the traffic order, strike notices and the toilet provision for 2027 have not been published. The station, Pescara Centrale, is about 0.6 km from the square.
Nutrition on course
In 2026 the rules placed aid stations about every 5 km, with a finish bag of drink, food and fruit and a request to use the bins within 100 m of each station. The products, brands and the 2027 provision have not been published.
Because the course repeats a northern section twice, you pass the same stations again, so note on the first pass where the water is. The seafront has little shade, and the sun is strong in September, so drink early. Fuel you have tested in training is safer than anything handed out on the day.
Spectating
The most reliable viewing point is Piazza della Rinascita, the start and finish. The 2026 course returned to the centre more than once, so a spectator who stays near the square can see runners at the start, around 12 km and 21 km, and at the finish.
The approaches to the Ponte del Mare are a second place, subject to the pedestrian crossings, and the northern seafront is a third, because runners pass it three times. Check the 2027 map before choosing a spot. Do not plan to follow the course by car, because the seafront is closed.
- Start at Piazza della Rinascita for the 09:15 gun
- Walk to the seafront and watch the field head south
- Return to the square for the passes at about 12 km and about 21 km
- Stay for the finish
Post-race food
The finish bag is the only food the organiser promised in 2026, so plan the first meal yourself. Pescara is a fish city, and the dishes to look for are brodetto, an Adriatic fish stew, and arrosticini, the small skewers of mutton cooked over charcoal that are the signature of Abruzzo.
Sunday lunch kitchens close in the afternoon, so book a table before the race, and check the opening times with the restaurant. A runner finishing near the 6-hour limit arrives at about 15:15, when many kitchens are on a break.
Where to Stay
Stay within walking distance of Piazza della Rinascita. The start, finish, expo and bag drop are all there.
Piazza della Rinascita and Corso Umberto
The best base for a runner. A short walk to the start, and shops and restaurants nearby.
North seafront
Good for a stay on the coast, but the road closures affect cars and taxis, and the course passes here three times, so check how to cross it on race day.
Pescara Centrale
Useful for the train and about 0.6 km from the square.
South bank, near the Ponte del Mare
Attractive for the bridge, but cross-river access can be limited on race day.
Wait for the 2027 date before booking, then reserve a cancellable room near the square.
Recommended hotels
Mentioned by the organiser in the 2026 rules. Confirm breakfast hours before a 09:15 start.
Booking timeline
Do not book travel until the organiser announces the 2027 date. Watch the organiser's website and the city's events calendar. In 2026, entry closed five days before the race and was capped at 400, with bib collection on Saturday and Sunday.
When the date is known, book a cancellable room near Piazza della Rinascita, check Pescara Abruzzo airport and the rail options, and confirm the course and the closures before arranging transport.
See & Do
Distances are from Piazza della Rinascita. The seafront is flat and walkable.
Piazza della Rinascita
The central square, known as Piazza Salotto, and the race village. A flat, open place to walk.
Ponte del Mare
The long cycle-and-pedestrian bridge over the river mouth, crossed by the course. A flat, easy walk.
The seafront
The promenade and beach that the course follows. Check the weather and the wind.
Pineta Dannunziana
A pine park on the south bank. Check the opening and access.
After the Race
Recovery days start on the Monday after a Sunday race. Take a train to Chieti, the Trabocchi coast or Sulmona, or go on to Rome.
A hill city above Pescara with a Roman past, a national archaeology museum and long views to the sea and the Maiella. A short ride, with a climb at the other end.
A stretch of coast with timber fishing platforms built out over the sea. A short ride south, with a flat coast walk.
A walled valley town with a Roman poet, a sugared-almond tradition and a mountain backdrop. A simple overnight by train.
The capital on a flat, walkable core, two days after an easy sea-level marathon. A long train, then a flat city.