The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 8 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (start and finish about 1.8 km apart) |
| Registration | Open, online |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Pala De André, Viale Europa, 09:15 |
| Finish | Via di Roma, near the MAR museum |
| Total finishers | To be Confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | To be Confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours 30 minutes |
| Free race-day transport | Yes (event shuttles to the start) |
| Course certification | FIDAL national Silver, Type A homologated |
History
The 2026 race is the 27th Maratona di Ravenna Città d'Arte. The current organiser, Ravenna Runners Club, has run the event since 2011, so the edition number should not be read as an unbroken line from a single founding date. The 2026 edition also hosts the Italian Masters Marathon Championship.
The finisher medal is the race's signature. It is a handmade mosaic crafted by Annafietta, and the 2026 design shows the Mausoleum of Theodoric, which marks the 1,500th anniversary of the Gothic king's death. Medal engraving can be booked online or at the expo.
In 2025 the organiser reported John Hakizimana as the men's marathon winner in 2:10:47 and a women's winning time of 2:26:14, with 1,550 full-marathon registrations. The half-marathon results page carries a duplicated table of 2022 and 2024 winners, so no all-time record is established here.
FIDAL lists the race as a 42.195 km national Silver road race on a Type A homologated course. Ravenna is also one of five cities in the HypER 5 circuit, with Bologna, Parma, Reggio Emilia and Rimini.
The course
The marathon starts at the Pala De André on Viale Europa, on the ticket-office side, at 09:15 and runs through Ravenna and the historic centre and the monument districts. The finish is on Via di Roma near the MAR (Museo d'Arte della città), about 1.8 km from the start. The marathon and the half marathon share the same route for the first 18 km, and then the full continues alone.
On the 2023 route the first 18 km loop north of the station and through the Darsena and the centre, with Via di Roma at 12 km and Via Salara at 13 km, before turning south on Via Romea to Classe. The full then goes out to the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe at about 21 km, comes back north, and spends its outer section on the Canale Molinetto towards Punta Ravenna at about 30 km before returning through the city to the finish.
FIDAL certifies the course as a Type A road route. The organiser publishes a map, a GPX and a road list in the race area, but the turn list is not available in the sources. Ravenna and its coast are flat.
Kilometre by kilometre
Kilometre positions come from the 2023 route and are approximate to about half a kilometre. Recheck them against the 2026 map.
Km 0 to 18: out of Pala De André with the half. The gun fires at 09:15 on the east side of Ravenna, at Porto Fuori. The marathon and half marathon runners share the road for 18 km, so the early field is dense. The route runs west to Via Arrigo Boldrini at 1 km and the station square at 2 km, loops through Via Chiavica Romea at 5 km and north to Via Lago Maggiore at 6 km, then comes back down Via Pomposa at 8 km and past the Darsena on Via dell'Antico Squero at 10 km. It reaches Via di Roma at 12 km, Via Salara at 13 km and Via Mazzini at 16 km, in the heart of the centre, and heads south on Via Mangagnina at 17 km. Hold your own effort and ignore the half runners' pace.
Km 18 to 24: south to Classe. The courses split at 18 km, around Ponte Nuovo. The full runs south on Via Romea Sud through Classe and turns at about 21 km, within about 0.2 km of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, then returns north to the Pista Ciclabile dell'Archeologia at 24 km. The southern leg is flat and the quietest of the day.
Km 24 to 36: the north-east leg. The route turns back through Via Don Carlo Sala at 25 km and Via dell'Antica Milizia at 26 km, then runs out along the Canale Molinetto towards Punta Ravenna, reaching the turn at about 30 km and returning along the same canal road by 33 km. This outer section is the quietest part of the course and the least sheltered.
Km 36 to 42: into the centre. The course passes back through the city by Via Arrigo Boldrini at 36 km, Via Filippo Lanciani at 37 km and Via Don Carlo Sala at 38 km, crosses Viale Europa at 39 km, and returns by Via Panfilia at 40 km and the Circonvallazione of the Canale Molinetto at 41 km to finish on Via di Roma, close to the MAR. Allow for a finish in a different place from the start.
The eight monuments make the urban stretches memorable, but the running line does not pass each one.
A dense start from Pala De André, with half marathon runners alongside, through the station area, the Darsena and the centre. Settle into your own pace.
The courses split and the field thins. The southern leg on Via Romea Sud turns near the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe.
Along the Canale Molinetto to Punta Ravenna and back. The least sheltered part of the course. Keep your effort steady.
A return through the city to the finish on Via di Roma near the MAR.
Course Map
The map shows the 2023 edition route. Tap a marker for the start, finish, the station and the places on the course.
No elevation chart is drawn for this course. Ravenna and its coast are flat, and satellite elevation along the canals and the coast reads the water and returns values at or below zero. The organiser publishes no profile.
Pacers
The organiser's FAQ lists pacer balloons for these finish times. Paces per kilometre are computed from 42.195 km.
| Target time | Pace per km |
|---|---|
| 3:00 | 4:16 |
| 3:15 | 4:37 |
| 3:30 | 4:59 |
| 3:45 | 5:20 |
| 4:00 | 5:41 |
| 4:15 | 6:03 |
| 4:30 | 6:24 |
| 4:45 | 6:45 |
| 5:00 | 7:07 |
| 5:30 | 7:49 |
| 6:00 | 8:32 |
The marathon and half marathon run together for 18 km and then split. Start at your own pace, because the early field is dense.
Every finisher receives a handmade mosaic medal. The 2026 design shows the Mausoleum of Theodoric. Engraving can be booked online or at the expo.
Ravenna counts towards the HypER 5 circuit with Bologna, Parma, Reggio Emilia and Rimini. Register for the circuit separately.
Early November in Ravenna is cool, often damp and sometimes breezy, and the gun fires at 09:15, which leaves time to stand in the cold at the start. Bring a throwaway layer for the wait.
The plain is flat and open, so wind can matter on the outer sections along the Canale Molinetto. A light cap helps in rain. A dry change in the bag is welcome at the finish. Check the forecast in race week, because the weather on the Adriatic coast changes quickly.
Entry
Entry is online and open, with no ballot. The 2026 marathon fee table and rules could not be read, so no price is stated here; check the organiser's 42K page. Do not use the half marathon's tariff or the Ravenna Park Race combination. The organiser's combined-entry page lists €77 to 30 June and €85 from July to September for a two-race package, which is not a standalone marathon fee. At about €1 to £0.858, those are roughly £66 and £73.
The organiser's FAQ says a transfer to another person or to the next edition costs €10 and must be requested by 25 October. A later deferral request earns 50% off the next edition's first-tier fee. The 2024 marathon rules described four routes to a competitive entry: a FIDAL card, a RunCard with a competitive athletics medical certificate, a foreign federation card, and a non-competitive tourist route. Read the current 42K rules, because the categories, the certificate deadline and the foreign-runner declaration may have changed.
Ravenna is part of the HypER 5 circuit with Bologna, Parma, Reggio Emilia and Rimini. Finishes from October 2025 count towards completing all five by April 2030. Register for the circuit separately. The circuit page does not establish a discount for this race.
Fast runner standards
There are no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standards.
Maratona di Ravenna Città d'Arte: official site →Race Weekend
Bib collection
Bibs are collected at the Pala De André through the ticket-office entrance, reached via Via Trieste and Via Canale Molinetto. The desk is open on Friday from 10:30 to 19:00 and on Saturday from 09:30 to 19:00. A Sunday window from 07:15 to 08:45 is for marathon and half marathon runners from outside the province only.
Collect on Friday or Saturday. Bring photo ID and the proof of your eligibility. Bib holders get discounted entry to participating museums, subject to each museum's conditions, and medal engraving can be booked online or at the expo.
Getting to the start
The start is at the Pala De André on Viale Europa at 09:15. The organiser's FAQ lists a pre-race shuttle that runs from Viale Pallavicini, opposite Cicli Galassi, via Viale Europa to Via Travaglini. It leaves about every 8 minutes between 07:00 and 07:45 and about every 5 minutes between 07:45 and 09:50. A return shuttle runs from Viale Pallavicini between 12:00 and 17:30. The city's 2025 notice described the shuttle as free for participants, so confirm that for 2026.
Bag drop at the Pala closes at 08:45 for the marathon and the half. Use the official sack or a lightweight hanging bag with the bib sticker only. Bags are taken to the finish and collected in Viale Santi Baldini. Personal supplies can be handed to the start-area aid station by 08:15.
The FAQ's parking list is dated to the 2025 race, so it is not a 2026 plan. The city centre has a ZTL, a limited traffic zone, and the closures and bus diversions are published by the city each year. Do not plan to drive to the centre. Aid stations stand every 5 km. A finish pack is given at the end.
Nutrition on course
The organiser's FAQ says aid stations are placed every 5 km and a refreshment pack is given at the finish. Personal supplies can be handed in at the start-area aid station by 08:15. Food and drink brands, exact aid positions on the final route and any special-diet provision are not published.
In November the risk is wind and cold more than heat, so drink to thirst and use fuel you have trained with.
Spectating
Watch the start at the Pala De André and then use the centre for the finish near the MAR. The course passes the station square at about 2 km, 10 km and 36 km, and runs through the centre at 12 to 16 km, so a supporter based near the station sees the field several times. Without the 2026 road list, pass times cannot be calculated exactly, and closures limit movement across the course.
Timing is by DETECH and MySDAM. No verified public live tracker was found.
- Take the shuttle or walk to the Pala De André for the 09:15 start
- Walk or take a bus into the centre
- Wait near the MAR for the finish
Post-race food
The organiser's finish pack is the only food promised, and there is no pasta party, so plan your first meal yourself. The historic centre has many places within walking distance of the MAR.
The local dishes are piadina, the flat bread of Romagna, cappelletti in broth and grilled fish from the Adriatic. Many restaurants close between lunch and dinner on a Sunday, so book a table before race day and ask whether the kitchen is open when you expect to finish.
Where to Stay
Stay near the station or the historic centre. The finish is near the MAR, the monuments are a short walk away, and a shuttle takes you to the start.
Station and historic centre
The best base for a runner without a car. The centre is flat and compact, and the finish and most sights are within walking distance. Allow time on race morning for the shuttle to the Pala De André.
East Ravenna near the Pala De André
A runner here walks to the start. The finish is in a different place, so the return is by shuttle or on foot.
Coastal resorts
The organiser's FAQ lists a 07:15 transfer from the Club del Sole. A hotel on the coast needs a confirmed transfer and a return slot. The organiser has convention pages for the Terme Beach Resort and the Residence Rivaverde, which are outside the simple Pala and centre walk.
Driving
The centre's ZTL and the race closures make a hire car awkward.
Book a flexible room in the centre once your entry is confirmed, and check the November closure and shuttle notices.
Recommended hotels
A central hotel. Confirm rates and the early breakfast.
A central hotel near San Vitale, on a street the course passes at about 13 km. Confirm November rates and the Sunday breakfast time.
Booking timeline
Complete your entry and your eligibility documents before travelling. The transfer and deferral deadline is 25 October, and the baby-parking form closes on 4 November. Reserve a flexible room in the centre.
Fly into Bologna, the nearest major airport, or another regional airport and take a train, then check the final leg. Reserve museum slots if you plan to visit the monuments. Check the city's closure notice and the shuttle details in race week. No rail strike information was found for 2026.
See & Do
Distances are straight-line from the finish near the MAR. Check November opening hours and Monday closures.
MAR, the city art museum
The museum beside the finish, with a mosaic collection. Bib holders may have discounted entry.
Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
A basilica with two long mosaic processions on its nave walls. Flat and quiet.
Dante's tomb
The poet died in Ravenna in exile. The tomb stands near the Basilica of San Francesco.
Basilica di San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
Two of the eight UNESCO monuments, side by side, with mosaics of Justinian and Theodora and a vault of gold stars.
After the Race
The race is on a Sunday in November, so recovery days start on the Monday. The mosaics are a flat walk in the centre, and Classe and Bologna are an easy trip.
A flat walk between the Early Christian monuments, a mosaic-covered baptistery, Dante's tomb and a crypt with fish in it.
A basilica in the fields where the Roman fleet harbour used to be, a pine forest and a flat stretch of Adriatic coast in the off season.
An arcaded university city that is flat in the middle and built around food.
One night in a moated Renaissance city of bicycles and brick, then two in Bologna, with short train rides between.