The Venice Marathon is one of the most beautiful marathons in the world. Held in Europe's most gorgeous city, this run is a perfect way to experience Venice from a different angle. The Venice Marathon will bring out the best in everyone, whether a professional athlete or a passionate supporter. 

Although a stunning city, Venice has its limitations and is not an easy place to organize a marathon. For instance, in 2018, runners had to run through the water due to a high tide. So, the organizers had to exclude St. Mark's Square from the route. Yet, the route's beautiful scenery and historic landmarks are worth the challenge.

The Venice Marathon has been an annual event since 1986, with only 713 participants in the first year. This is one of the famous annual events of Venice. It is now an international event, globally recognized and certified. Each year this highly-anticipated marathon takes place on the fourth Sunday of October. 

The Venice Marathon 2022 will occur on October 23. This year, the event has four categories: a marathon (42K), a half-marathon (21K), a 10K race, and the Family Run. 

Getting to & from the Venice Marathon 2022

Start by picking up the bibs at the Exposport Venice marathon Village. It is a major expo center that you will find inside San Giuliano Park, located in Venezia Mestre. 

Venice Marathon organizers provide free shuttles to the start line in Stra. The shuttles leave from Venezia Tronchetto and Venezia Mestre railway station. After the race, you can return to the city by motorboats and buses provided by organizers. 

42K or The Venice Marathon

All details and registration info can be found HERE. 

The route of the Venice Marathon is truly exceptional. It features Venice’s most famous landmarks and 14 little bridges over the city’s canals. The start line is at Villa Pisani, the Queen of the Venetian villas. Located in the village of Stra, The Villa is known for its rich history, gorgeous architecture, and the park named the best in Italy. 

The first part of the run goes along the Riviera del Brenta, with its splendid villas built for Venetian nobles from the 15th to 18th century. Then the course takes the runners through Marghera and Mestre and inside San Giuliano Park. After that, the runners reach Venice through the 4 km Ponte della Liberta or the Freedom Bridge. 

Then the run continues alongside Canale della Giudecca and onto Punta della Dogana. There is a 170-meter-long pontoon bridge explicitly built for the Marathon. It lets the runners cross the Grand Canal. If the tide allows it, the runners go through St. Mark’s Square, near the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace. The finish line is in Riva dei Sette Martiri. 

21K or 1st Venice Half Marathon

All details and registration info can be found HERE. 

The Venice Half Marathon is a new and exciting event for only 2000 participants. This event is so popular that for 2022 there are no more entries available. It is perfect for those who train hard but are not ready to tackle the 42-km run. Yet, it lets the participants experience a genuine Venice Marathon vibe. 

The 21K route starts from Piazza Ferretto and continues to Piazzetta Coin and via Poerio. That’s when the runners will pass through the new M9 museum complex and reach Piazza Barche. After that, the route goes the same way as the Venicemarathon.

10K 

All details and registration info can be found HERE. 

Venicemarathon 10K run is a non-competitive race with a 10 km distance. It is open to all sports enthusiasts, including children ten years and older. Nordic walkers and fit walkers are also welcome to the race. The critical thing to remember is that kids need authorization from their parents. 

The route of VM10K starts at the Exposport Venicemarathon Village and ends in Riva Sette Martiri. Athletes enter Venice through Ponte della Libertà and reach the historic center of Venice. Then, the route goes the same way as the Venice Marathon.

Family Run 

Family Run is for Italian residents, and the information can be found HERE.

The Family Run is a series of small-scale and non-competitive races. They take place weeks before the marathon. Traditionally, it’s a 4 km route in different locations of the Venice province. The Family Run brings families, schools, and the community together. The goal is to have fun and enjoy the fellowship.

Where should I stay during The Venice Marathon 2022? 

Finding a place to stay in Venice during such big-scale events might be a bit of a challenge. But, it doesn’t have to be if you think of it in advance. Venice is a welcoming city and offers many opportunities for a comfortable stay.

For the convenience of the Venice Marathon participants, there is the Running District. It is an area with four hotels where one can find accommodation to their taste and budget. The Running District is close to the Mestre railway station, where all the action takes place. And don’t worry about being too far from all the Venice highlights! You can easily reach the city by train or bus. 

Train hard, pick up your technical garment by UYN, and enjoy the race!