Looking for a more relaxed European race in a beautiful city for your next running vacation?

Look no further than the marathon and 10K in Florence, Italy! I’ve run both races (the marathon in 2023 and the 10K in 2025) and had very positive experiences for both. Read on for more to see if it would be a good fit for you!

OVERVIEW OF RACE DETAILS:

DATE: usually the last Sunday in November, over Thanksgiving weekend
WEATHER: both years I ran were near perfect race conditions – cold with clear, sunny skies. The starting temp was in the 30’s (Fahrenheit) both years I ran
ELEVATION: It’s hard to find the exact elevation gain, but this is a flat course overall with slight hills over the bridges and only one memorable hill (around mile 21.5).
TIME LIMIT: 6 hours
SIZE: This is a medium sized race. The marathon had just over 10,000 runners in 2025 and sold out in October. The 10K is limited to 3,000 participants.

GENERAL TRAVEL LOGISTICS:

Flight prices from the US are usually lower at this time of year because it’s shoulder season. I highly recommend also checking flights into Rome and Bologna, as they are an easy train ride to Florence. I flew into Bologna both times (~40 minute train ride to Florence) and my flight was less than $500 round trip from Chicago in both 2023 and 2025.
There are a lot of lodging options. The race starts in the city center and Florence is a relatively small city, so it’s easy to find a place to stay. I’ve stayed within a 10-15 minute walk from the train station both times, which was convenient for the race, to walk around the city easily, and so I don’t need to lug around my bags for too long. I would say the one area to be cautious of booking, especially if you’re a solo female, is the area west of the train station.
There is no need to rent a car or really even use an Uber or taxi – it’s a very walkable city.

RACE LOGISTICS:

EXPO/PACKET PICK-UP: The expo location changed from when I ran in 2023 to when I ran in 2025, and it wasn’t a positive change. The expo was really well organized in 2023 and the line moved quickly to pick up your bib. There was a small number of vendors to move through easily and a fun announcer outside, where you could get your picture taken with a prop on the stage. In 2025 it was an insanely long line outside and then again inside. The space was not set up well at all. While I realize there were more participants in 2025, this was a huge breakdown in organization and I hope it rectified for coming years.
START LINE: I recommend arriving early to get a spot toward the front, if that’s what you desire. I didn’t care about this, as I was running for vibes both times, but it does fill up. It’s a bit crowded at first when you start running, but I found that it opened up quickly to find your groove.
AID STATIONS: For the marathon, they’re every 5km. They have water, tea, and sponges available. Electrolytes (labeled “salts”) were also available. Starting at 15km, there was also food available (fruit, cake things, and granola bars). There was only 1 aid station for the 10km.
FINISH LINE: You finish at the Duomo, which is beautiful and one of the best backdrops for a finish line of all the races I’ve run. Afterwards I got water, a sports drink, a piece of fruit, and a granola bar.
OTHER NOTABLES:
- All of the signs are in KM’s (nothing in miles), which is a change if you’re coming from the States
- There weren’t a ton of portapotties available on the course, so expect to wait in line when you see one. If you’re someone who often uses the bathroom on course, I recommend bringing some tissues and hand sanitizer. TP was in short supply, even early on in the race, and there wasn’t any hand sanitizer. Also worth noting that there isn’t any Vaseline on the course to help with chafing, like there is at most races in the States.

COURSE REFLECTIONS:

MARATHON: I liked the variety of this course. We ran through a park, over several bridges, along the Arno, and through the central area of the city. We also ran on a track for part of the course. There are some cobblestones when you’re in the city centre but not too many. It’s a flat course overall, with the only memorable hill around mile 21.5 (between 34-35KM). The one critique I have of the course is the last 5km – there were a lot of people walking on the course. I will note that my finishing time was around 5:00 for this race, so this probably isn’t an issue for the majority of people, but worth noting.
10K: You’re mostly in the city centre, with some parts along the Arno. The percentage of the race that is cobblestones is greater than the marathon since most of it is in the heart of the city. It is very flat.

*The start and finish lines for both races are within a few blocks of each other, which makes logistics easy.

RACE GOODIES:

MEDAL: I love the medals from this race. I think they are so pretty and some of the favorites in my collection.
SHIRT: I got a short sleeve tech shirt in 2023 for the marathon, but I noticed it was a long sleeved shirt in 2025. The 10K shirt was short sleeved in 2025. My 10K shirt was unisex, so it ran a bit large, so I would size down if you want a more fitted look (as a female).

FINAL RACE THOUGHTS:

This is a great race option if you want a fast course in a beautiful city that usually has good racing weather. There were also a ton of volunteers who were all very friendly and upbeat (even though I didn’t always know what they were saying haha)
I don’t think it’s a great race if you’re a back-of-the-pack runner, however, given the 6 hour cutoff time. Even as someone who ran around 5:00 for the race, there were a lot less spectators and more course congestion in the final 5km (as noted above). The aid stations were also pretty slim later in the race for me.
If you have people cheering for you, it’s easy to see runners in multiple places on the course given how it loops in a few spots.
The cost of this race is significantly lower than marathons in the States. It sold out in 2025, but not until early fall. I don’t believe the 10K sold out (and if it did, it was close to race day).

FLORENCE FOOD AND DRINK HIGHLIGHTS:

You are in Italy, so there’s really no better place to carb load! Here are some of my favorite spots from my visits.

Pasta Fresca – this is some of the best pasta I had in Florence and it’s only 6 euro. You can find it on the first floor of the market. Expect a line, but it moves relatively quickly. I went both times I visited.
Gustapizza – this is a smaller space, but they also have a bar space across the street that serves the same menu. The pizza is really good and prices reasonable. I went to another pizza spot and this one was better.
Gelateria Della Passera - best gelato I had in Florence
Il Santino - a smaller, more intimate spot with great wine and crostini
Ditta Artigianale - best coffee I had in Florence; there are a few locations, I believe, but I only went to the one in the market
Panetteria e Stuzzicheria De Neri - THIS is the sandwich place to go…I don’t care what anyone else says. Great price point and HUGE - one sandwich can definitely be split between two people.

*There are SO many places to get pasta and I’ll be honest - they all start to blend together after awhile (at least for me). I didn’t have any bad meals while in Florence, so it’s hard to go wrong with pasta in Italy. When in doubt, go to a spot that looks to have a lot of locals. I didn’t make any reservations while I was there, but I was also solo. If you’re going to a popular spot, check to see if they take reservations.

*Sandwich from Panetteria e Stuzzicheria*

EXPLORING FLORENCE:

There is no shortage of things to do in Florence, and I would highly recommend spending at least 2-3 additional days here if it’s your first time. What you prioritize depends on your interests, but because it’s a relatively small city, you can see a lot in a few days. Keep in mind, though, if you’re running the marathon as a goal race, you want to limit time on your feet in the 1-2 days beforehand, so save tons of walking for post-race (good for active recovery)!

Boboli Gardens - I did a little run through here, as it wasn’t busy in late November. I didn’t buy advance tickets and it wasn’t an issue.
The Duomo - One of the largest churches in the world, it’s hard to miss when walking around Florence. You pass it several times during both races, and it’s one of the coolest sights I’ve seen in a race. It’s free to go inside, but there is usually a line.
Piazzale Michelangelo - You’ll get the best views of the city here! I went at sunset, as well as in the morning on a clear day on my second trip, and both were lovely. It is a steep hike up, so I wouldn’t recommend the day before the race.
Ponte Vecchio - This is Florence’s oldest bridge and has great views of the Arno River. You run over it during the marathon, but it’s worth walking over it again!
Museums - The two most popular museums are the Galleria Dell’Accademia (where the statue of David is located) and the Uffizi. I highly recommend buying tickets in advance to save yourself time + waiting in long lines. Also note that they are closed on Mondays.
Food experiences - There are plenty of food tours and different cooking classes you can take. I took a pasta making class, which I really enjoyed. And while I didn’t do any food tours in Florence, I did one in Bologna, and I loved it!
Leather - You can’t come to Florence and not pop into some leather shops. There are A LOT and you can find whatever you’re looking for. I recommend having a good idea of what you’re looking for and then visiting a number of shops before deciding. Quality varies a lot from place to place.
Day trip to Tuscany - I did a guided tour to Tuscany during my first visit to Florence, and I think it’s the best way to see multiple Tuscan cities without needing to plan anything yourself. It includes the bus ride, lunch at a winery, and 3 cities in Tuscany.

*If you are doing any shopping in Italy and you spend over 70 euro in a spot, make sure you get the form for a VAT refund (that you redeem at the airport before leaving the country).

Let me know if you add the Firenze Marathon or 10K to your racing list!

Running the World: Firenze Marathon + 10K