Sports tourism is an important part of the travel industry drawing thousands of travelers and fans to various competitions and championships. Marathons in Europe are particularly popular among many tourists.
In May, several races are planned. The marathon to start the May season was the Volkswagen Marathon in Prague on May 5th. After that there will be the Telenor Marathon in Copenhagen on May 13th. The Danish capital will pass the baton to Helsinki.
Other than the races mentioned, Geneva will also hold a half marathon, along with Bucharest. Swedish Goteborg and Norwegian Oslo join the large quantity of Scandinavian marathons organized in May.
June will begin with the Asics Stockholm Marathon on the 2nd day of the month. On the same weekend, Belgium will host the Great Breweries marathon, while Norwegian Tromso will organize the famous Midnight Sun Marathon on June 16th.
The Midnight Sun Marathon is the most popular Scandinavian marathon. It is located in Tromso, a city that is known for having the best view of the northern lights. This year the 29th edition will take place in the Norwegian city.
The specificity of the marathon is that the race begins at night. Moreover, the route is surrounded by an impressive natural landscape full of mountains decorated with snow and crystal-clear lakes. Runners will pass through the Arctic Cathedral, which is the hallmark of the city and is distinguished by its pointed roof.
September will make the sport enthusiasts happy with the Wizz Air half marathon in Budapest, as well as a half marathon in Copenhagen and The Great North Run in Newcastle on September 9th. Moreover, at the end of the month the Warszawski marathon will be held in Warsaw, Poland. However, the real highlight of the month will take place in Berlin on September 16th.
The BMW Berlin Marathon has been held since 1974. It is considered the best in the world and has registered a record for six consecutive years from 2011 to 2016. The marathon is attended by people from all over the world. There are runners, skaters, cyclists and even the day before there is a race in which children and people in wheelchairs participate.
The starting point of the race is the historical Brandenburg Gate. Some of the places runners will pass through are Charlottenburg, Tiergarten, Friedrichshain, Schoneberg. All places where German architecture stands out. Last year an astonishing 46,950 people participated in the race.
The season of marathons in Europe will end in October with many interesting venues and races. Budapest will organize the SPAR Marathon on the 7th day of the month. On the same day, neighboring Slovaks will hold the International marathon of Peace in Kosice. A week later, Portugal will welcome world marathoners in Lisbon, while Romania will do the same in Bucharest. The marathon month will end with the Swiss City Marathon in Lucerne on October 28th. Some half marathons of the month include the Crete half marathon, Great Bruges half marathon or the Classique Internationale Marseille-Cassis.
Despite taking place on November 11th, the Athens Marathon is described as the “authentic marathon” since Athens is the original mother of all marathons.
It is one of the most demanding marathons. The peculiarity of the race is that the route is the same as that travelled for the Olympic Games of 1896 from the city of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium.
This is unique because, despite the ups and downs of the road, you can appreciate the beauty of one of the oldest cities in the world. Likewise, you can see some of its highlights such as the Pantheon or the Temple of Athena.
All in all, it is going to be a busy but spectacular season for marathon enthusiasts. Many will have the opportunity to travel to incredible places and run through picturesque locations full of interesting attractions.