Bologna Marathon

Location: Bologna, Emilia-Romagna
Country: Italy
Website: https://www.bolognamarathon.run
2025 Marathon Date: 02/03/2025
2026 Marathon Date: 01/03/2026
Winning Time 2025: 2:21:56
% Sub-3s: 5–10%
# Sub-3s: 100–499
Total Runners: 1k–3k

The Bologna Marathon is a spring road race held in the historic northern Italian city of Bologna, known for its arcaded streets, Renaissance architecture and thriving university culture. The event has grown steadily since its revival and now draws a solid contingent of competitive club athletes from across Italy and beyond.

The course takes runners through the city’s historic centre and out into the surrounding suburbs and parkland, with a largely flat profile interspersed with gentle gradients. Bologna’s road surfaces are mostly smooth, with wide boulevards allowing runners to settle into pace early. The course is measured and certified, and has become popular with Italian athletes seeking a fast early-season effort.

Weather in early March is typically cool and stable, with start-line temperatures between 6–10°C. Rain is possible but infrequent, and conditions are often ideal for distance running, particularly in the morning hours before the city warms up.

While Bologna is not a large-scale international marathon, its organisation has been widely praised. Logistics are straightforward, the atmosphere is welcoming and club-oriented, and the field is small enough to allow smooth pacing throughout. Local volunteers and supporters line the streets in key locations, especially in the final stretch through the historic centre.

For sub-3 marathoners, the Bologna Marathon offers a quietly effective setting: a flat, measured course with ideal weather and minimal congestion. Its timing in early spring makes it a strategic tune-up race or a serious target for runners aiming to capitalise on winter mileage. The race attracts a healthy number of serious amateur athletes, ensuring competitive pacing without overcrowding.

Combining a central European location, reliable organisation and fast terrain, the Bologna Marathon is a smart choice for runners seeking a personal best or a strong early-year performance. It may not have the scale of Rome or Milan, but it delivers where it counts.