Course guide · October
Map, elevation profile and full guide to the Lisbon Marathon course: where it goes, where the start and finish are, and what makes its riverside route along the Tagus so special.
Course · 42.195 km
The Lisbon Marathon route is one of the most scenic in Europe. It starts on the Carcavelos coast, west of the city, and drops down beside the water all the way in — first the Atlantic, then the Tagus estuary — to the monumental heart of the Portuguese capital.
Whether you're running it for the first time or want to relive the course you already conquered, this guide walks you through where it goes, what its profile is like and what you'll find in each section.
The Lisbon Marathon is, above all, a riverside route. After the opening kilometres along the Oeiras coast, the course joins the Tagus waterfront and never leaves it. It's largely flat, with the Atlantic wind as the only real difficulty, which makes it a solid choice for a fast autumn time.
One of the most iconic stretches runs through Belém, past the Belém Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery. This is the Lisbon of the Age of Discovery, with the Monument to the Discoveries jutting out into the river. Running here, water on one side and Manueline stone on the other, is an image every finisher remembers.
The route passes beneath the 25 de Abril Bridge, the great red suspension bridge linking Lisbon with Almada that so resembles the Golden Gate. It's a striking visual landmark and one of the crowd's favourite spots to cheer runners on through the second half of the race.
The end of the Lisbon Marathon is one of the most beautiful on the calendar: Praça do Comércio, the grand square opening onto the Tagus, with its triumphal arch and the equestrian statue of King José I. Crossing that line, the river reflecting the soft Portuguese autumn light, makes Lisbon an unforgettable race.
Free · downloadable PDF
The full course as a PDF plus the tips that actually matter: what to do the days before, how to plan race morning (breakfast, gels, timings) and how to recover afterwards. We'll email it to you.
It starts on the Carcavelos coast, west of the city, and runs beside the water the whole way: the Oeiras seafront, Avenida de Brasília, Belém (with the Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery), under the 25 de Abril Bridge, and finishes at Praça do Comércio facing the Tagus.
The profile is largely flat. There are no significant climbs and much of the course runs at river level, making it a fast route. The only real difficulty can be the wind coming off the Atlantic up the Tagus estuary.
The start is in the Carcavelos / Oeiras area on the coast west of Lisbon. The finish is at Praça do Comércio, the grand monumental square opening onto the Tagus in the centre of the capital.
The Lisbon Marathon takes place in October. It's organised by the Maratona Clube de Portugal and is part of the new European Marathon Classics circuit alongside Madrid, London, Rome and Copenhagen.
Yes. At Ubyssal the Lisbon Marathon course is already preloaded. Just enter your name and time, choose a colour and format, and you get a personalised poster with the exact route you ran. Available as a downloadable PDF from €14.99.
Your route on the wall
The route is already preloaded. Add your name and your time and create your personalised Lisbon Marathon poster. From €14.99.
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