Good luck to anyone running the London Marathon this weekend. Did you know there are 6 Major Marathons that runners aspire to complete. The six are Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Its about to be upgraded to 9 Marathons however with the possible addition of Sydney, Shanghai and Cape Town. Read more about amazing Marathon cities worth travelling to.
These Marathons are located in cities that are great tourist destinations – so even if you’re not a runner, then visit then anyway!
Boston is the oldest Marathon with the first race taking place in 1897. Visit here to walk the Freedom Trail, eat from so many different food venues in Faneuil Hall, or take a ride on one of the Swan Boats.
Tokyo had its first Marathon in 2007. It also has an Art Project that takes place as part of Marathon events. Away from the race, Tokyo is both an extremely modern city with lots of innovation but also lots of tradition.
Berlin had over 50,000 finishers in 2025. As a city, it is really interesting to visit and try to spot where the two halves of the city were before reunification. It’s famous for its nightlife with techno clubs, as well as beer gardens.
Chicago’s course starts and finishes in Grant Park, by the lake and takes runners through the city. Runners pass the Cloud Gate sculpture, also known as The Bean – great for photos as its a reflective surface. Music is a big thing in the city with blues and jazz clubs, as well as theatre. Don’t leave before having a deep dish pizza!
New York – the iconic American city that never sleeps. In 2025, nearly 60,000 finishers made it the world’s largest marathon. The course takes runners through the 5 boroughs of the city, starting in Staten Island. Instead of getting the ferry, runners take the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge across to Brooklyn, then Queens then over to Manhattan finishing in Central Park. Why visit NYC – its the first place most people think of when considering a holiday to the USA. Everything from the Empire State Building to Fifth Avenue shops is here.
Finally, of course, London. Taking runners from Greenwich to the Mall, across Tower Bridge and past so many iconic sights. London is a city that has something to discover every time I visit!
I’m lucky enough to have visited 5 of the 6 cities, still got Tokyo on my list – obviously to walk around, not to run LOL
Which cities out of the 6 or 9 have you visited? Which is on your list to visit next?
Read more about the cities that host Marathons here