Valencia Marathon: how and where to watch without running

The 2026 Valencia Marathon is run on Sunday, December 6, with the start at 8:15 a.m. from Plaza del Maratón, next to the Puente de Montolivet, and the finish on the footbridge over the lake of the Hemisfèric, inside the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. If you're not running, here's what you need to see it well: where to stand, which streets are closed, which metro and bus lines are still running, and what time to be at each spot. You can also check the Maratón de Valencia entry in the calendar.

When it runs and what time it leaves

The race is on the first Sunday of December, this year on the 6th. There's no single starting gun: runners go off in nine waves between 8:15 and 9:35 a.m., so the first streets aren't overwhelmed by more than 30,000 runners at once. Elite runners start in the first wave at 8:15 a.m.

The official course closes around 3:10 PM, when the race setup comes down for the slowest runners. If you want to see the race from start to finish, plan on spending the whole morning and a good part of the early afternoon.

When the leaders pass and when the main group goes by

The course record is 2h01m48s (Sisay Lemma, 2023), so the leading men usually cross the Hemisfèric footbridge shortly after 10:15 a.m., with the leading women between 10:30 and 10:45 a.m. Times are approximate and depend on the field and conditions each year.

The main pack of runners (the race brings together more than 30,000 participants) passes during the three or four hours after the start. If you're looking for more street atmosphere than elite competition, the stretch between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. is when most people are cheering along the route.

The route, in broad strokes

It's a practically flat, loop-shaped course that starts in the area around Avenida de los Naranjos, crosses the historic center in the second half of the course, around kilometer 27 —passing near Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the Cathedral, and the Lonja de la Seda—, continues along the Palau de la Música and the Alameda, goes down Avenida del Puerto to the sea, and runs along the seafront at Malvarrosa and the Cabanyal in the first half of the race, between roughly kilometers 15 and 21. In the final stretch it heads back toward the center and enters the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias from the Oceanogràfic side, finishing at the Hemisfèric footbridge.

The exact route —which specific street, at which kilometer— can vary from one edition to another. It is advisable to check the official map of the Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich in the weeks prior if you want to calculate precisely at which point you will be.

Best spots to watch the race

Since the circuit has some out-and-back sections, you can often catch the runners going past more than once from the same spot. The ones that work best are:

• La Alameda, on its first pass: this is where the route is most crowded and most lively.
• The area around the Jardines de Viveros and the Turia riverbed, where the race passes several times.
• Avenida del Puerto, as the runners head down towards the sea.
• The Malvarrosa seafront promenade, with the Mediterranean behind it and less crowded than the centre.
• The finish line itself, inside the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias: it's where most spectators gather mid-morning.

The marathon sets up more than a hundred entertainment spots along the route, so in practice there's a lively atmosphere in almost any stretch, not just the ones mentioned.

Traffic restrictions: which streets and when

The closures start earlier than you might think. In recent editions, the Montolivet bridge (next to the start) was already closed to traffic on Friday night at 10:00 PM. The rest of the closures, on the streets of the course, begin approximately one hour before the runners pass through each zone and reopen in stages as the last participant passes.

If you're driving that weekend, note that a large part of the city centre and the route to the port and la Malvarrosa will be closed from early Sunday morning until well into the afternoon. The city council publishes the street-by-street arrangements a few days before; check them if you need to drive, and either way review our guide to getting around Valencia and where to park beforehand.

Metro and bus: what's still running

In the 2025 edition, Metrovalencia kept running but restricted service on lines 4, 6, 8 and 10, especially on the sections and schedules closest to the route; line 4, which crosses the centre, was the most affected. That day EMT suspended a good twenty bus lines and reinforced others (35, 99 and C3) to bring people closer to the start and to the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.

It is reasonable to expect a similar operation in 2026, but the details change every year. The week before the race, both Metrovalencia and the EMT publish the exact list of affected lines and the alternatives; it is worth checking it on the Saturday before planning how to get there.

Getting to the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

It's the part that's most worth seeing in person, even if you don't follow the race anywhere else. The finish line is on a pedestrian walkway that crosses the north lake, between the Hemisfèric and the Museu de les Ciències, with the Oceanogràfic next to it. On the preceding Friday and Saturday, the organizers usually open that walkway to the public from 11:00 to 18:00 to take photos at the finish-line area with no runners yet, which is well worth it if you're going with children or can't make it on Sunday.

On Sunday, the area fills up from mid-morning. If you want a spot near the finish line, get there before 10:00 a.m. After that, spectators and the first runners start arriving.

What else is on that weekend?

December 6 is Constitution Day, a national holiday, and December 8 is the Immaculate Conception, also a holiday. In 2026 they fall on Sunday and Tuesday, so it's common for many people to take a bridge day on Monday the 7th, adding visitors to the city that weekend in addition to the marathon itself. Around those dates, the Christmas market in the city centre is usually already set up and the Christmas atmosphere begins to be felt in the streets, although the exact dates of the markets, ice rink and the Christmas lights switch-on for 2026 had not been confirmed at the time of writing: it's worth checking the holiday calendar and the events calendar closer to December.

If you're planning to do more than watch the race, our guide to what to do in Valencia in a weekend has plans for the rest of Saturday and Sunday, before or after the finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Maratón de Valencia 2026?

On Sunday, December 6, 2026, starting at 8:15 from Plaza del Maratón and finishing at the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.

When do the first runners cross the finish line?

Male leaders usually come in just after 10:15 a.m., and female leaders between 10:30 and 10:45 a.m., though this varies from one edition to the next. Most of the other runners arrive during the following three or four hours.

Where's the best place to watch the marathon if you're not running?

La Alameda en su primer paso y la propia meta en la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias son los puntos con más ambiente. El paseo marítimo de la Malvarrosa, con el mar de fondo, es otra opción con menos aglomeración.

Is the metro running on marathon day?

Yes, but the lines that cross the route have restrictions. In the last edition, lines 4, 6, 8 and 10 were affected, especially line 4. Check the Metrovalencia notice in the days before the race.

Can I go there by car that Sunday?

If you're going anywhere near the route, avoid it. The roads shut several hours before the runners pass through each area, and the city center is virtually closed to traffic for much of the morning and early afternoon.

Can you visit the finish line before race day?

Yes, in recent years the organization has opened the finish line walkway to the public on the Friday and Saturday before the race, from 11:00 to 18:00, so you can take photos on the stage without runners.