# The 19 Greatest Marathons in the World

> Record-chasing flat courses face off against cliffside scenery, ancient history and brutal climbs, with a few hidden gems among the famous majors. Which finish line is on your list?

*By YPB Team · Published September 23, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-19-greatest-marathons-in-the-world*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Boston Marathon** — score 1000/1000
   The world's oldest annual marathon, run since 1897, with qualifying times that make entry a badge of honor.
2. **New York City Marathon** — score 763/1000
   The world's largest marathon, crossing all five boroughs and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
3. **Twin Cities Marathon** — score 624/1000
   The 'most beautiful urban marathon in America', winding past lakes from Minneapolis to St. Paul.
4. **Amsterdam Marathon** — score 624/1000
   A flat course along the Amstel river that starts and ends in the 1928 Olympic Stadium.
5. **Honolulu Marathon** — score 624/1000
   One of the largest US marathons, starting in the dark and passing Diamond Head, with no time limit.
6. **Sydney Marathon** — score 485/1000
   The newest World Marathon Major, crossing the Harbour Bridge and finishing by the Opera House.
7. **Rome Marathon** — score 485/1000
   A route past the Colosseum, St. Peter's Square and the Trevi Fountain over ancient cobblestones.
8. **Paris Marathon** — score 485/1000
   A spring race along the Seine past the Champs-Élysées, Louvre and Eiffel Tower.
9. **Barcelona Marathon** — score 397/1000
   A fast, sunny spring course through Barcelona passing the Sagrada Família and Camp Nou.
10. **London Marathon** — score 397/1000
   A World Marathon Major finishing on The Mall, famed for its costumed charity runners.
11. **Chicago Marathon** — score 397/1000
   A flat World Marathon Major looping through 29 Chicago neighborhoods, known for record-breaking times.
12. **Athens Authentic Marathon** — score 397/1000
   A race over the original route from Marathon to Athens, finishing in the marble Panathenaic Stadium.
13. **Tokyo Marathon** — score 397/1000
   Asia's first World Marathon Major, passing landmarks like the Imperial Palace and Asakusa.
14. **Big Sur International Marathon** — score 397/1000
   A hilly, spectacular run along California's Highway 1 cliffs, with a pianist at Bixby Bridge.
15. **Great Wall Marathon** — score 291/1000
   A grueling race including thousands of steps along a restored stretch of China's Great Wall.
16. **Rotterdam Marathon** — score 291/1000
   A fast Dutch race famous for the thundering start across the Erasmus Bridge.
17. **Marine Corps Marathon** — score 0/1000
   The 'People's Marathon' through Washington, D.C., run past the national monuments with no prize money.
18. **Valencia Marathon** — score 0/1000
   A lightning-fast Spanish course that has become a favorite for elite record attempts.
19. **Berlin Marathon** — score 0/1000
   The flat, fast course where multiple men's world records have been set, finishing through the Brandenburg Gate.

Tags: travel, sports, running, marathon