Top 7 Marathons Worldwide
This list of my top 7 Marathons worldwide is my personal list. I included only races that I personally took part in over the past 15 years. I can’t speak to every marathon in the world, but I have ran my fair share. Suffice it to say I would do any of these again if given the chance. Although some assessments may seem harsh, I had to use some criteria to separate them. My assessment of each will be made based on the following criteria:
- The Course Difficulty
- The Organisation
- The Race Atmosphere
- The Overall Experience
1. Barcelona Marathon
At the top the list of my top 7 marathons worldwide is Barcelona which certainly did not disappoint. I ran this in March of 2026 and you can read my full breakdown of it here, and for it to be at the top of this list, it delivered on all points. The course is amazing, the support was superb, the organisation was fantastic, and the weather in mid-March was perfect.
Now I understand the weather can change from year to year, but the middle of March is a good bet that it will be cool in the morning and warm up as the day goes on. Perfect for marathon running.
This was not my fastest marathon, but it very well could have been if I was in slightly better shape. I ran steady from start to finish mostly due to the fine course layout. There were hills, or should I say stretches of long pulls, but that also meant there were long runnable descents as well. I never felt like I was working too hard until the last 3 miles or so. The course had an incline along this part. I feel if I was slightly better prepared I would have handled this section much better.
The aid stations were generously spread along the course starting at 5k. These included water, mostly in cups, but two stations in small bottles. They also had aquarius, coke, fruit including bananas and oranges, nuts, and plenty of Finisher Gels along the course.
The volunteers were everywhere and very accommodating when I had questions, which included where the bag drop was, where my wave started and after the race how to get back to the bag drop. Everyone was super helpful and proud to be volunteering. As for support on the course, I have heard differing opinions. From my perspective there was noise at every point along the route, with the finish under the Arc de Triomf being spectacular.
Overall, I give the Barcelona Marathon a 18 out of 20 and highly recommend it for a spring target race.
Course: 5
Organisation: 4.25
Atmosphere: 3.75
Overall Experience: 5
Score: 18 out of 20
2. Manchester Marathon (UK)
The Manchester Marathon has to rate high on my list for a number of reasons. I suppose we all have great memories of our fastest run and for me it was in Manchester. This is my PB course and it is likely to be a PB course for many others as well. Let’s start with the Course. It’s billed as one of the flattest in the UK and for most of it it is. There are a couple of hills in it, but they aren’t particularly in bad spots. Also, a flat course doesn’t always mean a fast course for me. I like a little undulation and Manchester had a bit.
The organisation was top notch too. The organisers post out your bib ahead of time and that brings the stress factor down exponentially. Additionally, the staging area for the starting waves is well organised and gets the runners adrenaline pumping before being led to the starting waves. There are porta-loos everywhere at the start including the starting pens which also takes a lot of pressure off nervous runners.
One of the best things about this race though is the support on the street. it feels like a major. The course passes by Old Trafford a few times, although I admit I don’t tend to see anything when I’m running. I did see the stadium in my race photos afterwards though. Runners have no issues with aid stations or porta-loos on this course and because it is the North of England, spring temperatures tend to be cooler than some of the warmer climates. This may not feel as good when running, but the human body sure appreciates and performs better in cooler temps when racing a marathon.
For an overall score I give the Manchester Marathon 17.5 out of 20 and will probably do for a third time at some point.
Course: 4.5
Organisation: 4.25
Atmosphere: 4
Overall Experience: 4.75
Score: 17.5 out of 20
3. Valencia Marathon
My top 7 marathons worldwide ventures back to Spain on the Mediterranean Coast for my third highest rated marathon. The Valencia Marathon scores high on just about every criteria. The course is absolutely amazing, fast and flat. No turn around points and a spectacular start and finish area. At no point along the route is there a particular challenging hill to navigate. This may not suit everyone, but it certainly makes for the fast times that Valencia is well known for. To top off the great course you get a spectacular finish. Turning left into the Museo de las Ciencias you are greeted by screaming crowds where there is a slight downhill from about 500m out before levelling off to the finish.
The organisation is good overall. The expo is in a different part of the city than the race, but the facility is excellent and the bib collection is very easy and relatively fast considering the size of the field at about 30,000 participants. Coming to the start line there is plenty of porta-loos. Having some Spanish helps, naturally, but otherwise it is fairly easy to navigate. It is best to be prepared though and know exactly where you will meet people after you finish is important as it is jam packed with people and navigating the closed roads may be challenging. I did have some confusion with the bag drop before the race and finding the meeting points after the race.The volunteers weren’t able to point me to where the meeting points were, even when I could find a volunteer outside the finish area.
The race atmosphere is as good as any big city major. My first time running this one we were on the start line with Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” blasting just before the gun went off. The adrenaline was truly pumping at that point. The people of Valencia come out in force and cheer loudly. I don’t recall any particularly quiet spots anywhere on the course. As mentioned, the finish line is raucous with a spectacular setup making every runner feel like a professional and someone special.
The overall experience at the Valencia marathon is amazing and well worth adding to your marathon bucket list.
My advice is just prepare for the little things. Be prepared to travel to the expo. Be prepared for defining a clear meeting point afterwards. Be prepared to know a few Spanish phrases. Be prepared for a fast marathon.
Overall, I give the Valencia Marathon a 17 out of 20 and also highly recommend it for a spring target race.
Course: 5
Organisation: 3.5
Atmosphere: 4
Overall Experience: 4.5
Score: 17 out of 20
4. London Marathon
Coming in at number 4 on my top 7 marathons worldwide is the London Marathon. For me, it’s probably my favourite major, but my heart really wanted to give it to Boston here. However, the course is where London shines over Boston. There is more to see, if you are keeping your eyes open and your head up. This is one to try to get a place for at some point in your running life.
The course is fantastic. It’s relatively flat the whole way around, with some slight undulation, but nothing worth talking about. But it’s the history and scenery of such an old and historic city that makes this course so special. Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Big Ben and parliament are all part of this route. Should you keep your eyes open you will see them all. Finishing along the mall at Buckingham Palace is also quite spectacular. But this is a huge event with over 55,000 runners in 2025. This means the traffic in the waves can be quite congested. Finding space takes a while as well.
The organisation is well done for such a huge event. The expo is massive and very good with plenty of space at the Excel Centre. On race day I made a rookie mistake thinking that getting to the start line early would be enough. It took me so much longer to find my starting pen than I expected the first time I ran it that it stressed me out a little. The advice here is to get to Blackheath early and go straight to your starting wave. The London Marathon has now gone to a fastest qualifiers first system, just like Boston, meaning that it is harder to get in despite the huge increase in numbers.
The atmosphere is awesome. Of particular note is Tower Bridge and the finish line at the Mall. Both of these ares are quite extraordinary and can be emotional with all the support. This is truly a fantastic event when it comes to the supporters on the street.
Course: 4.5
Organisation: 3.25
Atmosphere: 4.25
Overall Experience: 4.25
Score: 16.25 out of 20
5. Boston Marathon
Number 5 on this list is the Boston Marathon. OK, it’s not the course that got me, although for some folks the course can work in their favour. For me, it’s just a special event. Having grown up in Boston, it never ceases to amaze me how the people of Boston own this race. It is the longest consecutively run marathon in the world and the history and tradition is rich.
Let’s start with the course. It’s a point-to-point route starting 26.2 miles outside of Boston and you run all the way to city centre. We all know about Heartbreak Hill, but it’s not just one hill, it’s three. They are affectionately known as piss, bitch and moan to Bostonians. They come in the latter stage of the race and despite what some hardcore people will try to convince you, they are rough. They just go on for way too long. However, the support here is absolutely amazing. Otherwise, the first 11 miles or so of the course is net downhill, but still undulating. These downhills punish the quads, so in marathon prep it’s so important to do extra strength work in this area.
The organisation is good, however, with so few places available, relatively speaking, and so much demand, getting into Boston is getting harder and harder with fastest qualifying times being selected first. This means that even if you run a Boston Qualifier, it doesn’t mean you are in. You still need to be selected. The cutoff can be severe. The expo is absolutely amazing and if you don’t come away feeling like a professional athlete, you did something wrong.
The atmosphere is where Boston shines. With over a million spectators along the 26.2 mile course there are no quiet spots. There are some areas, like the scream tunnel at Wellesley College that will get the hair on your neck standing straight up. The fans outside Fenway Park and the final stretch down Boyleston Street just cap off what is sure to be an incredible experience for any runner.
The overall experience ranks high with the course and the difficulty of gaining entry the only points letting the Boston Marathon down. Still, it’s a bucket list race…go for it.
Overall, I give the Boston Marathon a 15.5 out of 20 and highly recommend it for a spring target race.
Course: 3
Organisation: 3.5
Atmosphere: 5
Overall Experience: 4
Score: 15.5 out of 20
6. Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a fantastic experience and one that serious marathoners should really try to do at least once. There are a couple of things that keep it out of the top 5 of my top 7 marathons worldwide, but still, how can anyone complain about a course that regularly sees world records broken. I was lucky enough to run it the year Eluid Kipchoge broke the now beaten world record, and it was amazing to be able to say I was in that race.
The course is remarkably flat. Even on the flat bits it felt like it was slightly downhill. The roads are quite wide and even at the start, finding space was not a problem. The course wound through a fantastic city and finishing under the Brandenburg Gates was breathtaking. The autumn marathon also offers a good opportunity for favourable weather for marathon runners.
Organisation really let this one down though and this is probably the biggest surprise for a German event. The expo was pure mayhem. Not only was it jammed full, but there was a funnel of people trying to get through to the bib collection and it took ages with no set lines or any organisation at all. I wasn’t expecting this from Berlin. Also, making it into the starting pens was extremely stressful. Very long queues trying to get into the fenced off pens made it a very poor experience. Some runners ended up pulling one of the fence barriers down and allowed more of us to get in as the clocked ticked down.
The atmosphere was pretty good, but for a major, it didn’t stand out like Boston or London. The big exception is the finish line, which is exceptional. The post race atmosphere was better though, with so many runners sprawled out on the grounds of the Reichstag where we were all found complaining or celebrating what was a good race, (hopefully).
Overall, it didn’t help that I had a sore back going into this one and I ran the second half of it in pain. I think I quit running for good after this race (but that was only short lived, maybe only a week). I would love to go back to the Berlin Marathon and do it again, knowing what I know now. I think it may be a better experience than I’m giving it credit for.
Course: 4.75
Organisation: 2.75
Atmosphere: 3.25
Overall Experience: 4
Score: 14.75 out of 20
7. Dublin Marathon
The Dublin marathon is number 7 on my list of top 7 marathons worldwide. I have run the event 8 times in person and twice during the Covid virtual events. It’s just a fun race in a great city.
The course isn’t particularly great. It’s what I would call a fair course. It takes away but always gives it back. There are certainly some challenging sections with tight pulls uphill, but the downhills make up for them (mostly).
The organisation is fairly well done, although I think for 2026 things are changing and they are moving the expo from the RDS, so that remains to be seen how that works out. Over the past few years, however, it feels like the Dublin Marathon have made it harder and harder to enter and it feels like the entry system is unfair. Like many things these days in the running world, it feels like more of a money spinner than something in the true spirit of marathon running.
The race day morning is usually fairly well done, although I’ve had to wait for the starting area to open well past the scheduled time. Dublin on a cold October morning can be quite uncomfortable, so be prepared for the cold temps. Other than that, the bag drop is handy to the start and the finish which is always a bonus for runners.
The atmosphere on the course is amazing with what seems like the entire city out supporting and musicians scattered throughout the course. Places like Phoenix Park and the finish line leading to Merrion Square are tremendous areas for spectators.
Overall experience is right up there with some of the bigger events. For me though, it’s the organisation that let’s it down in recent years. It used to be more enjoyable. Still Dublin is a great place to celebrate completing a marathon.
Course: 3
Organisation: 2.5
Atmosphere: 5
Overall Experience: 4
Score: 14.5 out of 20
Honourable Mention
It would be unfair to leave this one off my list, but they no longer run this event. The Walled City marathon in Derry would have been on this list. It’s wasn’t a fast course, it didn’t have loads of support, the event was quite intimate with a cap of 1500 runners. However, there was one spot in particular that will remain my favourite part of any run anywhere. The short, very sharp hill up Fahan Street. The support from spectators is second to none. You are running the gauntlet with cheering mobs on either side of you running along side you, willing you up this hill. It’s at mile 25 and the last thing you need is a tight hill at mile 25, but once you reach the top, it is a long downhill finish into Guildhall Square. The rest of the race was nothing to shout about, but that one section puts this race in one of my all time favourites and I would love to run it again should they decide to put it on in the future.
What Are Your Favourite Marathons?
I’d love to hear your feedback on how I rank these and what you think I have missed. I’ve run a lot of marathons, but there are so many that I haven’t done yet. I would love to do Chicago, New York, Tokyo as well as the next wave of majors, but things haven’t taken me there yet. There’s always time.
Let me know in the comments what I missed or why you agree with me.