🇹🇷Istanbul, Turkey
Vodafone İstanbul Marathon
Nov 1, 2026
Distance
42.2 km
Elevation gain
335 m
Terrain
Road
Entry type
Open entry
PB potential
Technical or hilly — come for the experience, not the time
Beginner friendly
Suitable for beginners with solid training
About this race
Istanbul's marathon offers something no other race on earth can: you start in Asia and finish in Europe, crossing the Bosphorus Strait over the suspension bridge as the sun rises over the Bosphorus. That bridge crossing alone — 1,560 metres of suspension bridge with the Asian shore behind you and the European city ahead — is worth the entry fee. The rest of the course runs through European Istanbul past landmarks including the Sultanahmet (Blue Mosque), Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, and the ancient Byzantine land walls, before finishing at Sultanahmet Square. The 335m of elevation across Istanbul's hilly European shore is challenging. November temperatures are cool at 12–18°C. The cultural immersion — mosques, minarets, call to prayer as background music — creates an atmosphere unlike any other marathon.
Typical race-day weather
Temperature
11–18°C
Humidity
65–75%
Conditions
Cool and often breezy — autumn Mediterranean
Wind
15–25 km/h, strong gusts on the bridge
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