Thessaloniki Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Alexander the Great Marathon is a point-to-point race from Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, to Thessaloniki, held on a Sunday in April. The marathon starts at 7:30 in the main square of Pella, in front of the statue of Alexander the Great on horseback, about 43 metres above sea level and close to the archaeological site. After the first kilometre of downhill road the runners join the Thessaloniki–Edessa highway, which they follow for another 8 km to Chalkidona. The route then continues towards Thessaloniki along a mostly straight line with few turns. The finish is on the coastal road, Megalou Alexandrou Avenue, at the statue of Alexander the Great in Thessaloniki, where the 10K and the 5K also finish. The race was first held on 16 April 2006, and the 2027 race is the 21st edition. In 2026 the marathon had 1,441 finishers, and all distances together had 9,388. Basic entry for the marathon was 45 euros.