Athens Marathon - The Authentic

The first 200 meters are downhill and lead to the exit from the facility at the point of departure. The first 4 kilometers are slightly downhill. Runners run on Marathonos Avenue until the 4th km, when they enter Marathonomachon Street and the area of the Tomb for the next 2.2 km. The route follows an almost circular course around the Memorial of the Fallen (Tomb) in the Battle of Marathon.
From the 6th to the 10th km (Nea Makri) the route is flat. From the 11th to the 17th km the route has an uphill slope in parts. A steeply sloping downhill section follows until just before the intersection of Rafina. From the junction onwards the route becomes uphill with the most intense section until the 20th km. As runners pass through Pikermi, less and more uphill sections alternate until the 25th km, with the most notable being the prolonged uphill section of the 25th km. The section through Pallini, 27th-28th km, is also uphill. From the area of Gerakas the last and most difficult part of the route starts, the Stavros junction, 30th-31st km. This intense and prolonged uphill section is followed by a steep downhill section that reaches the square of Agia Paraskevi. Runners run on Messogeion Avenue passing through the areas of Chalandri and Cholargos, where they alternate between flat and downhill sections until the finish. The most characteristic downhill section is the one that starts from the Ministry of National Defence and ends at Katechaki junction, 37.5 km, where the runners pass under the bridge.
Immediately after Henry Dunant Hospital, runners continue left on Michalakopoulou Avenue, until the traffic light at the intersection of Michalakopoulou & Feidippidou Streets. Then they follow Feidippidou Street on the right until Kifissias junction & Alexandras Ave. The 39th km is just around the corner, as the runners go downhill heading left along Vas. Sofias Ave. Runners pass in front of the American Embassy, the Athens Concert Hall and Eleftherias Park, 40th km, where the last rest station for the runners is located.
At the level of the THE ILISIAN Hotel, runners head right towards Syntagma, continuing to follow Vas. Sophias Ave. and passing in front of Evangelismos Hospital and the War Museum.
In the last part of the Marathon, runners head left to Irodou Attikou Street, 41.2 km, passing by the Maximou Mansion, the Presidential Palace and the National Garden. At the level of the statue of Discobolus, runners head towards the Panathenaic Stadium. Only a few meters remain in the Stadium’s courtyard until they enter the Stadium and travel the last 170 meters on the rubber mat (tartan).
The entrance to the Panathenaic Stadium and the finish line are on the left side of the Stadium.