Baku Marathon 2026

Knock, knock! 🤓 A marathon in one of the most photogenic cities on the planet, are you interested? 🌍 The Baku Marathon 2026 will take place at the beginning of May 📅, under the slogan "Win the Wind" 💨 (literally, win the wind) and yes, the wind in Baku is no metaphor: the city is officially called the "City of Winds", constantly swept by gusts blowing from the Caspian Sea 🌊. Plus, this time of year is perfect temperature-wise 🌡️. Neither too hot (thank you, sea breeze! 🌬️), nor too cold, in short, the perfect cocktail for a successful weekend! 💪

The marathon course is a complete cultural program in itself 🗺️. The start is at the National Flag Square 🇦🇿, where flies one of the largest national flags in the world: planted on a 162-meter mast, this azure, red, and green tricolor flag adorned with a crescent and star is visible from miles away ⭐. From there, runners set off on the Baku Boulevard, this legendary 25-kilometer pedestrian promenade along the Caspian Sea, built in the Tsarist era and expanded over the decades. It's where Baku residents come to stroll, drink tea, and watch the boats since the 19th century 🍵. The route then crosses the Baku International Maritime Port ⚓️, one of the most important in the Caspian Sea, an essential player in the modern Silk Road linking Central Asia to Europe 🚢. Heading up Neftchilar Avenue ("the oil barons' avenue"), a historical artery built by early 20th-century oil tycoons, and then along the White City Boulevard, this new ultra-modern district that arose in a decade on former industrial sites 🏗️. The route then heads along Heydar Aliyev Avenue, passes by the Olympic Stadium (stadium of 68,000 seats that hosted the first European Games in history in 2015 🏅), then crosses the bridge over Boyukshor, skirts the peri-urban roads to the finish line at Sea Breeze, a seaside resort north of the city facing the sea 🌅. In short, 42 kilometers of breathtaking architecture, history, and skyline. The legs might hurt, but the eyes will delight 😍.

Baku, capital of Azerbaijan 🇦🇿, is a city that bewilders at first glance and captivates at second 👀. Its historical heart Icheri Sheher, a UNESCO world heritage site since 2000 🏛️, layers history: from the 12th-century ramparts, the Maiden Tower dating back to the 6th-7th centuries BC, and the 15th-century Palace of the Shirvanshahs. All nestled in cobblestone alleys where you could lose yourself for hours 🕰️. Then came the oil boom of the late 19th century: Baku provided then half of the world's oil 🛢️, accompanied by colossal fortunes that redesigned the city into the "Paris of the Caucasus" 🥐, with Haussmannian boulevards and Art Nouveau facades. Garry Kasparov, regarded as the greatest chess player of all time, was born here in 1963 ♟️. The city has a habit of producing champions under pressure, you'll feel right at home 😌.

After the effort, Baku takes care of the rest 😄. The city is known as the "Land of Fire" 🔥: since antiquity, natural fires fueled by underground gas pockets spontaneously burned on the hills, attracting Zoroastrian pilgrims from the region. The Ateshgah temple, still standing 30 km from the city, is a testament to this ⛩️. And for eating 😋: Azerbaijani cuisine is among the world's most generous 🍽️. Saffron plov 🍚, vine leaf dolma 🌿, lyulya kebab on lavash bread 🥙, and honey and almond pakhlava 🍯, all washed down with black tea in small armudu glasses 🌹. Forty-two kilometers to end with a feast in a 15th-century caravanserai. As a day plan, we've seen worse 😄.

So are you coming to the seaside with your race bib?