Movistar Madrid Half Marathon 2027

10 million. Yes, you read that right: the Spanish capital 🇪🇸 attracts no fewer than 10 million visitors a year! 😮 Located on the Manzanares River 💦, in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula, it is one of the most popular destinations in Europe 🇪🇺. And do you know why the city captivates so many people? Because it happily combines a very rich cultural offering, sumptuous buildings, and leisure activities for every taste. Lace up your best zapatillas 👟, because the caliente 🔥 atmosphere of the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon is waiting for you! In April, two races are on offer: a 5.8 km and a half marathon. Taking you past the most beautiful historic monuments 🤩, it is one of the city’s most legendary events 💃.

If Madrid shines on the football pitches 🏟️ with its two iconic clubs ⚽️ (Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid), it also boasts a thriving community of passionate runners 🏃🏼‍♂️. Among them, the organizers of the Madrid Half Marathon rank high. They love their city and running so much that they created an event that lets participants discover the most beautiful spots in Madrid… and set blazing fast times! 💣 If you’re hungry for records, know that the time to beat has been held since 2021 by Kenyan 🇰🇪 Ronald Kiprotich Kirui in 59 minutes and 38 seconds for the men 🚹, and by Kenyan (they’re unbeatable, honestly) Winfridah Moraa in 1 hour, 7 minutes and 22 seconds for the women 🚺. They’re not here to peel kiwis 🥝, so you’ll have to get moving! 😅

The start will be on the Paseo de Recoletos, in front of the National Library 📚, followed by a long straight that will take you alongside the Natural Sciences Museum 👩‍🔬 and the Ministry of Agriculture 🐄. Once you reach the grand Plaza de Castilla, you’ll make a 180° turn (don’t run too fast or you might skid!) to head back down along Bravo Murillo, an avenue that will lead you to the Canal de Isabel II. There, you’ll need to take a detour to get back illico presto to the start-line area, before heading toward the beautiful Puerta de Alcalá, at the northwestern corner of the Parque del Buen Retiro. Hop hop hop, another little detour will take you away from the park before bringing you back alongside the railings of this magnificent urban green lung 🌳. You’ll then pass in front of the train station 🚂, then through Plaza Emperador Carlos V, before climbing again (in every sense of the word—northward and up a nasty false flat near the end of the course!) along the botanical garden 🪴, the Museo del Prado 🖼️, and the Fountain of Neptune ⛲️. The finish arch 🏁 you’ve been coveting will then rise right in front of you, just a stone’s throw 👣 from Plaza Cibeles and Plaza Colón. After enjoying 4 liquid refreshment stations 🧃 placed along the route (at km 4, 10, 15 and 19.5), you can throw yourself (if your stomach, still turned upside down from the effort, allows it!) on the finish-line buffet to regain strength 💪.

If you prefer short and intense events, or if your training still doesn’t allow you to take on the half 🤧, then you can opt for the "Carrera ProFuturo". This 5.8 km, which simply loops around the Parque del Buen Retiro 🛝 with a start and finish 🏁 at Puerta de Alcalá, has a great charitable purpose: every entry helps support a digital education program 💻 promoted by the Fundación Telefónica and the Fundación La Caixa. This initiative aims to reduce educational inequalities worldwide 🌍. While champions cover the distance in 18 minutes and 5 seconds for the men 🙋‍♂️ and in 21 minutes and 12 seconds for the women 🧍‍♀️, many people run to support a worthy cause while taking on a personal challenge in a frankly lovely setting 🥰.

If you’re coming to spend the whole weekend in Madrid, we have a few outing ideas that might interest you 🧐. Some museums are among the most visited in the world, notably the Prado, the Reina Sofia, or the Thyssen-Bornemisza. You can also set out to discover sumptuous monuments such as Plaza Mayor, the impressive Royal Palace or the Almudena Cathedral. This city also offers leisure activities for every taste, from the shopping aficionado 🛍️ to the die-hard nature lover 🦎 (Retiro Park, the Royal Botanical Garden, the Campo del Moro gardens…). As for the famous movida, the creative cultural movement 🧑‍🎨 that makes Madrid’s nights pulse 🌃, it deserves a whole evening, just to soak up that one-of-a-kind mindset. Okay, sure, you’ll avoid making the rounds of tapas bars the day before the half marathon, but it’ll be all clear right after the race! There’s no doubt you’ll still have enough energy 🔋 to discover the centuries-old bistros and lively little streets that smell of Spanish cuisine and echo with Iberian good vibes 💃.

So, when are you signing up for the Madrid Half Marathon? 😉