Carmen
Travel editor at Reisedrop · 2026-09-18
Flying abroad for a marathon? What sounded exotic a few years ago is now one of the fastest-growing travel trends: searches for «Marathon abroad» have risen sharply. Race-cation is the blend of competition and city break – and it has one unbeatable advantage: you experience a city in a way no tourist ever does – on closed roads, cheered on by tens of thousands.
These marathon cities are most worth it from Switzerland
The classics Berlin, Paris and Amsterdam can be reached from Switzerland in under 90 minutes by plane and offer flat, fast courses – perfect for a personal best. Valencia is considered the fastest course in Europe and is pleasantly mild in December. If atmosphere matters most, the Medio Maratón in Lisbon crosses the 25 April Bridge, and at the Rome Marathon you run past the Colosseum. Half marathons are ideal for getting started – less preparation stress, the same scenery.
Timing and budget: the race-entry trap
The big races sell out months in advance – entries for Berlin or Paris are allocated by ballot or disappear quickly. As soon as your race entry is confirmed, the rule is: book the hotel straight away. On marathon weekends, room rates near the course regularly double. For a race-cation weekend from Switzerland, expect to pay from CHF 400 to CHF 700 (flight, 2 nights, entry fee) – if you book early, it can be significantly cheaper. Flexible rates are essential in case training does not go to plan.
Runner logistics: what makes race-cations different
A few things are different from a normal city break: the hotel should be no more than 20 minutes from the start (on marathon morning, no taxi gets through closed roads). Travel should be planned for the day before, and race number collection at the expo needs to be factored in. And the return flight should be no earlier than the evening after the race – your legs will thank you. Sightseeing? Best done the day after the race, at an easy pace.
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