Athens Marathon. Photo: Shutterstock Athens is gearing up for a particularly busy weekend, with the 43rd "Authentic Marathon", one of Greece's major sporting events, taking place tomorrow and the following day, Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8.
The main event will take place on Sunday, with the marathon starting at 08:30 from the town of Marathon and finishing at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in central Athens. Admission to all events is free for visitors.
Alongside the main race, short-distance races will also be held in the city, including a 10-kilometer race, a 5-kilometer race, and a night race for students.
The running events will begin on Saturday afternoon. At 4:00 PM, a 1.2-kilometer children's race will take place, followed by two 5-kilometer races: the first at 5:00 PM from Syntagma Square and the second, the night race for students, at 8:00 PM. Both races will end at the Panathenaic Stadium.
On Sunday, the 10-kilometer race will start at 8:00 AM from Syntagma Square, followed by the full marathon at 8:30 AM.
One of the most significant impacts of the marathon will be on the X95 bus line, which connects Syntagma Square in central Athens to the international airport. This is a major route for tourists arriving in and out of the city, and this coming weekend it will operate on an alternative route.
The metro station at Syntagma Square, Athens. Photo: Amit CotlerPassengers planning to arrive at the airport over the weekend are advised to check the alternative pick-up and drop-off point in advance, allow extra time to reach the airport, and consider using the metro as an alternative.
The X95 line is a rapid bus line that operates 24 hours a day on weekdays, so the change is expected to be particularly noticeable among passengers on night flights and in the early morning hours.
Other changes are expected in public transportation. The T6 light rail (tram) line, which connects the coastal area to central Athens, will operate in a shortened format and end its journey at the FIX station, instead of continuing to Syntagma, Zappeio and Vouliagmenis Avenue stations. The arrangement will begin on Saturday and continue until Sunday at 10:00 PM.
Drivers and visitors planning to travel by taxi or rental car are also expected to encounter significant changes. On Saturday afternoon, several major thoroughfares in the Syntagma area, Panathenaic Stadium and Vassilissis Amalias Avenue will be closed to traffic. On Sunday, the blockades will be expanded following the marathon, which will start from the northeast of the city and pass through Marathonos Avenue, Sogion Avenue and Vassilissis Sophias Avenue to the stadium.
Mainly affected areas include Syntagma Square, Panepistimio Street, Amalias Boulevard, and the area around the Panathenaic Stadium. Some of the blockades will last until Sunday evening.
Travelers and tourists planning to reach tourist sites in the city center are advised to walk or use the metro, and to check for changes in public transportation before leaving. Organizers especially recommend avoiding private vehicles in the stadium area during the weekend.
The "Authentic Marathon" of Athens is considered one of the most iconic races in the history of world sports. The course retraces the route between the town of Marathon and Athens, ending at the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896.
Admission for spectators to the stadium and the opening ceremony is free.