10 Cities Where You Can Mix A Great Trip With A Great Marathon

There are plenty of runners out there amongst us, and for those of us who do like to run, the dream of one day being able to actually run a marathon is something we all share.

Alas, many of us want to find the right kind of race in which to do that - which is what we're going to try and look at today.

We want to find some of the very best marathons on the planet and combine them with the adventure that comes with visiting the city itself. In these 10 selections, we believe that we've managed to do that fairly well.

10 New York City

The big apple isn’t a popular destination for everyone and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, from the perspective of writing this piece, there was no better place to start.

NYC’s historic marathon takes you through the boroughs and gives you an in-depth look into what life is like as a New Yorker. Oh, and did we mention the city is absolutely incredible?

Everyone comes out to voice their support and let it be known that they’re embracing you as part of their city, if only for a day.

9 Boston

Following the tragedy of a few years ago you’d think people may be thrown off the idea of running the Boston Marathon, but quite the opposite: it’s spurred them on even more.

Boston is a city rich in culture, and that combines pretty nicely with a marathon which is designed to inspire us all and create a sensation of hope.

If you want to head out after the marathon in order to celebrate, we’d argue there’s nowhere better in the US for that sort of thing (unless you fancy flying across the country to Vegas).

8 Amsterdam

From starting in the stadium to finishing in front of thousands, the Amsterdam Marathon is anything but boring. All the way around you’ll be taken on a journey of emotions from start to finish, mainly because the locals are so great at doing so.

The Dutch will have plenty of treats for you that are ready and available upon finishing and let’s face it, this is going to be a pretty wonderful place to chill out and unwind after spending months of putting yourself through some pretty horrendous training.

7 Paris

It’s the city of love – do we need to say any more? The French capital is great for runners in general, but in a wider sense, it’s always a very friendly environment to be in. The stereotypes that suggest otherwise are just plain wrong, and the marathon will serve as undeniable proof of that.

The unpredictability of the weather, in our opinion, just tends to add to the fun, even though some could quite easily mistake that fun for chaos. Paris is for everyone, and we love that all-inclusive feeling.

6 London

It’s the London Marathon, y’all. There are so many monuments throughout this amazing city that it’s kind of hard to keep track, and for the most part, you’ll see pretty much all of them on your journey around the city during the marathon.

The participation rate is insane and in terms of having a ‘fun’ marathon, this one always lives up to the hype. There’s always a lot of buzz in the capital when marathon weekend is coming around, and the locals continue to prove why year in and year out.

5 Auckland

We head all the way over to New Zealand for our next entry which, in our mind, is one of the most underrated cities and marathons on the planet.

From heading over the bridge to lining the streets, this is a quintessential guide of the land of the Kiwis all mushed together into 26 glorious miles.

Auckland is great fun and everything is different down there, whether it be solely due to the accents or perhaps due to the character shown within roughly 100% of the locals. It’s not one to be missed.

4 Berlin

The pros, in particular, have always seemed to be massive fans of the Berlin Marathon, and it’s not exactly hard to see why. The city is stunning from the architecture to the culture, and the route itself is a lot of fun.

It’s one of the big yearly attractions in Berlin with people coming from far and wide to either compete or outright support the thousands upon thousands of runners that are taking part.

Germany is a nation that should be visited by all, and cities like Berlin serve as undeniable proof as to why.

3 Chicago

Chicago is the spiritual hub of the United States and we won’t have anyone tell us any differently. Sure, they do things a little bit differently over there and they’re viewed as being a bit brash, but in an environment like that, you need to be.

The city does a great job with the marathon and really does make it feel special, but if you aren’t a big fan of the rowdier atmospheres, this one might not be for you. After finishing settle on down with a nice deep dish pizza and soak in the surroundings.

2 Rome

They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a quick 26 mile trip around this insane Italian city will give you a good idea as to why.

Regardless of whether or not the weather is good, it always feels like a sunny day in Rome when the marathon comes around – to us, at least.

The best part is that the transition from race day to relaxation is so smooth, and we really do enjoy that dynamic. Oh, and make sure you order lots of pasta ready to go for when you finally cross that finish line.

1 Tokyo

If you’re situated in the west then even very common ideologies from the east can seem a little bit ‘out there’ from time to time, and we can completely understand that. However, immersing yourself in that world goes a long way towards understanding it.

Tokyo, in particular, is a city that goes beyond words. You could even argue that the marathon itself isn’t enough for you to explore it properly, and there are a million and one ways in which that can be proven. The spectacle is out of this world and it needs to be seen to be believed.

NEXT: 10 Restaurants You Must Visit In California (& Their Most Popular Dish)