Rimi Riga Marathon

The Rimi Riga Marathon is a World Athletics Gold Label race and one of the fastest marathon courses in Northern Europe, drawing runners from over 70 countries to the Latvian capital each May. The remarkably flat single-lap course starts near the medieval Riga Castle and winds through the UNESCO-listed Old Riga with its Gothic spires and cobblestoned streets before crossing three bridges over the wide Daugava River. The route passes the Freedom Monument, the grand Latvian National Opera, Riga's stunning Art Nouveau district — one of Europe's finest collections of Jugendstil architecture — and the massive Central Market housed in former Zeppelin hangars. With roughly 1,500 marathon finishers but over 40,000 total participants across all distances, the two-day race weekend has the energy of a major city festival. The course's exceptional flatness and wide traffic-free roads make it a magnet for personal bests, while the registration policy — offering free changes and name transfers until the end of March — is among the most runner-friendly in European marathon racing. Spring temperatures of 8-17°C and the lively yet affordable atmosphere of this Baltic gem make Riga an excellent choice for a fast marathon in a fascinating city.