Running the La Valette Marathon 2026:

A Visitor’s Complete Guide to Malta’s Scenic Coastal Race

Last updated: February 2026

The start gun fires at 06:30. You’re standing on the coast road near Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq with the Mediterranean turning pink ahead of you and 42.195 km of limestone coastline between you and a 460-year-old fortress. Most spring marathons give you a flat city loop, a finisher’s medal, and a queue for the portable toilets. This one gives you cannon-scarred bastions, the Grand Harbour, and a finish line where the Knights of St John held off the Ottoman Empire in 1565.

The La Valette Marathon is named after Grand Master Jean de La Valette — “The Shield of Europe” — and it finishes in the very walls he defended. Here’s everything you need to know about running it, getting there, and setting up your race base in Malta.

Jump to: Credentials · Race day logistics · Getting to your start · The course · Where to stay · Climate tips · Beyond the race · Cheat sheet · FAQ

The Credentials

The only AIMS-listed marathon in Malta — and an AbbottWMM qualifying race for 2026

The event launched in 2022 as Malta’s first AIMS-listed marathon — AIMS listing means the course distance is measured to international standards.

The race is also listed as an Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group World Rankings qualifying event. If you’re 40 or over and tracking your AbbottWMM ranking, a fast time at the Malta marathon in 2026 earns you points toward the Age Group World Championships.

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Race Day Mechanics

Six distances. One finish line. A fortress.

Sunday, 22 March 2026. Six race categories, staggered starts, all converging on the same finish at Fort St Angelo in Birgu. Event Info lists a 6-hour cut-off. The runner’s guide separately references a 12:00 finish requirement. Confirm enforcement in the pre-event email or latest runner’s guide.

Registration

Online only, through lavalettemarathon.com. Payment at time of registration — no pay-later, no race-day signups.

According to the organiser FAQ, online registration closes at 23:59 on 10 March. (The FAQ page currently shows “2025” for this date; check the registration page for the confirmed 2026 cut-off.) Entry fees have historically started from around €50 and vary by distance. Non-refundable, but transferable to another person or deferrable to 2027 if you notify the organisers before the deadline.

Bib Pickup

You cannot collect your bib on race day. Full stop. Race pack collection runs Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st March 2026. The Event Info page lists the following schedule:

Your pack includes running bib, event t-shirt, and sponsor goodies. Someone else can collect yours if they have your ticket/QR code. Landing after Saturday afternoon? The runner’s guide mentions a pre-bookable delivery option — check the runner’s guide page for details.

Getting to Your Start Line

Multiple start locations, very early mornings, zero margin for error

Here’s the part most race previews skip entirely. Six distances means six different start locations, and the marathon gun fires at 06:30. You need to be at your start line well before that.

The organisers advise arriving by 05:30 for the marathon and by 06:00 for the half marathon. Race briefings happen at the start line — marathon briefing at 06:20, half marathon at 06:50. Bag drop closes strictly 20 minutes before your race begins. Miss it and your stuff stays behind.

Bag rules are strict: only the drawstring bag provided at bib collection. No backpacks, no plastic bags. Mark it clearly with your bib number. Bags are transported to the finish at Fort St Angelo and can only be collected by the bib owner.

What You’ll Run Past

Fortresses, harbours, and 7,000 years of limestone — a segment-by-segment guide to the course

This is a point-to-point coastal race. Not a loop. You start in the north, run south along the Mediterranean, and finish inside a fortress in the south. The sea is right there the entire way — not tucked behind a housing estate three miles in.

Full Marathon: Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq → Fort St Angelo

You start at 06:30, running into a sunrise over the Mediterranean. The early kilometres head south from the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq area through St. Paul’s Bay before joining the main coastal road. As you approach Sliema, the scenery starts building — the promenade, the views across Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta’s skyline. This is where the photos happen.

The route continues past Valletta’s bastions. Fort St Elmo guards the harbour entrance to your left. Then the Grand Harbour opens up — one of the great natural harbours of the Mediterranean — before the course brings you through the Three Cities and into Birgu for the finish at Fort St Angelo.

Here’s the part most race previews skip: this course has real undulations. That 300m of climbing is spread across the route rather than concentrated in one hill, but if you’ve been training on a treadmill at 0% gradient, the Valletta rises will find you. Train accordingly.

Half Marathon: Sliema → Fort St Angelo

If you’re running the La Valette Half Marathon for the first time, this is a strong introduction to the island. Starts at 07:00 from Exiles in Sliema. You get the best scenic stretch without the extra 21 km — the Sliema promenade, Valletta views, Grand Harbour, the Birgu finish. Around 130m of elevation gain. If you want the full visual experience at half the distance, this is the sweet spot.

The Finish

Fort St Angelo, Birgu. You cross the line at the foot of fortifications that withstood Ottoman cannons in 1565. The Birgu waterfront has a festive atmosphere, and you’re a short walk from gelato shops for your immediate post-race reward. The Three Cities are quieter and more atmospheric than Valletta — one of Malta’s genuinely under-visited corners.

— You’re finishing a marathon in the same fortifications where the Knights of St John held off Suleiman the Magnificent. Most races give you a car park. —

Your Race Base

Why Gżira works better than Sliema or St. Julian’s for visiting runners — and it’s not just the price

Most visiting runners book Sliema or St. Julian’s. Both work. But if you want to do this properly — good sleep, nutrition control, a warm-up route at your doorstep — Gżira is the smarter move. One bay over from Sliema, quieter, more residential, and perfectly positioned for race week. > Short let in Gżira

The Promenade Problem (Solved)

Gżira’s seafront promenade runs flat along the harbour with views across to Manoel Island and Valletta. Step outside, turn left, 5 km to Sliema and back. Flat. Scenic. No traffic. That’s your shake-out run the day before the race, right at your doorstep.

Kitchen vs. Hotel Buffet

If you’ve ever queued at 05:30 for lukewarm hotel scrambled eggs on race morning, you know why a kitchen matters. Your own kitchen means you control pasta night, race-morning porridge timing, and your coffee ritual. No compromises.

Space, Sleep, and Transport

A two-bedroom apartment means your running partner, family, or crew all have space. Nobody’s tripping over shoes at 05:00. Gżira is residential — no nightclub noise, no stag parties in the corridor. On the night before your race, you’ll actually sleep.

Sliema is a 10-minute walk along the promenade — all your carb-loading dinner options are right there. Buses connect to the various start locations. The Sliema ferry to Valletta is nearby for culture days.

Other Bases That Work

Sliema: Right on the half marathon start line. Plenty of restaurants and hotels. Busier and pricier, but you can’t beat the location for the half.

St. Julian’s: Good dining scene, close to Sliema. Paceville nightlife area can be noisy — choose your street carefully if sleep matters.

Valletta/Floriana: Beautiful and walkable. Bib pickup is often in Floriana (the runner’s guide lists the Excelsior Hotel), but the 2026 venue is listed as TBA on Event Info — confirm in race week. Limited kitchen options in hotels.

Three Cities (Birgu/Senglea): You’d be at the finish line. Atmospheric, quiet, great post-race. But remote for pre-race logistics and shake-out routes.

All viable. But for the combination of seafront running route, kitchen access, quiet sleep, and proximity to Sliema’s restaurants — Gżira is the one we keep coming back to.

The Climate Trap

Running in Malta in March is warmer, more humid, and windier than you expect — here’s how to handle it

If you’re arriving from northern Europe, Malta’s March weather will wrong-foot you. Daytime temperatures sit around 17–19°C. That sounds mild. But in direct sunlight with no wind, it can feel closer to the low 20s, and if your long runs have been in 5°C drizzle, the adjustment is real.

Plan to arrive 2–3 days early. This gives you time to adjust to the warmth, collect your bib during the Wednesday–Saturday pickup window, and get shake-out runs in. Your body will thank you for not stepping off a plane and onto a start line 12 hours later.

Shake-Out Routes Near Gżira

Gżira promenade to Sliema and back — approximately 5 km, completely flat, right along the water. Perfect the day before the race.

Sliema to St. Julian’s coastal path — a beautiful 7 km out-and-back along the rocky coast. A few gentle undulations. Good for a longer shake-out two days before.

Ta’ Qali National Park — about 20 minutes by bus. Grass and gravel paths for softer surfaces if your legs need a break from pavement.

Wind

Malta can be breezy. March isn’t the windiest month, but a stiff onshore breeze is always possible. On the course, the sea wind can be a headwind on exposed stretches. Check the forecast race week and pack a light running vest for the early start — a singlet alone might not cut it at 06:30 on the coast.

Beyond the Finish Line

Most visiting runners book 4–7 nights. Here’s what to do with the days you’re not running.

Recovery day: Walk along the Gżira promenade to Manoel Island — a fascinating peninsula with a ruined fort and surprisingly wild corners, just off the Gżira seafront. Then find a café, order a cappuccino and a pastizz (flaky Maltese pastry — you’ve earned it), and watch the harbour.

Active day: Hike a section of the Victoria Lines — 19th-century British fortifications stretching across the island. In March, the countryside around it is green and wildflower-covered. A side of Malta most tourists never see.

Culture day: Take the ferry from Sliema to Valletta. St. John’s Co-Cathedral alone is worth the trip. For something deeper, get the bus to Mdina — Malta’s ancient walled city on the hilltop. Quiet. Atmospheric. Stunning.

Race Cheat Sheet

The scannable version — screenshot this for race week

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions runners actually ask — answered from the official event info page and local knowledge

What time does the La Valette Marathon 2026 start?

The full marathon fires at 06:30. Half marathon at 07:00. Walkathon at 07:10. Relay at 07:30. 10K at 08:00. 5K at 08:30. All on Sunday, 22 March 2026.

Is the La Valette Marathon AIMS-listed?

Yes. It is Malta’s only AIMS-listed marathon and half marathon (sometimes searched as “Malta half marathon”), meaning the course distance is measured and verified to international standards.

Is it an AbbottWMM qualifying race?

Yes — for the Age Group World Rankings (runners 40+). It is not one of the World Marathon Majors races. Those are now seven: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, and Sydney (joined 2025).

How hilly is the course?

Based on published route files and third-party GPX analyses (RaceRaves, Runna), the full marathon has roughly 300m of elevation gain and a little more descent. Rolling, not flat. Noticeable rises around Valletta. The half has around 130m of gain.

Can I collect my bib on race day?

No. Bib collection runs Wednesday 18 to Saturday 21 March only. Location and exact times are confirmed closer to race week — check the Event Info page and runner’s guide.

Stand on the Birgu waterfront after the race, medal round your neck, gelato in hand, watching the late-morning sun catch the Valletta bastions across the harbour. The pain in your legs is already fading. The memory of running along that coastline at sunrise isn’t going anywhere.

Race day sorted. Now sort your stay — book your Gżira short let.

— ManicMalta.com