The Stockholm Marathon held in the month of May in Stockholm, Sweden, is ranked as the number 1 marathon destination in the world by The Ultimate Guide to International Marathons. In the ranking the Stockholm Marathon is followed by London Marathon, Berlin Marathon and New York City Marathon. Stockholm gets top marks in the following categories: course beauty, race organisation, appropriateness for first time marathon runners.
The course is basically two laps through the central parts of Stockholm. The surroundings vary from the woods of the Royal park Djurgården to the streets of a big city. The course passes buildings such as the Royal Palace, the City Hall, the Royal Opera and the Houses of Parliament. The course is one of the most scenic in the world. Much of the race is run along beautiful waterfronts. When crossing the Västerbron bridge, the runners enjoy a fantastic view over a city with buildings ranging in age from the medieval times to the present day. The race finishes in the beautiful stadium built for the 1912 Olympic Games. The Olympic Stadium has been the site of numerous memorable athletic performances, with no less than 83 world records in track and field. There is no other arena anywhere in the world that comes close to that number. The 1912 Stockholm Olympic Stadium is truly a classic venue for athletics.