The ancient battlefield where Greeks defeated Persians in 490 BCE inspired the modern marathon race. Today, the coastal town has a museum and memorial burial mound.
Marathon, a town in Greece’s East Attica region, lets you stand where Athenian soldiers defeated the Persians in 490 BCE. Visit the Soros burial mound, a 9-meter-high hill marking the graves of 192 warriors, or walk the 42-kilometer path runners take each November from Marathon to Athens. Schinias Beach, southeast of town, has shallow waters and steady winds for windsurfing, with the Olympic Rowing Center’s artificial lake hosting competitions since 2004. Fields here grow olives, grapes, and wild fennel—the plant that gave the town its Greek name. Look for roadside stalls selling honey pressed from local thyme and olive oil from nearby groves.
Run the Historic Marathon Route to Athens
Each November, thousands follow the exact 42-kilometer path from Marathon to Athens, retracing the journey Pheidippides made after the ancient battle. The race starts near the Soros burial mound, winding through olive groves and past Nea Makri before climbing gradually toward the city. You’ll finish at the Panathinaiko Stadium, a white-marble arena first built in 330 BCE and restored for the 1896 Olympics. Between the 10th and 31st kilometers, the route ascends steadily—a challenge runners prepare for with hill training. The event honors both the Battle of Marathon and the modern revival of the Olympic Games, with a special edition in 2010 marking 2,500 years since the battle.
The Soros Burial Mound and Ancient Battle Site
Central to Marathon’s history, the Soros mound rises from the plain where Athenian forces halted the Persian advance. Cypress trees line the site, which holds a marble slab carved with Herodotus’ description of the battle. Walk around the mound to read plaques explaining how Athenian soldiers used the terrain to outflank their opponents. A small museum 500 meters north displays arrowheads, broken pottery, and a replica of the shield carried by hoplites. From here, the flat land stretches toward the Gulf of Euboea, framed by Mount Penteli and Mount Agriliki—the same hills that sheltered Athenian troops.
Schinias Beach and the Olympic Rowing Center
Schinias Beach stretches for 4 kilometers along the coast, with calm waters on one side and pine forests on the other. The Olympic Rowing Center, built for the 2004 Athens Games, sits just inland, its 2,000-meter lake used for training and international regattas. Rent a windsurfing board from shops near the parking area, or paddle a kayak past herons nesting in the reeds. Tavernas along the beach serve octopus grilled over charcoal and salads made with tomatoes from nearby farms. Even in winter, rowers train here, their boats cutting through mist rising off the water at dawn.
The Kato Souli Naval Tower
A 250-meter steel radio mast near Nea Makri towers over Marathon’s plains, visible from almost anywhere in the region. Built in the 1980s for naval communications, the lattice structure stands on a forested hilltop surrounded by fences. The facility isn’t open to visitors, but drivers on the road toward Athens can pull over to photograph its stark silhouette against the sky. On clear days, sunlight glints off the mast’s triangular panels, creating a landmark visible from ships 50 kilometers offshore.
Farming Traditions and Fennel Harvests
Olive groves and vineyards cover much of Marathon’s plains, with wild fennel growing in untended fields. Stop at roadside stands to buy jars of marathousa honey, made from bees that pollinate the yellow fennel flowers blooming each spring. Family-owned wineries in villages like Kapandriti let you sample crisp white Savatiano, a grape variety cultivated here since ancient times. Farmers still use donkeys to navigate narrow paths between terraced plots, a practice unchanged for centuries. In September, the air smells of crushed grapes during the harvest, when presses near Schinias Beach process local vineyards’ yields.
Getting to Marathon and Travel Tips
KTEL buses depart Athens’ Pedion tou Areos station every hour for Marathon, passing through olive orchards and suburban neighborhoods. The trip takes 90 minutes, with stops at Nea Makri and the rowing center. Non-EU travelers must present a passport valid for at least three months beyond their departure date. Car rentals require a driver’s license held for a minimum of one year, and those under 25 often pay extra fees. Visit between April and June to see the fennel fields in bloom or in October for cooler marathon-training weather. Bring sturdy shoes for walking the gravel paths around the Soros mound.
