The 42nd Estra Firenze Marathon takes place on November 29, attracting participants from all over the world. The route weaves through the historic centre and not only, taking in some of Florence’s most iconic landmarks, including the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio, while also passing through piazza della Signoria and along the Lungarno. As host destination partner for the event, Fondazione Destination Florence provides dedicated hospitality packages and exclusive arrangements with local hoteliers, while also promoting cultural itineraries in the area. Welcoming runners and special guests will also be additional benefits, and in the days leading up to and following the event, runners can enjoy special offers from Florence’s civic museums and local partners, encouraging them to discover and engage with the city’s rich cultural heritage while enhancing their overall experience.
In addition to Firenze Marathon, the daily work of Atletica Firenze Marathon and the International Youth Camp, which in recent weeks has brought young deaf athletes from across Europe to the city, illustrate important ways of experiencing sport, sharing the goal of generating value for Florence. Fondazione Destination Florence supports these initiatives proudly given the opportunity to welcome new visitors, foster international relations and promote an increasingly open, inclusive and attractive city through sport.
Florence was chosen to host the 2026 edition of the International Youth Camp for deaf athletes, with host destination partner Fondazione Destination Florence. 31 participants came together for an international project that combines sport, inclusion and discovery of the local area as part of the initiative organized by the Unione Sportiva ENS Sordi Firenze together with the Deaf Champions League, in collaboration with Midland Global Sport.
Presented in the Salone dei Cinquecento of Palazzo Vecchio in the presence of Sports Councillor Letizia Perini, Antonio Agostinelli, regional vice president of the Italian Paralympic Committee, and the organizers, including Tommaso Rossi, Cristian Ciatti and Jacopo Poggi of Midland Global Sport, the camp scheduled from July 12-18 offered a programme that combined various sports with an exploration of the city and its surrounding area, including locations such as Viola Park and Empoli: five-a-side and eleven-a-side football, basketball, rugby, pool activities, visits to the city’s heritage and a day spent exploring nature in Vallombrosa.
The Absolute Challenge (July 24-25), organized by Atletica Firenze Marathon, affiliated with the Italian Athletics Federation, with Fondazione Destination Florence as host destination partner, brought together athletes at the Ridolfi Stadium to chase the last places of the Italian championships. The format demanded performance under pressure, with only the top three in each event earning qualification. The Italian Absolute Championships followed on July 25-26, proving another successful sports occasion in the city. The 2026 edition saw more than a thousand participants and some of the biggest names in Italian athletics, including Andy Diaz, Marcell Jacobs and Zaynab Dosso, turning Florence into the stage for elite performances and a crucial platform ahead of the European Championships in Birmingham.
Scheduled from September 20, the fifth edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games of the Metropolitan City of Florence will see a range of competitions covering disciplines from judo and swimming to basketball and climbing, primarily geared towards young people and organized by UISP Florence.
Nicola Armentano, Metropolitan City Councillor for Sport, commented:
!The Metropolitan City of Florence promotes major sporting events—such as the Tour de France or the ATP 250—while simultaneously organizing activities and raising awareness regarding sports, social interaction, health and the environment. This is evident in initiatives like the Metropolitan Olympics and Paralympics, as well as other projects that generate a significant, wide-ranging impact by combining economic benefits with cultural and social values and community cohesion. Schools, health and social care professionals, and sports associations serve as indispensable partners in fostering well-being and inclusion, highlighting the value of the landscape and history, promoting sport as a preventive health measure, and ensuring widespread public access to sports facilities.”
Ultimately, the variety of sporting events and the wide network it weaves are fundamental components for highlighting Florence’s ability to host events of this kind.
