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LifeStar Malta Marathon
28 February 2027 · Mdina / Sliema, Malta
scenicpb course
Distances
2K · 5K · 21.1K · 42K
The Malta Marathon starts by the fortress walls of medieval Mdina and descends nearly two hundred meters to the sea, finishing on the Sliema waterfront — fast, but as finishers openly admit, "not quite as flat as it sounds": the final ten kilometers cross overpasses that feel far steeper than the map suggests. Along the way the route passes through a string of villages, each feeling like stepping into its own small country. The finisher medal is so large that one participant said it "could double as a dinner plate."
Course records
Men
2:13:18
2023 · Alaa' Hrioued
Women
2:35:41
2024 · Jemima Farley
Weather in February
Late February in Malta brings 10-15°C, roughly 61% of daylight hours sunny, but around one day in five sees rain, and occasionally a strong wind up to force 5 kicks up.
Starter pack 2026
- Commemorative/technical t-shirt (reviews say not the most stylish)
- Race magazine with course map
- Bib with built-in chip
- Large finisher medal
- Free finish photos via email/Facebook
- Bag tag for transfer to the finish
The expo is minimal — essentially just bib and shirt pickup, with no vendor stands; finish-line photos are free, which participants specifically appreciate.
Pacers & bib pickup
No pacers announced for this race.
Bib pickup
Barceló Fortina Hotel, Sliema
day before the race only
Bib pickup is only in the days before the race at the race-HQ hotel; no evidence of race-morning pickup was found.
Registration opens
15 April 2026
Registration closes
15 January 2027
Early bird until
30 November 2026
Course map
Route not added yet
What’s nearby
Walking
Sliema seafront (Tower Road) — Sea-view restaurants right by the finish.
Tigné Point — Shops and restaurants, a short walk from the finish.
30 minutes
Valletta — The UNESCO-listed capital — a ferry ride directly from Sliema.
Mdina and Rabat — The marathon's start — the "silent city" with medieval walls.
2 hours
Gozo — A ferry from Ċirkewwa, about an hour and a half door-to-door.
Dinner before the race
There's no official pasta party; the race-HQ hotel Barceló Fortina in Sliema is conveniently located near waterfront restaurants.
After the finish
Water, Powerade, and bananas at the finish; oranges around mile 22 on course.
Reviews
Robyn / bermudababe76 (Robyn Runs the World)2025
A lot of downhill running — but that doesn't mean it was all downhill: the last 10km run over overpasses, and climbing them turned out a lot steeper than needed.
Pernilla Bredolt (runwaytoadventures.com), half marathon2025
The start was chaos — I waited 25 minutes for a last toilet visit, and starting groups essentially didn't exist.
Helena Radcliffe (Steel City Striders)2026
Every village along the way felt like stepping into a different country — like three holidays in one race; the medal was so big it could double as a dinner plate.
Registration open until 15 January 2027
42.195