Three Municipalities Half Marathon (Nepi - Civita Castellana - Castel Sant'Elia)
The queen of winter races in the Tuscia region: 22.4 km through Nepi, Civita Castellana, and Castel Sant'Elia
About Three Municipalities Half Marathon
A classic of the Lazio winter running season
The Three Municipalities Half Marathon is one of the longest-running and most beloved road races in Lazio. Organized by A.S.D. Atletica Nepi with the support of the municipalities of Nepi, Civita Castellana, and Castel Sant'Elia in the province of Viterbo, it is traditionally held on the last Sunday of January over a distance of 22.4 kilometers. Runners have long called it the "queen of winter races" because it effectively kicks off the competitive season in central Italy, testing legs with a course that is anything but straightforward.
From 1980 to today
The event was born almost by chance in 1980, at the height of the jogging craze imported from the United States, thanks to the tenacity of a few enthusiasts from Nepi. From that first grassroots gathering, the race has grown to regularly exceed a thousand entries, attracting international athletes—with competitors from Greece, Spain, and France in recent years—alongside running clubs from Rome, the Tuscia region, and all of central Italy.
A route that changes its starting point
The unique feature of this half marathon is that while the course remains essentially the same from year to year, the start and finish lines rotate among the three municipalities: a choice that ensures the race is truly shared by all three communities. The circuit traverses the Agro Falisco countryside, featuring long flat stretches alternating with fast descents and tough climbs, passing through the historic centers of the three towns. Notable landmarks include the Forte Sangallo in Civita Castellana, the historic center of Nepi with its walls and aqueduct, the gorge of Castel Sant'Elia with the famous "Millecori" descent and the subsequent hospital climb, and the return in front of the Cosmati Cathedral.
More than just competition
Over the years, a genuine local festival has grown around the race. Dozens of volunteers man intersections and refreshment stations, municipal administrations collaborate on logistics, and the public lines the streets and historic squares. For many participants, the race is also an opportunity to discover a corner of Lazio less touched by mass tourism: the Tuscia, a land of Faliscan and Etruscan origins, wooded gorges, artistic ceramics (Civita Castellana is historically the Italian capital of sanitary ceramics), and thermal waters, such as those of Acque di Nepi.
Who can participate
- Distance: 22.4 km, competitive road race.
- Time limit: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Participants: approximately 1,000 runners, with entry fees increasing as the date approaches.
- Awards: overall male and female winners, age categories, and team rankings (the top ten teams with at least 25 finishers are awarded).
Useful information before you go
As this is a January race, the classic advice is to prepare for the morning cold: the meeting time is very early and the start often takes place in freezing temperatures, while the exposed and undulating course can be windy. It is a race that rewards those who know how to manage their pace on the rolling hills and who are not fooled by the fast opening kilometers.
Three Municipalities Half Marathon — edition 2026
The 46th edition
For 2026, the rotation among the three municipalities brought the start and finish to Civita Castellana, on Via Roma, in front of the Forte Sangallo. The meeting time was set for 7:00 AM and the start was given at 9:00 AM on Sunday, January 25, with a maximum time of 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete the 22.4 kilometers.
The course, essentially unchanged for years, exited Civita Castellana with a slight climb, followed four flat straights up to the seventh kilometer (locality "Il Casotto"), descended rapidly towards the Bottata roundabout, and reached Nepi, crossing its historic center. After about two kilometers of rolling terrain towards Castel Sant'Elia, the athletes faced the "Millecori" descent into the gorge and the subsequent, much-feared hospital climb, before returning through Piazza del Comune and the Cosmati Cathedral.
A race that unites three towns
The edition confirmed the shared nature of the event: the organization is handled by A.S.D. Atletica Nepi, but the patronage and the work of the volunteers involve all three municipalities of the district in the province of Viterbo. As the mayor of Civita Castellana, Luca Giampieri, recalled, the race remains an athletic landmark and a collective celebration for the territory.
Programme Three Municipalities Half Marathon 2026
Sunday, January 25, 2026 — Civita Castellana
- 07:00 — Meeting of participants in Via Roma, Civita Castellana (Forte Sangallo area), bib and race pack collection.
- 09:00 — Start of the 46th Three Municipalities Half Marathon, 22.4 km competitive road race.
- Route — Civita Castellana, straights up to km 7 ("Il Casotto"), Bottata roundabout, out-and-back to Nepi with passage through the historic center, rolling terrain towards Castel Sant'Elia, "Millecori" descent into the gorge, hospital climb, return through the center of Civita Castellana.
- Time limit — 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Finish — Via Roma, Civita Castellana.
- Followed by — awards for overall male and female winners, category awards, and team rankings (top ten teams with at least 25 classified athletes).
Timing and rankings by EVODATA.
Highlights Three Municipalities Half Marathon 2026
- 46th edition of the "queen of winter races" in Lazio.
- 2026 start and finish in Civita Castellana, at the foot of the 16th-century Forte Sangallo.
- About 1,000 athletes at the start, with participants from Greece, Spain, and France as well as from all over Italy.
- 22.4 km across three municipalities, featuring the "Millecori" gorge descent and the hospital climb as iconic sections.
- Passage through the historic centers of Nepi and Civita Castellana, in front of the Cosmati Cathedral.
Prices Three Municipalities Half Marathon 2026
Practical information — Three Municipalities Half Marathon
How to get there
By car from Rome: take the Via Cassia bis (SS2 bis) or the A1 motorway, exiting at Magliano Sabina, then follow the SS311 Nepesina. Nepi and Civita Castellana are about 50 km from the capital. By train: Civita Castellana-Magliano station on the Rome-Viterbo line (Ferrovie Roma Nord), with local bus connections to Nepi and Castel Sant'Elia.
Registration and fees
Registration via forms (individual and team) downloadable from the A.S.D. Atletica Nepi website. Fees follow a tiered structure, approximately from 22 to 28 euros depending on the registration date. Timing provided by EVODATA.
Contacts
A.S.D. Atletica Nepi — [email protected] — +39 328 4884306 / +39 339 4537845 — www.atleticanepi.com
Tips
Meeting time is at 7:00 AM with the start at 9:00 AM: arrive well in advance to park near the start area. Wear layered winter clothing and shoes suitable for undulating asphalt. After the race, it is worth visiting the Forte Sangallo in Civita Castellana and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria ad Rupes in Castel Sant'Elia.
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Where does it take place — Three Municipalities Half Marathon
Nepi, Civita Castellana e Castel Sant'Elia
Via Roma, 01036 Nepi