Trail del Galestro

The Trail del Galestro: A Challenge in the Apennines of Marradi

The Trail del Galestro is the event that has turned Marradi, a small town in the Metropolitan City of Florence nestled in the high Mugello, into one of Tuscany's capitals for outdoor sports. The race takes its name from galestro, the typical crumbly clay rock that defines the terrain of the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines: a technical and ever-changing surface that tests the legs and resolve of every runner.

Organized by the Marradi Single Track ASD association, the event winds along the paths, ridges, and forests surrounding the town, in a border territory between Tuscany and Romagna where the Apennines reveal their most authentic and wild side. This is not a race for everyone: the significant elevation gain and demanding trails make it a favorite among experienced trail runners, earning its place in major national circuits.

Two Routes for Two Different Challenges

The Trail del Galestro offers two competitive distances that share the same start and finish line at the Urban Center on Viale della Repubblica, in the center of Marradi:

• Long Course (46 km) — with approximately 2,400 meters of elevation gain, this is the flagship race, reserved for athletes well-trained in long-distance Apennine running.
• Medium Course (22 km) — with approximately 1,100 meters of elevation gain, this distance is more accessible while remaining technical and scenic.

Both tracks traverse the high-hill and mid-mountain environment of the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines, featuring steep climbs, technical descents on galestro rock, and single tracks immersed in lush vegetation.

An Event Part of Major Circuits

The Trail del Galestro is not an isolated race: the 2026 edition is valid for the IUTA Ultratrail Grand Prix and the Tuscany Skitrail Tour, two circuits that attract specialists from across the country. In previous editions, the race has also awarded points for international ITRA and UTMB rankings and has been included in the UISP calendar, confirming its growing reputation in the Italian trail running scene.

Marradi and the Mugello: A Land of Running and Nature

Running the Trail del Galestro also means discovering Marradi and the high Mugello: an Apennine village known for its PGI chestnuts, its Carnival, and the poet Dino Campana, all set within a landscape of chestnut groves, ridges, and valleys that slope down toward Romagna. The event, part of the sports program that makes Marradi a "town of sport," combines competitive passion with the promotion of a Tuscan territory still untouched by mass tourism.