The Prosecco Running Festival
- Race Report

The prosecco running festival in Northern Italy is unique! Here is our report on this multi-distance event.

If you're looking for a running experience that combines stunning Italian landscapes with world-class wine, the Prosecco Running Festival in Valdobbiadene is exactly what you need. This incredible event takes place in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Prosecco hills with beautiful rolling vineyards. The festival offers multiple distances including a 10km, half marathon, marathon, and ultra marathon, making it perfect whether you're a casual runner or a seasoned athlete looking for your next challenge.

As well as the beautiful scenery, there's prosecco and local snacks at nearly all the water stops!

You run through the vineyards!

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The Prosecco Running Festival In Italy

The race takes place in early December. We took part in the 2024 event which was held on 1st December. We were very lucky with the weather and it was a beautiful sunny winters day.

We enjoyed the race so much we have entered again this year! The event date this year is Sunday 7th December 2025 for the 10k, half marathon and marathon. The 51k Ultra takes place on Saturday 6th December.

Getting There

The nearest airport is Venice Treviso airport which is about a 45 minute drive if you rent a car. Venice Marco Polo airport, a bigger airport, is about an hour's drive away. We were able to get a direct flight from Malta to Venice Treviso.

Last year the race organizers offered a transfer service which cost €50 per person and included pick up from the airport and transport from your accommodation to the race start and back after the race. We used the transfer service which was very good - our flight was delayed and the driver waited a few hours for us!

This year we may rent a hire car and have a bit more flexibility getting around the area.

Stunning views along the course

Cost of Entry

Registration for the Prosecco Run opens early February - this year we entered on the 9th February. You'll want to register early because this festival has been growing in popularity, and some distances may sell out. The Half Marathon seems to be the most popular distance.

The registration process is straightforward – you can sign up online through the official website. There are early bird costs, then fees go up when a certain number of registrations are reached.

Current costs (August 2025) are:

10k - €15

21k - €33

42k - €55

51k - €85

Make sure you have your medical certificate ready if you're an international runner, as Italian races require this documentation. No certificate is required for the 10k race. If you're a running club member (National Athletics Association Club) then no certificate is required.

As we're not in a club here in Malta, we had to get a doctor to check our blood pressure, sign a medical certificate and we had to get an ECG at the hospital. This was pretty cheap here and is valid for a year so wasn't a problem.

Accommodation

The official event website offers a choice of accommodation where they have done deals with the owners or you can look on airbnb or booking.com for hotels, b&b or apartment accommodation.

We stayed at a winery called La Casa Vecchia. It was very nice but in the middle of nowhere. We didn't plan well as we had no hire car and there were no bus routes or taxis in the area! We ended up walking a lot and as there no restaurants nearby we had to get delivery - we had pizza one night and had to just buy food to eat in our room. There was no restaurant or bar at the accommodation.

Luckily the transfer service we booked was very reliable and got us to start and back afterwards.

We did have lovely sunset views over the Winery from our accommodation.

Beautiful sunset from our accommodation

Valdobbiadene

This year we have booked an apartment in Valdobbiadene which is a lovely little town with a Square and many bars and restaurants and little shops.

It's only a short distance from the start, about 15 mins, and we are thinking of hiring a car this year. The start is in Vidor, a small town but it does have a supermarket and a couple of small bars if you wanted to stay near the start.

Quite a few people seemed to stay at Hotel Diana in Valdobbiadene - this was a pick up point if you used the transfer service to the start.

The Square in Valdobbiadene

Picking up your Race Number

You pick your race number up in Vidor where the start of the race is, at the Centro Polifunzionale sports centre.

The race pack is different for each route - for the Half Marathon we got an event T-shirt, various goodies from the sponsors such as little pots of jam, energy bar, hydration drink plus A WHOLE BOTTLE OF PROSECCO each!! We thought we'd get this at the end of the race but you get it before - we didn't drink it till afterwards! ☺️🍾🥂

There are a few stands in the car park selling sports goods, so not a big Expo. Mogsy always seems to find something and bought a running vest! They also had a limited number of extra free T-shirts from the local supermarket - we were lucky enough to get a couple.

Our numbers, the T-shirt and our Prosecco

The Start

As mentioned the start is in Vidor - you have to walk a bit up a path opposite the Sports Centre - just follow the crowd!

You then go through a winery before you even start and have the chance to sample some mulled wine, coffee or water and biscuits.

Then it's just about 100m to the actual start point of the race. It's all very well organized.

Vidor near the start

The Race!

The time limits are: 9h for the Ultra Trail, 7h30′ for the Marathon 42Km, 4h for the Half Marathon 21Km and Bollicina 10Km.

So you have plenty of time to enjoy the prosecco along the way!

Beautiful views along the course

The elevation profile of the half marathon includes about 400 meters of total climbing, so it's definitely not flat.

The race takes you through some of the most beautiful vineyard landscapes in Italy and winds through rolling hills covered in prosecco vines. The course includes some challenging climbs, but the views from the top are spectacular.

Even the markers along the route are prosecco bottles!

Above you can see Richard with one of the markers - they are all pictures of prosecco bottles!

The first 5km water stop was only water, energy drinks and snacks. The prosecco didn't appear till the 10km stop and then every stop following that had samples of bubbly!

Some stops you just poured your own, others they served you. Snacks included local cheeses and meats.

There's water and energy drinks too but we tended to head straight for the prosecco!!

There were some portaloos along the course, not loads but enough!

Cheers! At one of the prosecco stops

The course is a mixture of trail through the vineyards and some road as you run from one winery to another.

I guess if the weather was bad it could be pretty muddy!

We were lucky, it was a glorious day. Fingers crossed this year will be the same.

Richard in the vineyards

This really is a fun race - you don't do it to get a fast time - just enjoy yourself and take lots of photos.

Some of the stops had music playing and at one winery you go into the building with a band playing and the official photographer takes your photo as you come out.

Towards the end there seemed to be another prosecco stop appearing round every corner. It's quite gassy so the last few kms we were kind of burping our way along to the finish!!!

Don't get a shock - very near the end there's a very steep series of steps up through a wood! These were hard work but the finish isn't far after that.

The Prosecco Running Festival In Italy

Running through the vines

Another prosecco stop appears!

The race finishes at the sports centre in Vidor where you pick your number up. Every finisher gets a medal.

There's a bag drop in the centre - queues to get your bags were a bit long but quick once you got there.

There is free pasta but the queue for it was so long we just went along to one of the local bars in a small complex along the road towards the big supermarket.

We enjoyed after-race beer and chips!!

2024 Finisher Medals made of wood

Cantina Dariva Vineyard

The After Party and Wine Tasting

Cantina Dariva is a family run Winery and is part of the 10km route. They hold an after party at the Winery too with music, food and of course prosecco. Last year they had a roast hog. It is just on the edge of Vidor on Via Vecchia D'Alnè, 21.

They also offer wine tasting sessions throughout the weekend and on the Monday after.

We didn't go to the after party but we did go along on the Monday for some wine tasting and we bought a bottle of their lovely prosecco.

This year we may try and make the after party as the Instagram videos looked really good fun!

The Winery is run by brothers Giulio and Giorgio and was founded by their grandfather. They explained all about the wine making process and the history of the Winery. They focus on quality and respect for the environment, adopting sustainable practices that make the most of each bunch of grapes.

Prosecco Tasting at Cantina Dariva Vineyard

We had a walk around the vineyard, taking in the lovely views of Vidor and the surrounding area.

View from Cantina Dariva Vineyard

They are a really lovely, friendly family and even gave us a lift home after the wine tasting session!

You can find the Cantina Dariva website here.

Our lift home!

Summary

We highly recommend this event! Running and Prosecco - what more could you want?!

It has a great fun atmosphere in a beautiful landscape, combining stunning scenery with warm hospitality. Whether you choose the 10km, half marathon, marathon, or ultra marathon distance, you'll be part of an event that celebrates both running and the incredible wine heritage of this UNESCO World Heritage region.

Start planning your trip now, because once you experience running through the prosecco hills sampling all the different varieties of prosecco, you'll understand why this festival has become a must-do event for runners around the world.

If you're going to take part this year do contact us and let us know and we can meet up with you for a glass of the bubbly stuff!!

CHEERS!! 🍾🥂

Here is the link to the Prosecco Running Festival website to enter.