The course starts in Stra and passes through Mestre, Parco San Giuliano [it], and Ponte della Libertà before ending at Riva dei Sette Martiri [it] in Venice.

[7][9][a] In 2018, the high tide resulted in runners having to run through ankle-deep water, and forced organizers to drop Piazza San Marco from the course.

[13] The marathon runs on a point-to-point course that begins at Villa Pisani in Stra along the Riviera del Brenta and ends on the Riva dei Sette Martiri [it; vec] in Venice.

[15] The first part of the course roughly follows the river eastward through Fiesso d'Artico, Dolo, Mira Porte [it], Oriago [it], and Malcontenta [it], before splitting off to the northeast to arrive at Marghera for the halfway point.

Solomon Mutai of Uganda holds the men's record of 2:08:10 while Helena Kirop of Kenya is the women's holder with 2:23:37.