Marathon weekend: hundreds of flavours, music and fire await you at the Taste Košice festival
Get ready for a packed weekend with Europe’s oldest marathon, which has another sensational new feature in store for you this year – listen up, because the unique Taste Košice food festival is coming to town!
Whether you’re a recreational runner, an athlete or simply enjoy watching the races from a distance, this unique blend of sport and hundreds of flavours will show you a side of the city in autumn you’ve never seen before. Read on and choose from the range of events to suit your taste.
Experience the buzz of a lively city during the races
The 102nd International Peace Marathon will get everyone’s blood pumping on 4 October from 9.00 am on Hlavná Street. Take part in a 42-kilometre endurance run and discover the city’s beauty and historic buildings at a runner’s pace. A course with no significant elevation changes awaits all participants in the Marathon, Volvo Half-Marathon, MMM Relay, Inline and Handbike events.
Since its inception in 1924, the Košice Marathon has undoubtedly been one of the most popular sporting events for decades and a source of pride for the city. Head to this vibrant city and be amazed by the exceptional blend of sport and gastronomy as part of the month-long Taste Košice festival.
Marathon menu throughout the weekend
From 2 to 4 October, a special Marathon menu will also be available at selected venues in Košice. Pop into Šum Wine Bar, Pivovar Hostinec or Camelot – Pilsner Pub & Medieval Restaurant for a menu packed with carbohydrates to help you top up your energy levels before the gruelling race. Specially prepared for runners, but also for fans and anyone who wants to make the most of the marathon weekend.
Choose your dining spot and add some good food to your weekend plans.
After the race, treat yourself to a month-long festival of flavours
A new food festival invites the people of Košice and visitors to enjoy the city of a hundred flavours right in the historic centre and at its renowned restaurants, bars and pubs. The start of the month-long Taste Košice festival will be the marathon weekend. Kick things off with the TASTE OF FIRE at the popular OhniskO | Fire Dining and Brew Bar, which will host the festival’s official opening with a live cooking demonstration, music, wine, a bar workshop and coffee cupping. Let yourself be surprised by fiery combinations and fire performances, and sample other fermented classics at this popular Košice restaurant for all discerning gourmets.
Let's have a marathon duck feast!
Treat yourself to traditional seasonal specialities that many people look forward to all year round. Duck feast season is just around the corner, and during the marathon weekend and the Taste Košice festival, you can pop into the Villa Regia guesthouse and restaurant on Dominikánske námestie for the Marathon Duck! Savour a hearty roast duck with cabbage, stuffing and homemade potato pancakes, and discuss the finer details and highlights of the race over lunch or dinner.
Come and discuss (not just) running technique over Sunday brunch
Head to the magnificent resort in the heart of City Park for some culinary delights. The themed Sunday brunch at SEVEN Restaurant Café, from 11.00 to 15.30, is sure to be enjoyed by all runners, as well as their loyal supporters and families. The menu itself remains a mystery, but one thing is certain: this late breakfast with a sweet treat is sure to please everyone – let yourself be enchanted by the combinations Marathon Brunch at Villa Sandy!
Head to Košice for a long weekend
Visit Košice just before the race and kick off your long weekend with other events taking place as part of the Taste Košice festival in October! From 2 to 3 October, you can enjoy wild Cuban nights in the city after dark with DJ FRAN and DJ LESTER at El Nacional | Represent Cuba, as well as Meet & Greet Fridays: Best Of at OhniskO Fire Dining & Brew Bar. For wine tastings, pop into the Galéria shopping centre for the Bread & Wine Tasting at the Kubbo Select shop, in collaboration with the Kromka bakery.
The Taste Košice Festival kicks off in just a few days during the International Peace Marathon. Plan your days in Košice city centre and savour the city of a hundred flavours under one banner, combined with music, stories from the city’s history and a market of craft products. Check out the detailed programme on the website www.tastekosice.sk.