Where does the Boston Marathon traditionally begin?

The Boston Marathon traditionally begins in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

The race starts on Main Street in the town of Hopkinton and follows a point-to-point route eastward toward Boston. The finish is on Boylston Street, near Copley Square, creating one of the most recognizable start-to-finish journeys in road racing.

Boston’s course passes through several communities, including Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline. Newton is associated with the famous series of hills, especially Heartbreak Hill, but it is not the starting town.

The Boston Marathon was first held in 1897. Its route and qualifying standards have helped make it one of the world’s best-known marathons, while the Hopkinton start remains a defining part of its identity.