Cursa dels Nassos Barcelona 2026

Barcelona says goodbye to the year on the run. Every 31 December, as the afternoon light fades over Poblenou and the city gets ready for midnight, thousands of runners fill Carrer de Selva de Mar for the Cursa dels Nassos, the ultimate Barcelona San Silvestre and the most festive date on the city's running calendar. Runners start in daylight and finish under the streetlights, surrounded by costumes, Santa hats, music and a cheering crowd that carries everyone through the final metres of the year.A tradition with a storyThe race pays tribute to the Home dels Nassos, a character from Catalan folklore who, legend says, has as many noses as there are days left in the year, so on 31 December he has just one. Organised by Barcelona City Council since 1999, the Cursa dels Nassos has grown into one of Spain's biggest New Year's Eve races. In 2026 it celebrates its 28th edition and welcomes 16,500 runners, the largest field in its history. Its prestige reaches far beyond the popular race: the event holds a World Athletics Label, and its streets have seen 5 km road world records, including Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi in 12:49 (2021) and Kenya's Beatrice Chebet in 14:13 (2023), the year World Athletics named it the best international women's race.A certified 10K built for speedThe certified, almost completely flat 10 km course is one of the fastest in Catalonia and a perfect chance to end the year with a personal best. Start and finish are on Carrer de Selva de Mar. The opening kilometres run along the seafront via Passeig de Garcia Fària, Llacuna and Salvador Espriu, parallel to the Ronda Litoral, before heading along Doctor Aiguader towards Estació de França, a wide, flat stretch ideal for settling into race pace. Beside the Parc de la Ciutadella comes the course's most distinctive moment: a 180º turn on Passeig de Picasso and a loop along Circumval·lació around the Zoo. From km 5.7 the reward begins: Marina, Llull, Llacuna and Avinguda Diagonal link long, wide straights where the race surges towards the finish. The final straight on Selva de Mar is made for a progressive finish and one last sprint under the arch.Designed for every runnerWaves start in stages from 17:15, with colour-coded corrals based on accredited times, so every runner has room to find their rhythm from the gun. Around 28 pacers cover target times from 28 to 65 minutes, and illuminated kilometre markers, with references every 500 metres, help you keep track of your splits. There is a water station around km 6, between Marina and Llull, and at the finish runners get water, an isotonic drink and fruit. The race is fully inclusive, with categories for wheelchair athletes and runners with intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy or visual impairments, plus an earlier start for handbikes. It also counts towards the Lliga Championchip.A race with a causeWhen registering, runners can donate to the Fundació A. Bosch for childhood cancer research at Vall d'Hebron Hospital, so the last kilometres of the year make a difference beyond the finish line.Practical informationRegistration includes bib, technical T-shirt and runner's bag, with an optional finisher medal. Bibs are collected at Escola Grèvol (Carrer de Provençals, 9) from 28 to 30 December. A cloakroom is available near the start area, and public transport is the best way to get there: Metro L4 (Selva de Mar) and Tram T4.Running the Cursa dels Nassos is the perfect way to close the year: bib on your chest, the city at your feet and a big smile before the midnight grapes.