With just a few days to go, Dubrovnik is set for one of its most distinctive spring weekends as DU Motion returns to the city. This year’s programme once again brings together the event’s best-known races, from the demanding Run The Wall and the sold-out Dubrovnik Half Marathon to the much-loved Orlando Kids’ Race and Sunday’s 5K, giving the weekend a lively mix of sport, atmosphere and family energy. Local coverage of the 2026 edition describes it as the festival’s 10th edition, with almost 3,000 runners from 55 countries expected in Dubrovnik.
Saturday begins with Run The Wall
The weekend opens on Saturday, 25 April, with Run The Wall, one of Dubrovnik’s most unusual races. According to the official race page, it starts at 10:00 am on Stradun and covers 2.5 kilometres along the Dubrovnik City Walls. DU Motion describes it as a unique and demanding race shaped by 1,080 steps, slippery ancient stone and panoramic views over the city and the sea.
Run The Wall is already sold out. The organisers say registration closed on 31 March 2026 or earlier if the maximum of 100 runners was reached beforehand.
The kids take over Stradun later that morning
Later on Saturday, the spotlight shifts to the youngest runners. The Orlando Kids’ Race is scheduled for 11:00 am on 25 April, also on Stradun, with a short 250-metre course running between Onofrio’s Fountain and Orlando’s Column. The official race page describes it as the most emotional of all DU Motion races, designed for future runners taking their first steps into the event atmosphere.
There is one small note of caution here: the official kids’ race page still shows registration information, but DU Motion’s wider registration page currently lists the 2026 kids’ race as sold out. That makes the current registration status slightly unclear across official channels.
Sunday brings the sold-out Dubrovnik Half Marathon
The main event follows on Sunday, 26 April, when the Dubrovnik Half Marathon takes over the city. The race begins at 9:30 am on Stradun, which also serves as the finish line, and covers the full 21.1-kilometre distance with a three-hour time limit. The official race page presents it as the flagship race of the DU Motion programme.
This race is also sold out. According to the organisers, registrations closed on 31 March 2026 or earlier if the limit of 1,000 runners was reached.
Sunday also brings the 5K into the city
Just after the half marathon start, DU Motion’s Charity Race 5K also takes over the streets of Dubrovnik. According to the official race page, it starts on Sunday, 26 April at 9:35 am on Stradun and has a three-hour time limit. The organisers describe it as one of the event’s most inclusive races, designed for all generations, recreational runners and beginners alike.
That makes the Sunday programme broader than a single elite-distance race. Alongside the half marathon, the 5K adds a more accessible city-running element and helps widen the atmosphere across the morning.
A route that moves well beyond the Old City
Part of what makes the half marathon so distinctive is the route itself. According to DU Motion, the course starts on Stradun and continues through Ulica Sv. Dominika, Vrata od Ploča, Ulica Iza Grada, Pile, Ulica branitelja Dubrovnika, Put od Republike, Vukovarska ulica, Obala Stjepana Radića and Obala Ivana Pavla II, before heading out towards Batahovina, Sustjepan, Čajkovići and Komolac, and then returning to the Old City for the finish. It is a route that combines the monumental heart of Dubrovnik with a wider look at the city beyond the walls.
Packet pick-up starts on Thursday
For participants, race weekend begins before the starting gun. DU Motion says packets can be collected at the Du Motion Runners’ Corner in Lazareti from Thursday, 23 April, 3 pm to 7 pm, and then again on Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm. Packets for Run The Wall and the Kids’ Race can be picked up on Thursday and Friday, while packets for the Half Marathon and 5K can be collected on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The organisers also note that packets cannot be collected on race day.
A note for drivers
Drivers should also expect a different traffic rhythm during the weekend, especially on Sunday. DU Motion states in its official FAQ that during the half marathon and 5K race, city streets will be completely closed to traffic, and organisers do not recommend arriving by car because of the special traffic regime in the Old Town area. Anyone planning to drive that morning should allow extra time and expect temporary disruptions along sections of the route.
More than a race weekend
Over the years, DU Motion has grown into much more than a sporting event. What makes it especially Dubrovnik is the way it blends world-class race atmosphere with the city’s own setting, from the walls and Stradun to the wider urban landscape and the energy of spring. This year’s programme reflects that especially well: one race on the walls, one through the city, and one for the youngest runners right in the historic centre.
Dubrovnik in motion again
With Stradun once again serving as start and finish line, DU Motion is set to bring movement, colour and a recognisable spring energy back to Dubrovnik this weekend. For some, it will be about pace and performance. For others, it will simply be one of those weekends when the city feels especially alive.
