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Driving through the northern suburbs of Athens with a view of Mount Parnitha in the distance we arrive at the Marathon Lake, a beautiful spot created by nature and human intervention, as the lake is artificial and actually works as a water reservoir that supplies the city of Athens with drinking water.

The lake was formed from the construction of an impressive dam which was built of white pentelic marble.

From there we go to the plain of Marathon where the famous battle between Athenians and Persians took place in 490 BC.

The Athenians defeated the Persians with the loss of only 192 Athenians, who were buried where they died.

We see the burial mound of the Athenians in a peaceful olive grove. After the battle an Athenian warrior, Pheidipides ran all the way from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory of the Athenians and only said one word: Nenikikamen, which means ‘we have been victorious’ and died from exhaustion.

In memory of this event, the Marathon race has been organized since 1896 in Athens first and in different parts of the world.

Runners from all over the world go to Marathon to participate in the classic Marathon which starts there and covers the original distance run by Pheidipides.