The London Marathon starts in Greenwich and Blackheath and finishes on The Mall. The 2027 race is a weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 24 and 25. The ballot has already closed. The next public ballot should open after that race, for 2028. Status is in lottery races: when each draw opens and closes.
What runners like
Cutty Sark is the first landmark. Tower Bridge is the photo, a bit before halfway, and as loud as it looks. The Isle of Dogs is the quieter loop that follows. Canary Wharf is the second wall of noise. The Embankment and the turn onto The Mall are the finish. The risk is going out with the noise at the bridge.
Where to stay
Westminster, Covent Garden, and the South Bank put the finish and the trains in reach. Most first-timers should stay near the finish and take official start transport. Do not plan a car.
Food worth the stop
Borough Market is a Friday walk, not a Saturday meal. A plain dinner near the hotel is a successful preload. Save the long tasting menu for Monday.
For the person not racing
Tower Bridge is the viewing everyone wants and the hardest spot to hold. The Embankment is the later, more useful one. Meet at a station entrance, not near the finish.