Corri la Vita 2026: Florence Runs for Prevention and Rediscovers Its Beauty
Sunday, September 27 marks the return of CORRI LA VITA.
The 24th edition brings thousands of people to the city, over 68 cultural sites to visit for free, and a message that matters to everyone: knowing your health is the first step toward taking care of it.
There are events that have become as much a part of the city as its squares, museums, and traditions—CORRI LA VITA is one of them. On that Sunday in late September when Florence takes on a new hue, cyclamen-colored T-shirts begin to appear on the streets as early as the crack of dawn, and the city center fills with people running, walking, and socializing. This year it will be on September 27, for the 24th edition of the event founded in 2003 to support breast cancer prevention and the fight against the disease.
The race will start at 9:15 a.m. from the Parco delle Cascine, along the Arno River, and finish in Piazza della Signoria, beneath the Loggia dei Lanzi. There are two routes to choose from, with a longer course than in previous editions for those who prefer to spend the day running. The race will be started by Claudio Stecchi, the Italian indoor pole vault record holder, who has been chosen as this year’s starter. But the point, once again this year, isn’t just about crossing the finish line.
Prevention, first and foremost
CORRI LA VITA was created around a specific theme: to provide concrete support to women facing breast cancer and, at the same time, to promote a greater culture of prevention. From September 25 to 27, in Piazza della Repubblica, the Health Village will be dedicated precisely to this: there will be free screening activities and informational materials on primary and secondary prevention.
Talking about prevention also means creating opportunities for people to learn, ask questions, and better understand the importance of early detection.
A Sunday of Art and Museums
There’s also a reason why CORRI LA VITA has become such a special day for Florence: the race doesn’t necessarily end at the finish line. With the official T-shirt or your registration certificate, you’ll have free access to over 68 cultural sites throughout Florence, the Metropolitan City, and other locations in Tuscany.
For those already familiar with the historic center, this can be an opportunity to see the city from a different perspective. For visitors from out of town, it’s a way to turn a weekend dedicated to the event into a mini-exploration of the region.
Among the venues and initiatives for 2026 are Palazzo Strozzi, featuring Broken. The Power of the Fragment, Palazzo Buontalenti, featuring OPEN: A New Civic Space for Art and Science, the Sant’Orsola Museum, the Oratory of San Sebastiano (known as “dei Bini”), and the former convent of San Giovanni della Calza, which houses the Last Supper fresco painted by Franciabigio in 1514.
There will also be an opportunity to visit the Anconella Water Treatment Plant, as well as the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, the Accademia dei Georgofili, and the Museo della Misericordia.
And the cultural tour doesn’t stop in Florence. Among the participating destinations are the MUDY – Museo Dynamo in Fornaci di Barga, the Luigi Pecci Center for Contemporary Art in Prato, and the Straw Museum in Signa. Also of particular interest is the participation of the MUDEV – Museo Diffuso Empolese Valdelsa network, featuring sites such as the Leonardo Museum in Vinci, Casa Boccaccio in Certaldo, the Montelupo Ceramics Museum, and the “Jerusalem” of San Vivaldo. For participants, free admission will also be extended to Sunday, October 4.
The color of 2026 is cyclamen
The official T-shirt, as always designed by Ferragamo, will be the most recognizable symbol of the day. This year, the color has changed to a vibrant cyclamen, set to become the dominant hue in Florence for a few hours. Those unable to participate in the race can still support CORRI LA VITA by purchasing the T-shirt with a minimum donation of 10 euros, even from afar.
Numerous Florentine businesses have decided to participate in the fundraiser: from Badiani, with its Dragon Fruit Sorbet created for the occasion, to Conad, Carapelli Firenze, and the Il Cappello di Firenze Consortium. This network also involves local shops through the “Staffetta delle Botteghe” relay.
The connection with the city is also fostered through sports. In fact, the Florence Dragon Lady LILT will return, crossing the Arno River in a dragon boat, while the Erasmus community will participate in the event as part of European Sports Week.
Running for Someone
Among the small traditions of CORRI LA VITA is that of the “emotional race bibs.” Anyone arriving wearing the 2026 T-shirt can pick up a free race bib at the entry gates and dedicate it to the person for whom they’ve chosen to participate. A simple yet deeply personal gesture. In an event that brings together thousands of people, it restores the day’s most intimate meaning.
From Florentine Projects to a National Network
The funds raised will continue to support organizations working daily in the local community, including AOU Careggi and Ce.Ri.On. ISPRO-LILT at Villa delle Rose, as well as SenoNetwork scholarships and support for the Italian Foundation for Palliative Care (FILE).
An important new development concerns the CORRI LA VITA Call for Proposals, which will expand its scope to the national level starting in 2026. The goal is to support new projects selected by the Scientific Committee and extend the event’s impact beyond Tuscany.
This year’s campaign also features artwork by Chiara Xie, who chose to dedicate her design to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. Perhaps this is precisely where the central theme of this edition lies: Florence as a place where health, art, sports, and community engagement can coexist without needing to be separated.
On September 27, people will run, of course. But there will also be those who walk, those who visit a museum, those who get screened, those who simply wear that T-shirt, and those who dedicate it to someone. So many different reasons, all on the same day, and a city that, once again, chooses to be part of it.
