How long is the airplane route in Athens?

The airplane covers 13.8 km with 222 m of ascent and 222 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 96 minutes plus stops.

Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?

Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.

How accurate is the drawing?

The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 3.2 km east to west and 2.5 km north to south across Athens.

Where does the route start?

The start point is at 38.00048, 23.74833 — roughly 2.6 km north-east of the centre of Athens. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.

Greece › Athens › GPS art route

Airplane GPS Art Running Route in Athens — 13.8 km

A 13.8 km loop through Athens that draws an airplane when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 222 m in total, and covers a footprint about 3.2 km wide by 2.5 km tall.

Navigate it in the app

Distance13.8 km

Elevation gain222 m

Elevation loss222 m

Estimated time96 min

DifficultyChallenging

Average gradient1.6%

Video preview

A satellite flyover of the finished airplane over Athens, rendered from this exact GPX file.

Route map

Start point: 38.00048, 23.74833 — about 2.6 km north-east of the centre of Athens. It is a closed loop, so any point on the line works as a start.

Elevation profile

Measured from the elevation data in the GPX file: 222 m of ascent and 222 m of descent across 13.8 km, an average gradient of 1.6%.

Kilometre by kilometre

Split	Heading	Elevation change	Range
km 1	Runs south-west	-73 m	108–180 m
km 2	Runs west	-24 m	83–110 m
km 3	Runs south	-12 m	71–84 m
km 4	Runs south-south-east	+6 m	72–87 m
km 5	Runs west-north-west	-25 m	53–78 m
km 6	Runs north-east	+14 m	53–68 m
km 7	Runs north-north-west	-3 m	64–72 m
km 8	Runs west-north-west	-7 m	53–64 m
km 9	Runs north-north-west	-7 m	45–57 m
km 10	Runs east	+18 m	49–69 m
km 11	Runs north-east	+12 m	67–79 m
km 12	Runs south-south-east	+16 m	79–95 m
km 13	Runs east-south-east	+27 m	95–122 m
km 13.8	Runs east	+59 m	122–181 m

Turn-by-turn outline

The 24 direction changes below are the ones that define the drawing. Hitting them accurately matters more than pace — the shape only reads well if the corners are sharp.

0.13 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
0.51 km — turn right, then continue west-north-west.
0.65 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
0.86 km — turn right, then continue north-north-west.
1.23 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
1.57 km — turn right, then continue west.
1.94 km — turn left, then continue south.
2.72 km — turn left, then continue east-south-east.
3.10 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
3.31 km — turn right, then continue south.
3.50 km — turn right, then continue west.
3.83 km — turn right, then continue west-north-west.
4.32 km — turn left, then continue west-south-west.
4.80 km — turn right, then continue north-west.
4.93 km — turn right, then continue north.
5.12 km — turn right, then continue east.
5.25 km — turn left, then continue north.
5.70 km — turn left, then continue north-north-east.
6.46 km — turn left, then continue west-north-west.
6.72 km — turn right, then continue north-west.
7.00 km — turn right, then continue north.
7.12 km — turn left, then continue south.
7.38 km — turn right, then continue north-north-west.
7.89 km — turn right, then continue west.

Difficulty and terrain

Challenging. About 16 m of climb per kilometre. Rolling terrain that rewards steady effort rather than even pacing.

Surface: Urban roads, park paths, and mixed city surfaces.

Safety: Check traffic flow, sidewalks, and route lighting before your run.

Best months: Year-round, based on local weather and race calendar.

How to run this shape

Download the GPX file with your subscription and load it onto your watch, or open it in the ShapeMiles app.
Start anywhere on the loop — beginning near a landmark makes the finish easier to find.
Keep GPS recording continuous. Pausing mid-run leaves straight lines that cut across the drawing.
Follow the corners precisely; short detours are what blur the shape.
Upload to Strava and the airplane appears on your activity map.

Questions about this route

How long is the airplane route in Athens?: The airplane covers 13.8 km with 222 m of ascent and 222 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 96 minutes plus stops.
Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?: Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.
How accurate is the drawing?: The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 3.2 km east to west and 2.5 km north to south across Athens.
Where does the route start?: The start point is at 38.00048, 23.74833 — roughly 2.6 km north-east of the centre of Athens. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.