EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, is a venture by European Cyclists’ Federation with a goal to develop 12 long-distance cycling routes through Europe.
Have you ever thought about crossing Europe by bicycle?
Total lenght is 60,000 km, of which about 45,000 km are already in place. These routs span thousands of kilometers, from Norway’s North Cape to Sicily, from Moscow to Galway in Ireland, from London to Rome… The best thing about it is that you are planning your stage, you decide where you want to go, how many kilometers you want to pass and adjust it you your desires and tastes. Being on the road brings people closer together; everyone decided to take a cycling trip for a different reason. And you can meet people along the way, on certain parts of routes you travel.
However, you might think that those routes are only for people that are very fit and in a terrific shape. Which 
is not true because they are not made in a way to be only a sports activity. You choose you rhythm, stages. And most importantly, EuroVelo doesn’t have a goal to build tracks for cyclists but for people who cycle. Tourism is already seriously developing itself around this concept. All of the towns along routes are opening special stores for cyclist and even hotels focus around these types of tourists. Austria is an example that stands out with 40 “Bike Hotels” that provide repair tools, bicycle storage, special meals and detailed weather information; as well as, very well known, Switzerland with over 100 velotels.
For a route to be part of EuroVelo must have:
- have no gradient above 6%
- be wide enough for 2 cyclists
- have an average of no more than 1,000 motorised vehicles a day
- be sealed for 80% of it’s lenght
- be open for 365 day a year, have provision points every 30 km, accommodation every 50 km, and public transport every 150 km
While travelling, a great thing is to keep a journal. You can stop at any point to take a photo or to record your adventures. Change direction, these trips are an expression of your personality; imagine all the scenery and places you would cross through. Both inhabited and uninhabited. You will continue to enjoy it all for a long, long time after your return home.
Bicycle travel is not a new trend, it started becoming popular at the end of the 90s in Europe. There are now hundreds of thousands of tourists travelling on bicycles every year. If you’re looking for new ways of travel, new experiencs, look into it…you never know, you just might be the next person riding your bike on the Mediterranean route…
Stella – European Travelling Advisor
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