Eurovelo: traveling by bike in Europe

The dream of creating a European route and network of bicycle paths began to take shape in 1997 in Logroño, Spain. EuroVelo, the European bicycle route network has already celebrated its first 25 years, counting on long-distance bicycle routes that cross and unite the entire European continent, with more than 90,000 bikeable kilometers.

For the 25th anniversary, a GPX download feature has also been activated on eurovelo.com, here you can download the GPX track for developed sections only or for the entire route for routes through France, Portugal and Spain. 

These are the Eurovelo routes:

Eurovelo 1 – the Atlantic Coast, about 8,000 km long connects North Cape in Norway to Sagres in Portugal, crossing six countries: Norway, Great Britain, Ireland, Wales, France and Spain. Along the route, 14 UNESCO sites can be visited. 

Eurovelo 2 – the capitals route, connects Galway in Ireland to Moscow in Russia, touching Dublin, London, Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk. 5,000 km and seven nations between nature and culture. 

Eurovelo 3 – the pilgrims’ route, 5,600 km long connects Trondheim in Norway to Santiago de Compostela in Spain passing through Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France and Spain. Along the route you can visit 20 UNESCO sites, the cities of Hamburg, Liègi and Paris.

Eurovelo 4 – the Central European route, is 5,050 kilometers between Roscoff in France and Kiev in Ukraine, cycling through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine. Here it passes 21 UNESCO sites. 

Eurovelo 5 – via Romea Francigena, this route involves Italy in fact connects Brindisi to London after 3,900 km via Milan and Rome. It partly traces an ancient pilgrim route that led from Canterbury to Rome and then to Jerusalem. 21 UNESCO sites can be explored between the UK, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Italy.

Eurovelo 6 – from the Atlantic to the Black Sea, 4,700 km connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea, passing through 10 countries: France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. It follows the three longest rivers in Europe namely Loire, Rhine and Danube and you can visit 11 UNESCO sites.

Eurovelo 7 – the route of the sun, 7,650 km for this route that connects North Cape in Norway to Malta in the Mediterranean, passing through 9 countries: Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy and Malta.

Eurovelo 8 – the Mediterranean route, 7,560 km from Cadiz in Spain to Athens in Greece, passing through Izmir in Turkey and the island of Cyprus. You ride along the Mediterranean coast, and pass through Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Cyprus.

Eurovelo 9 – from the Baltic to the Adriatic, 1,930 km connecting Gdansk in Poland to Pula in Croatia. It crosses Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Italy and Croatia. It pedals from the shores of the Baltic to the beaches of the Adriatic. 

Eurovelo 10 – the Baltic Sea loop, 8,800 km around the Baltic Sea, crossing 9 countries namely Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark. It is completely circular and is unique among Eurovelo routes. 

Eurovelo 11 – the Eastern European route, about 5,964 km from North Cape to Athens through 11 countries (Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, North Macedonia and Greece). Many European capitals such as Helsinki, Vilnius, Warsaw, Belgrade, Skopje and Athens can thus be visited. 

Eurovelo 12 – the North Sea Route, including beaches, dunes and port cities but also forests, 7,050 km of the entire North Sea coast. Eight nations involved: the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and France.

Eurovelo 13 – the Iron Curtain Route, about 10,550 km following the route of the former Iron Curtain from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea. As many as 20 countries are involved and including 14 UNESCO sites. An experience that offers a living lesson in European history.

Eurovelo 14 – waters of Central Europe, 1,150 km from Zell am See in Austria to Velence in Hungary, linking several major waterways, lakes and spas. 4 UNESCO sites to discover.

Eurovelo 15 – the Rhine cycle path, follows the course of the river from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea. 1,450 km through Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands. 9 UNESCO sites it touches. 

Eurovelo 16 – Iberian cycle route, will connect (by 2028) Lisbon to Pamplona via Madrid. This 1,900 km route, will include regions such as Alentejo in Portugal, with its megalithic sites, and Évora European Capital of Culture for 2027; in Spain. 

Eurovelo 17 – the cycle path of the Rhône river, you cycle through lavender fields for 1,250 km following the course of the Rhône river from its source in the Swiss Alps to its mouth in the Mediterranean in France. From the Alpine mountains to Lake Geneva, passing through Lyon and ending in the Camargue region.

Eurovelo 19 – Meuse Cycle Path, follows the course of the Meuse Cycle Path for 1,050 km through France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It starts from the Langres plateau in France and winds its way to Rotterdam, passing through three UNESCO sites.