Imagine a bike ride from the North Cape to Malta. 7700 kilometres of pedalling through nine countries. From the far north to the sunny south, across the Alps, through world cities and past UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sounds fantastic doesn't it? And it can be done, without spending weeks planning your own route! In this article, we tell you more about EuroVelo, a route network of thousands of kilometres across Europe.
What is Eurovelo?
EuroVelo is a network of 17 long-distance cycling routes across Europe. The routes cross several countries and are together 90,000 kilometres long. The shortest route is 'only' 2050 kilometres and the longest is over 11,000 kilometres. You then cycle along almost the entire west coast of Europe; from the North Cape through England and Ireland to Portugal. Wow!
The routes were created and approved by the European Cyclists' Federation. EuroVelo aims to ensure that there are more good cycle paths across the continent and encourage European citizens to take to their bikes. Both for commuting and holidays.
The size of the route network is also immediately the drawback of EuroVelo. As you can probably imagine, this is not a project that is done in a jiffy. Some stages of the routes are completely finished and even signposted. But other parts of the routes are currently being built or even planned to be built.
Where can I find EuroVelo routes in the Netherlands?
For Dutch people, there is quite a bit to choose from close to home. No fewer than four routes cross our little country:
- North Sea route: Hundreds of kilometres of fun along the coast. From Retranchement in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen to Bad-Nieuweschans in Groningen.
- Maasroute: Pedal along one of Europe's most important rivers. Start in the heart of Rotterdam and explore the Maasvlakte by bike. You'll also visit cities like Dordrecht, Den Bosch, Venlo and Maastricht. In the south, put your gears to good use as you'll also pass through the Limburg hills.
- Rhine route: From Hoek van Holland via Rotterdam, Wageningen, Arnhem to Millingen aan de Rijn.
- Capital Cities Route: This route connects Dublin, London, Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk and Moscow. And for that, we skip our own capital. Also with this route, you start in - how could it be otherwise - in Hoek van Holland. The place that connects the Netherlands and England. Via The Hague and Utrecht, you cycle towards Arnhem. In the Achterhoek near Groenlo, you cross the border.
Dream with us
We are already dreaming of the Mediterranean route: 7350 kilometres through 10 countries and past 23 UNESCO sites. Emerald seas, kilometres of golden sand, delicious food and ancient cities. We can already see ourselves cycling along the canals of Venice, visiting the Alhambra in Granada and sitting on a terrace in the old town of Dubrovnik. Which route would you choose? Let us know in the comments below.
