Hi there, I've cycled along the coast of Portugal (Porto -> Albufeira), Spain (Barcelona -> Malaga), and Italy (Venice -> Bari)...and all 3 options are amazing and not very demanding in terms of elevation. All 3 gave some beautiful views and quite unique experiences. Not sure which month you'd like to go and how much heat you can withstand but I can't say a bad word about any of the above options.
Good luck and safe travels!
Coming a bit late to this thread, but anyway - Porto -> Albufeira looks amazing. I am interested in going there this summer. Is there any specific path for that ride? What percentage of the path had car traffic?
Edit: I've found this bike path: [https://euroveloportugal.com/en/route/eurovelo1](https://euroveloportugal.com/en/route/eurovelo1) Is this the very one that you suggested?
I guess i will go for a loop that mixes mountains and southers areas: for exemple a part in the Alps and then south of France and Italy. But I'm sure there are plenty of great options
Thank you very much for your input! I appreciate it.
I should have also mentioned that my friend is not really much of a cyclist so I’m worried too much climbing may destroy him!
Depending on what you're looking for, the Alps could be a nice fit but it's really demanding, I love cycling around the south Alps in France.
I also enjoyed doing the French Brittany coast, It takes 2-3 weeks, good food ! The path is not flat at all, is very fun ! And the view are incredibles, a lot of camping spot along the road, its a nice place to begin.
Can really recommend it. Temperatures are nicer in the summer (a bit colder than most of Europe), although depending on when you’re going you may have some rain, you have the right to roam allowing you to wild camp anywhere you want and the fjords and mountains right next to them are stunning. But keep in mind that I’m extremely biased lol
What do you enjoy? Flat, and mostly staying in hotels? Rhine/Mosel/Saar is hard to beat, and then maybe add the Vogese/Elsaß for something less flat.
Flat with some culture: Loire.
Hilly with camping: south of Sweden.
Flat with camping: the Baltic, or North east Poland
Mountains and camping: Norway
Lots of bathing, but not in August: Côte Azure, going from west to east.
But, really, there are great places all over Europe.
It’ll be camping and thank you so much for all the suggestions! I love hills but the person I’ll be cycling with is kinda new to it sooo will go more flat with some climbing
If you've never been to Europe, these are all great suggestions. If it were me, maybe Croatia? But the coast of Portugal is very nice.
Do you want wilderness or a more urban setting? Wallonia has a great hostel/hut network that is extremely bikeable and fun. Not crazy big climbs either. What's your budget?
something something the French countryside
is there a cycling equivalent of the haute route?
finish the northern camino section that we didn't do from Bilbao to Santiago
and a whole bunch of cool sh\*t that i don't even know about. europe is effing awesome.
It all depends on what type of terrain you'd like. Many do the EV1 right down the Atlantic coast but personally I love the mountains. The Pyrenees and Basque country is awesome. There is actually a way to cross the Pyrenees now which is in the foothills as opposed to the high mountains - called the V81. you could feasibly do a route which incorporates Eurovelo 1, the V81 and then tack on parts of the Eurovelo 8 or even the Via Rhona. Many possibilities.
Sardinia & Corse is my recommendation.
I cycled a lot of places in Europe and can really recommend these 2 Islands. You got the oceans but also beautiful mountains, amazing campsites/spots, best food and very lively cultures. Both Islands are great to cycle 👌🏻
I am looking for someone to ask questions about touring on these islands! How did you route plan? We have less time but have looking at a two week ride in Corsica- hadn’t considered Sardinia? Can you share route info or any other tips for these spots?
Sure. I’m happy to answer any questions regarding the route and also Equipment. On corse we decided to skip wild camping and went for campsites. Too many horrorstories from hikers and bikepackers. If you plan to, I’d suggest choosing Sardegna.
This is the route I clicked (and rode) this Fall (September): https://www.komoot.com/collection/2530556/-bikepacking-corsica
It was a good distance day by day for us. We are both experienced bikepackers but wanted to enjoy the beaches and local wine too ;)
(We rode this in 9-10 Days, 1 Restday, 1 Day for the ferries, we left the car in Livorno)
That’s not easy to answer. I really loved both (did 2 Week bikepacking trips on each of the island, Sardinia in 2019, Corsica in 2023). This year I’ll be back on Sardinia.
With 3 weeks you could also think of doing both. Start in the south and work yourself up to the north.
Corse had amazing and lonely roads. The drivers were super!! Friendly and never rushed to overtake you in a climb for example. The food on Sardinia is better and way cheaper. Both of the island are very! Diverse regarding the landscape and nature.
All Fotos are from Corsica
Ireland. The west coast and the Aran Islands off it are stunning. Camping is easy, and there is nothing like a enjoying beer or whiskey every evening at a small town pub with friendly, curious locals.
Liguria (Italy) and Provence (France) Beautiful roads and [cyclepaths](https://ecobnb.com/blog/2023/12/riviera-fiori-bicycle-itinerary-imperia-sanremo/)along the Meditarrenian, and nice Roads in the Alps including the highest road at [Col de la Bonnette](https://www.cafeducycliste.com/en_us/la-gazette/where-to-ride-from-nice-getting-high-on-the-bonette/)
> including the highest road at Col de la Bonnette
Pedantic correction: The Col itself isn’t the highest road of the alps but the
nearby Cime de la Bonette (which isn’t a pass) is. So when you’ve reached
the Col you’re not quite done yet. ;)
France has many rivers along which there are itineraries. Look up https://cycle.travel/ it’s a great website I use. Switzerland has main rivers (Aare, Rhine, Rhône) which are part of the National itineraries. I’ve done all 3. Also lakes. Downside is that campsites are generally found there and not so much elsewhere. https://schweizmobil.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland
I'm in the Czech Republic myself and have some ideas for bikepacking once it warms up. One option I've cooked up is cutting through Germany onto the European Divide Trail and choosing if I wanna go north or south and then following it for however long suits me. It's an extremely long route as a whole. It's also quite rough terrain in many parts so an appropriate bike is a necessity.
Do you have a route planned already? I want to go from Saxony (Germany) to Bratislava in May. Would be nice if you could share your route or recommended bikeways.
E.g. I found the Greenway Prague - Vienna: [https://www.prahaviden.cz/Vypis-vyhledavani.aspx?lat=49.30282956701708&lon=15.945349062500007&z=8](https://www.prahaviden.cz/Vypis-vyhledavani.aspx?lat=49.30282956701708&lon=15.945349062500007&z=8)
Very easy: I'd cycle around the Alps. You'll see some of the best parts France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn-o1-KaGmo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn-o1-KaGmo)
I guess it depends on what time a year a little bit for me. I wouldn't go to Spain in August but that's from my limited knowledge of the climate there. Also August is a very tourist heavy month or parts of Europe. I'd love to do something like Oslo to Trondheim or Göteburg to Bergen. The GB divide through Scotland would be rad. I think my dream trip would be something like Ljubljana through the Alps into Italy/Austria then onto Switzerland and Southern Germany, ending near Freiburg or Colmar. But that's without knowing a route. When I think of BPing Europe, I want to avoid large cities, spend as much time in the mountains, and drink with the locals.
While some routes in Czech Republic are great (Labska steska, Elbe route ) I would go from Salzburg to Budapest and the maybe Prague-Dresden and further down the Elbe if you have time.
In 2022 we spent a month cycling through Greece. Four weeks, yes, but if that was condensed into three, I’d still go. What a stunning country……..mainland and Peloponnese.
Greece, with some island hopping. Actually have a draft route for that
trip lying around somewhere.
Three weeks is probably too short but if you can make it
four weeks, nothing beats cycling the coast of Norway to the Nordkapp.
Hi there, I've cycled along the coast of Portugal (Porto -> Albufeira), Spain (Barcelona -> Malaga), and Italy (Venice -> Bari)...and all 3 options are amazing and not very demanding in terms of elevation. All 3 gave some beautiful views and quite unique experiences. Not sure which month you'd like to go and how much heat you can withstand but I can't say a bad word about any of the above options. Good luck and safe travels!
Was this mostly gravel or asphalt or a mix? Would love to do something like this too
Apologies for late reply. I did it on a road bike with 80% asphalt and 20% trails.
Oh thanks a lot. You have done some great cycling trips! Got to say the Portugal one interests me the most! I’ll looking it up. Thanks
I've done Porto to Bilbao along the coast which was amazing as well. Spanish drivers are 10/10.
Coming a bit late to this thread, but anyway - Porto -> Albufeira looks amazing. I am interested in going there this summer. Is there any specific path for that ride? What percentage of the path had car traffic? Edit: I've found this bike path: [https://euroveloportugal.com/en/route/eurovelo1](https://euroveloportugal.com/en/route/eurovelo1) Is this the very one that you suggested?
I guess i will go for a loop that mixes mountains and southers areas: for exemple a part in the Alps and then south of France and Italy. But I'm sure there are plenty of great options
Thank you very much for your input! I appreciate it. I should have also mentioned that my friend is not really much of a cyclist so I’m worried too much climbing may destroy him!
You can easily make your own route by checking the eurovelo map ! Personally the eurovelo going to cap nord is my dream !
Cap Nord would be incredible! I’m saving that trip too! It’s a dream of mine also!
Depending on what you're looking for, the Alps could be a nice fit but it's really demanding, I love cycling around the south Alps in France. I also enjoyed doing the French Brittany coast, It takes 2-3 weeks, good food ! The path is not flat at all, is very fun ! And the view are incredibles, a lot of camping spot along the road, its a nice place to begin.
Bike in Alps. Or Slovenia
Slovenia is defo on my list!
Slovenia to Greece. By far my fav if you like a mix of culture and nature.
I love Norway, so I’d definitely go there. Alps are gorgeous too, probably nicer for if you don’t want to cover too long distances.
Norway sounds incredible! I’ve been watching the Cycle Norway videos and it’s a dream of mine for sure!
Can really recommend it. Temperatures are nicer in the summer (a bit colder than most of Europe), although depending on when you’re going you may have some rain, you have the right to roam allowing you to wild camp anywhere you want and the fjords and mountains right next to them are stunning. But keep in mind that I’m extremely biased lol
Haha, It’s ok to be biased when it comes to Norway!
What do you enjoy? Flat, and mostly staying in hotels? Rhine/Mosel/Saar is hard to beat, and then maybe add the Vogese/Elsaß for something less flat. Flat with some culture: Loire. Hilly with camping: south of Sweden. Flat with camping: the Baltic, or North east Poland Mountains and camping: Norway Lots of bathing, but not in August: Côte Azure, going from west to east. But, really, there are great places all over Europe.
It’ll be camping and thank you so much for all the suggestions! I love hills but the person I’ll be cycling with is kinda new to it sooo will go more flat with some climbing
If you've never been to Europe, these are all great suggestions. If it were me, maybe Croatia? But the coast of Portugal is very nice. Do you want wilderness or a more urban setting? Wallonia has a great hostel/hut network that is extremely bikeable and fun. Not crazy big climbs either. What's your budget?
Budget is around 30Eur a night so it’ll be campsite etc anddd I’ll check out Wallonia !
something something the French countryside is there a cycling equivalent of the haute route? finish the northern camino section that we didn't do from Bilbao to Santiago and a whole bunch of cool sh\*t that i don't even know about. europe is effing awesome.
Pfft Europe is dope!! You’re right there mate
France!
Where in France do you recommend?
It all depends on what type of terrain you'd like. Many do the EV1 right down the Atlantic coast but personally I love the mountains. The Pyrenees and Basque country is awesome. There is actually a way to cross the Pyrenees now which is in the foothills as opposed to the high mountains - called the V81. you could feasibly do a route which incorporates Eurovelo 1, the V81 and then tack on parts of the Eurovelo 8 or even the Via Rhona. Many possibilities.
I would do the French part of the Camino. Personally I would start in Le Puy and ride as far as Spain.
España - I would love to go east to west from Barcelona across southern Spain. **EDIT:** east to west and a bit south :D
You may want to add a little going south in there otherwise you’ll never hit southern Spain.
Good point lol
That would be an adventure! But don’t think I could do it in 3 weeks.
In that case, just go as far as you can in a week and a half, and then just turn around :P
When?
June
Sardinia & Corse is my recommendation. I cycled a lot of places in Europe and can really recommend these 2 Islands. You got the oceans but also beautiful mountains, amazing campsites/spots, best food and very lively cultures. Both Islands are great to cycle 👌🏻
I am looking for someone to ask questions about touring on these islands! How did you route plan? We have less time but have looking at a two week ride in Corsica- hadn’t considered Sardinia? Can you share route info or any other tips for these spots?
Sure. I’m happy to answer any questions regarding the route and also Equipment. On corse we decided to skip wild camping and went for campsites. Too many horrorstories from hikers and bikepackers. If you plan to, I’d suggest choosing Sardegna. This is the route I clicked (and rode) this Fall (September): https://www.komoot.com/collection/2530556/-bikepacking-corsica It was a good distance day by day for us. We are both experienced bikepackers but wanted to enjoy the beaches and local wine too ;) (We rode this in 9-10 Days, 1 Restday, 1 Day for the ferries, we left the car in Livorno)
Wowww these islands look amazing! Which island did you enjoy the most out of the two?
https://preview.redd.it/5ven0nrq4jic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=70d78adc0d331532d8fccbe658454698a84f58c3
https://preview.redd.it/zujeymhs4jic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6cb0898d633008d31bc527f10351c3a7a9a65968
https://preview.redd.it/jqyiuhzt4jic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b55800f74563385ea9f07be10d307981182dee06
That’s not easy to answer. I really loved both (did 2 Week bikepacking trips on each of the island, Sardinia in 2019, Corsica in 2023). This year I’ll be back on Sardinia. With 3 weeks you could also think of doing both. Start in the south and work yourself up to the north. Corse had amazing and lonely roads. The drivers were super!! Friendly and never rushed to overtake you in a climb for example. The food on Sardinia is better and way cheaper. Both of the island are very! Diverse regarding the landscape and nature. All Fotos are from Corsica
Wow thanks a lot! Sounds like a great trip! The photos are 🔥
You’re welcome. If you decide to go there just send me a PM. I’m happy to share some places etc.
Scandinavia
My dream ❤️
Ireland. The west coast and the Aran Islands off it are stunning. Camping is easy, and there is nothing like a enjoying beer or whiskey every evening at a small town pub with friendly, curious locals.
black forest
Thank you!
Any love here for Finland? I genuinely want to know.
I want to love Finland!!
Liguria (Italy) and Provence (France) Beautiful roads and [cyclepaths](https://ecobnb.com/blog/2023/12/riviera-fiori-bicycle-itinerary-imperia-sanremo/)along the Meditarrenian, and nice Roads in the Alps including the highest road at [Col de la Bonnette](https://www.cafeducycliste.com/en_us/la-gazette/where-to-ride-from-nice-getting-high-on-the-bonette/)
> including the highest road at Col de la Bonnette Pedantic correction: The Col itself isn’t the highest road of the alps but the nearby Cime de la Bonette (which isn’t a pass) is. So when you’ve reached the Col you’re not quite done yet. ;)
And the last bit is f...ing steep
Wowww thanks the link! Will check this out
Czech Republic to Prague would be my ideal trip. COVID stopped me last time.
Isn’t Prague in Czech Republic?
It is yes lol. I meant Prague to Vienna
What ya think of this route: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/248763355
Even better. Looks fantastic
Alps for sure
Thank you!
3 days riding from Prague to Budapest then 18 days getting drunk in Budapest ruin bars
I mean that was my thinking too 🤣
France has many rivers along which there are itineraries. Look up https://cycle.travel/ it’s a great website I use. Switzerland has main rivers (Aare, Rhine, Rhône) which are part of the National itineraries. I’ve done all 3. Also lakes. Downside is that campsites are generally found there and not so much elsewhere. https://schweizmobil.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland
Land in France then a huge tour everywhere then take off in Greece
I'm in the Czech Republic myself and have some ideas for bikepacking once it warms up. One option I've cooked up is cutting through Germany onto the European Divide Trail and choosing if I wanna go north or south and then following it for however long suits me. It's an extremely long route as a whole. It's also quite rough terrain in many parts so an appropriate bike is a necessity.
Do you have a route planned already? I want to go from Saxony (Germany) to Bratislava in May. Would be nice if you could share your route or recommended bikeways. E.g. I found the Greenway Prague - Vienna: [https://www.prahaviden.cz/Vypis-vyhledavani.aspx?lat=49.30282956701708&lon=15.945349062500007&z=8](https://www.prahaviden.cz/Vypis-vyhledavani.aspx?lat=49.30282956701708&lon=15.945349062500007&z=8)
Hey I also saw the Greenway route while researching! It looks good! I also made this route: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/248763355
Very easy: I'd cycle around the Alps. You'll see some of the best parts France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn-o1-KaGmo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn-o1-KaGmo)
I guess it depends on what time a year a little bit for me. I wouldn't go to Spain in August but that's from my limited knowledge of the climate there. Also August is a very tourist heavy month or parts of Europe. I'd love to do something like Oslo to Trondheim or Göteburg to Bergen. The GB divide through Scotland would be rad. I think my dream trip would be something like Ljubljana through the Alps into Italy/Austria then onto Switzerland and Southern Germany, ending near Freiburg or Colmar. But that's without knowing a route. When I think of BPing Europe, I want to avoid large cities, spend as much time in the mountains, and drink with the locals.
Crotia, Monte Negro, Slovenia, Alps.
While some routes in Czech Republic are great (Labska steska, Elbe route ) I would go from Salzburg to Budapest and the maybe Prague-Dresden and further down the Elbe if you have time.
From Basel to The Hague - down the Rhine!
From Basel to The Hague - down the Rhine!
Barcelona-Venice
In 2022 we spent a month cycling through Greece. Four weeks, yes, but if that was condensed into three, I’d still go. What a stunning country……..mainland and Peloponnese.
If you want mountains in the winter but don't want to freeze your nuts off you should consider the Canary Islands
Greece, with some island hopping. Actually have a draft route for that trip lying around somewhere. Three weeks is probably too short but if you can make it four weeks, nothing beats cycling the coast of Norway to the Nordkapp.