Gotta collect’em all!

Excited for this new adventure, I was closing the loop on the 17 currently official EuroVelo routes. I still remember my first trip in 2022, when I began discovering the best way to travel: slowly, savouring every kilometre in each country, the languages, the people, the gastronomy, the culture. Connecting iconic places, natural parks, UNESCO World Heritage sites… EuroVelo has given me all of this: cycling through Europe, sharing my experiences, recommending EuroVelo routes and above all, living life in the way that only travelling by bicycle allows.

After completing EuroVelo routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 17 over the past three summers, this year I still had three left: EuroVelo 19 – Meuse Cycle Route, EuroVelo 14 – Waters of Central Europe and EuroVelo 9 – Baltic-Adriatic.

EuroVelo 19 – Meuse Cycle Route

I landed in Amsterdam and followed the coast to the mouth of the Meuse River at Hoek van Holland, where I began the Maas route from north to south. I cycled through the Rhine and Meuse Delta, passing port towns like Maasluis, the Maasdunen National Park and Hamert National Park in Limburg. A must-stop was Arcen, with its castle and elegant gardens. I continued through Venlo and reached Roermond, a historic city, before leaving the Netherlands crossing into Belgium and pausing in Maastricht, which saw several battles during the Eighty Years’ War. In Belgium, the landscape along the river becomes spectacular: rocky cliffs, castles and cities like Liège, Namur and my favourite, Dinant, with its charming restaurants, shops and small river cruises. Crossing into France, the route becomes Meuse à Vélo. I reached Givet with its Charlemont fortification, continued along the Voie Verte des Ardennes to Mouzon and finally, after some secondary roads, concluded the journey in Verdun. The Meuse Cycle Route shows what a fully accessible, inclusive and family-friendly cycling route should be: well-signposted, safe and equipped with all necessary services.

EuroVelo 14 – Waters of Central Europe

From Bischofshofen, Austria, I took public transport to Huttau and joined the Enns (R7) cycle route, passing through Radstadt and Schladming, a famous ski resort. The route winds around the mountains, eventually bringing me to Graz, Austria’s second-largest city, with a UNESCO-listed historic centre. I then crossed into Hungary, cycling through natural parks and small hills to reach Lake Balaton. Before arriving, I visited the thermal spa in Hévíz and continued along well-marked bike paths all the way to Budapest. EuroVelo 14 is highly recommended: peaceful, with excellent infrastructure and stunning nature. A truly memorable discovery.

EuroVelo 9 – Baltic-Adriatic

This ancient trade route connecting the Baltic and Mediterranean sea runs from south to north. I passed through charming villages, vineyards and caves near Brno, in Czechia. The route then crosses forests and mountains to Plumlov, Olomuc and Jeseník. Crossing into Poland, the heavy rains of the past year were evident near Głuchołazy. I continued along rural roads, past lakes and small villages, reaching Wrocław with its medieval, colourful old town. Next, through the forests of Ruda Nature Park to Poznań and finally sharing kilometres with EuroVelo 2 – Capitals Route along the Vistula River, I reached Gdańsk on the Baltic coast. Completing these EuroVelo stretches gave me a full collection of routes, though countless kilometres remain to be explored.

EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route, EuroVelo 3 – Pilgrims Route and EuroVelo 12 – North Sea Cycle Route

I crossed by ferry from Gdynia, Poland, to Karlskrona, Sweden, cycling EuroVelo 10 via Sydkustleden and Sydostleden to Malmö. Then, by bus to Denmark to follow EuroVelo 3, exploring Hærvejen, the Oxen Way, and its almost 500 km of history, nature, towns, Romanesque churches, burial mounds and Viking settlements, until the German border. From there, I joined EuroVelo 12 along the Elbe River to Hamburg, and this was the end of my 2025 adventure.

I feel like an EuroVelo ambassador, proud to have cycled over 21,000 km and to share this amazing way of discovering Europe from my bicycle.

But it doesn’t end here: I will continue covering kilometres and exploring these magnificent cycle routes. Because it is the unknown that keeps the wheels turning.

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Written by Silvia Julian Gonzalez.

Follow her adventures on @plomoenlospedales, contact her through plomoenlospedales@gmail.com and read her other stories:

The EuroVelo Collector

5 EuroVelo routes, 7 countries, 5,100km, 3 months, and a unique bike adventure