EuroVelo 6 connects western and eastern Europe via a 3,600-kilometre cycling route that allows you to visit four Unesco sites, five European capitals and to ride along six rivers.
EuroVelo 6 is one of the great cycling routes that cross the whole of Europe, a kind of long cycle path of 3,650 kilometres connecting the east and west of the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea.
EuroVelo 6 passes through ten European Union member states (France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria). Along the route it is possible to cycle beside no fewer than six European rivers and visit four Unesco World Heritage sites.
EuroVelo 6 is largely built on dedicated cycle paths, or on roads with little traffic. Those who cycle this route can enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe, including the Danube Delta in Romania and the Loire Valley in France. As well as European capitals such as Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Belgrade and Bucharest. Other major cities reachable by cycling the EuroVelo 6 route include Nantes, Basel, Ulm, Regensburg, Linz, Novi Sad and Constanța on the Black Sea.
The westernmost section of the EuroVelo 6 route is the French one. It is one of the most prestigious cycle paths France has to offer: from Saint-Nazaire to Mulhouse, riders pedal along the banks of the Loire and the rivers Saône and Doubs. By bike you pass through towns and villages of great historical value, such as the Loire Valley and the citadel of Besançon, listed among the Unesco sites.
Also part of the Unesco heritage is the royal château of Chambord: one of the most famous castles in France, with a style blending Renaissance and medieval influences.
The Swiss section (national Rhine route number 2) of EuroVelo 6 follows the course of the Rhine from Basel to Stein am Rhein on Lake Constance. In this area you can observe the salt towers, the Swiss-German bridges, the asparagus fields, and the Holzhütten (the timber houses typical of the region). Worth a visit is Stein am Rhein, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved towns in Switzerland. The old town is famous for its frescoes and its characteristic streets.
EuroVelo 6 passes through Germany along stretches of the Rhine Valley cycle paths and the Hohenzollern route, before reaching Passau via the Danube cycle path.
With its church tower standing 161 metres tall, Ulm Cathedral is the largest Protestant church in Germany and the tallest church in the world. Despite the bombing of the city during the Second World War, the cathedral remained largely intact. Regensburg is a Unesco World Heritage site, a medieval German city famous for the Cathedral of Sankt Peter, one of the most visited in Germany.
From what is considered one of the most beautiful cycling routes in Europe, the path leads into Austria. Here there are 434 kilometres of route that continue as far as Slovakia and its capital Bratislava. A stop at the historic centre of Vienna, which is among the sites recognised by Unesco, is a must. The city of Linz is also worth a visit, both because it has been recognised by Unesco as a City of Media Arts — combining culture, nature and industry — and for the opportunity to taste the Linzer Torte, one of the oldest recipes in the world.
The EuroVelo website recommends visiting Komárno in Slovakia. There you will find Mediawave, a jazz music and arts festival held in a fortress. There is also a museum recalling the historical significance of the site: during the First World War the city was divided in two, one Slovak and one Hungarian part, on either bank of the Danube.
Heading south, the route reaches Hungary, cycling along the Danube from Rajka to Mohács, known for its extraordinary natural and cultural scenery. These include the presence of the Limes, the frontier of the Roman Empire along the Danube, the landscapes carved out along the Danube as well as its banks near Budapest.
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Hungary is famous for its thermal baths, some housed in historic buildings dating back to the time of the Ottoman conquests. An excellent idea after a long and tiring day in the saddle could be a visit to the Rudas, Király and Széchenyi thermal baths in Budapest.
The city of Esztergom is known for having hosted the coronations of Hungarian kings. It has one of the largest basilicas in the country, near the castle, at a highly scenic vantage point that affords views of the city, the Danube and the Tatra Mountains.
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The route passes through one of the most beautiful areas of eastern Croatia, along the Danube and Drava rivers. The Croatian section begins at Duboševica, where riders cycle through the stunning region of Kopački Rit Nature Park, one of the largest and most beautiful wetlands in Europe.
EuroVelo 6 passes through Serbia along the Danube, reaching the capital Belgrade before continuing into Romania.
The Romanian section of EuroVelo 6, between Baziaș and the Black Sea, accounts for one third of the Danube's total length of 1,075 kilometres. You can cycle along the Danube from Bela Crkva-Naidas, or take a boat along the river at Moldova Veche.
The Bulgarian section begins near Bregovo at Vidin and follows Lom, Kozloduy, Svishtov, Ruse and Silistra, where cyclists can follow the Danube Delta. The cycle path is mostly signposted along asphalt roads as close to the river as possible and offers ideal opportunities for birdwatching and enjoying unspoilt nature.
The EuroVelo 6 route is an unmissable opportunity for those who love cycling, travelling long distances and discovering many parts of Europe by following the west-east axis — areas little known to mainstream tourists.