The Path Less Pedalled

Over the years, we've travelled through Southern and Western Europe, but this time, we chose to cycle from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Krakow, Poland, covering 1,700 km along part of EuroVelo 11 - East Europe Route. Our goal was to discover the lesser-known and beautiful countries of the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe.

How did we prepare?

To be honest, our preparation for this trip was minimal. There's still limited information available on the EuroVelo 11 route. It's important to note that the route is still under construction, with many sections lacking bike lanes and signage. However, with our GPX data, navigation was pretty straightforward, you won’t miss the way, believe me!

We drove from Germany to Thessaloniki in our campervan, handed the van over to my brother and his girlfriend, and then hit the road on our bikes. However, Thessaloniki, one of Greece's largest cities, is also easily accessible by public transport.

Greece in a day

We only followed EuroVelo 11 for a day in Greece, so I can't say much about the Greek section. From Thessaloniki to the Macedonian border, there are no dedicated bike lanes or signage, but the roads generally have little traffic and are in good condition. One thing to be prepared for in Greece is the presence of stray dogs—they are everywhere!

North Macedonia – A delightful surprise

To our pleasant surprise, North Macedonia turned out to be a fantastic country for cycling! We encountered numerous cyclists, both sport and touring, and most of EuroVelo 11 here runs along expressways (R1102, R1104) parallel to highways, which keeps car traffic to a minimum. The scenery is stunningly mountainous, and the locals are incredibly welcoming.

We were frequently invited for meals, watermelons and even offered places to stay. Though our time in North Macedonia was brief, we fell in love with the country from day one, and it remained our favourite throughout the trip. North Macedonia, we will definitely come back!

Serbia – What a heat

Despite warnings about heavy traffic in Serbia, cycling through the southern part of the country on EuroVelo 11 was both safe and beautiful (though the heat was intense). Serbia greeted us with some of the highest mountains, making the first days of cycling quite challenging. After much sweating, we arrived in the charming city of Leskovac and were thrilled to spot the first EuroVelo signs!

The route took us through picturesque villages and the lovely town of Smederevo before merging with the EuroVelo 6 - Atlantic-Black Sea towards Belgrade. Although we made it to Belgrade with the combined power of two EuroVelos, crossing the Danube and entering the city by bike was difficult and unsafe. After leaving Belgrade, traffic increased along EuroVelo 11, and the heat-stricken landscape became monotonous. After cycling for more than two weeks in nearly 45°C temperatures, we were relieved to leave Serbia. Still, we met a lot of friendly locals and we need to emphasize that Serbia has an amazingly high incidence of nice kiosks on the way. So, you will always get a cold drink and some snacks on the way!

Hungary – A cyclist's dream

Crossing the border into Hungary, we were greeted by perfect bike lanes, numerous signs, and expansive plains. It was incredible to experience a well-prepared EuroVelo route—cycling through pure nature without cars nearby! We followed the Tisza River through Szolnok, spotting birds of prey, storks, and deer along the way. EuroVelo 11 then led us through the Tokaji wine region, where we encountered our first hills just before leaving the country.

Slovakia – A warm welcome from the hills

We cycled downhill into Slovakia, passing through the beautiful city of Košice and embarking on a stunning journey through the Slovak hills. The highlight was the nature between Šambron and Plavnica. Before leaving Slovakia, we followed the Poprad River along the Polish border, another breathtaking section of our trip. Overall, Slovakia was an excellent country for cycling, with well-maintained bike lanes, good roads, and very little traffic. Of note, food-wise not a recommended paradise for vegetarians!

Poland – The hills continue

We entered Poland on a well-maintained bike lane but quickly lost track of the EuroVelo signs and dedicated paths. Most of our route through Poland was on expressways with moderate traffic and a fair number of hills. We concluded our trip in Wieliczka, a perfect spot to explore Kraków without having to cycle into the city itself, before continuing on a self-planned bike route back to Germany.

Czechia and the art of brewing excellent beer

Cycling through Czechia was a fantastic experience. It felt like there were more signs for bikes than for cars! After crossing the border on hilly bike lanes, we followed the well-marked and scenic Elbe River cycling path. One unique highlight of Czechia is the abundance of kiosks along the way, almost all of which offer fresh draft beer. We’ll definitely return for more outdoor adventures!

Germany – our final destination in the middle of nowhere

Soon after, we crossed into Germany, visiting Dresden, Leipzig, and Magdeburg by bike, stopping along the way to see friends and family. After nearly two months of cycling, we finally reached our destination: Stapen, a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, one we absolutely plan to repeat - there are still so many unexplored bike routes left in Europe!

Written by Lena Feige