Discover Europe in a different way through greenways!

European Scope.

European Greenways Observatory (EGO):

An essential source of information to discover thousands of kilometres of non-motorized routes in Europe. They are easy, safe, accessible and really attractive trails. The EGO will include as many European greenways as possible, describing the location and the main features of these routes. Members of EGWA and other interested institutions have the opportunity to provide key data about their greenways which are collected on this unique web platform, available in three languages: English, French and Spanish.  www.greenwayseurope.org

GIS Greenways Heritage 

With the help of Greenways´ Heritage GIS Tour and Story Map, discover 15 itineraries that combine greenways and UNESCO cultural heritage. You can view the route on any device, with images, videos and even 360º virtual reality of aspects of these attractive routes.

Explore the map, visualise the journey, and plan your trip to discover Europe’s heritage in a different way, at your own pace.

Other trip Ideas in the brochure “GO AS YOU PLE ASE” TRIP PROPOSAL. 15 independent travel proposals (greenways + UNESCO) relative to 10 countries, created by the project partners of Greenways Heritage project. The proposals vary in duration from one to five days and include highly practical recommendations and complementary information for visiting these attractive destinations.

Belgium

The Wallonnie has an important greenways network, the RAVeL, on disused railway corridors as well as on towpaths along canals and rivers. The RAVeL is a network of over 1,480 Km of paths reserved for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and those with reduced mobility!
You can use the online dynamic mapping of the RAVEL (greenways) from the Walloon Region, to plan your trips and your walks: https://ravel.wallonie.be/

Videos and concrete testimonies of travel, in family and for all kinds of interests; easy bike rental, and intermodality with the train. Respect and enhancement of heritage, very good travel options for all preferences.

Furthermore, the team of the association Chemins de Rail has produced a set of discovery trails (part of them are greenways). It includes the description of the routes by bike or foot. This sheets are of great help to organize your walks or rides. In Wallonnie the greenways keep the name of the former railway line; you can see information files about the lines here: https://cheminsdurail.be/parcours-decouvertes/

Special greenways to discover:

Vennbahn. A fantastic greenway connecting 3 countries: Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, using a disused railway. From Aachen, it goes straight through the east of Belgium to Troisvierges, offering 125 km of fascinating landscapes, border country atmosphere, history and stories of the Vennbahn.
Very good information and easily available tourist products to buy in a click! The whole region is a fantastic leisure destination for hikers and cyclists.   www.eastbelgium.com

The RAVeL / greenway  of Lines 38 and 39 from Liège to Aachen. 
A greenway recently awarded 1st European Greenways Award for Excellence 2021, under the candidacy named as “From Liège to Aachen by the RAVeL, a cross-border greenway via lines 38/39”; Aachen is the starting city of the Vennbahn.
This greenway has high quality infrastructure and services for all year round use. It is used, as usual on greenways, by people cycling and walking; schools in the vicinity use it to go to school.

A special feature of Line 38 is the conversion of several former railway stations, into new functions : brasserie/restaurant, party hall, bakery/tea house, community administration centre, tourism office. The section Fléron/Herve/Aubel/ Hombourg is fully accessible for people with reduced mobility – certified as “ACCESS-I”, adapted cycle routes, https://www.paysdeherve.be/ligne-38-accessible

Discover the video presenting the RAVeL of Lines 38 and 39, and and feel inspired to visit it!  Download the brochure of Line 38!.

Flanders 

There are many options that will allow you to discover the best of Flanders. Particularly recommended two cycling itineraries to discover UNESCO heritage, and to learn about the history and importance of the unique and charming beguinages. These were the places where the Beguines lived: communities of devout women,  They were small towns within a town. The beguines lived autonomously, without being dependent on any religious or secular hierarchy.

You can discover also the beautiful city of Mechelen, one of the most attractive cities in Flanders, with a well-kept heritage, which shows its rich history.
See below these Heritage Greenways trips ideas in the province of Antwerp and the city of Mechelen.  They include maps, photos and useful references to help you plan your travel:

Beghina Cycliste : 40 Km from Boom to Mechelen.
Mechelen – Diest Cycliste 76.5 Km from Mechelen to Diest.

Czech Republic

There are also some fantastic greenways reconverted from abandoned railways in the Czech Republic, although many of the so-called “greenways” in the country correspond to trails or natural corridors where the traffic – free is not a condition, and so they run along existing routes with shared traffic; you must pay attention to the track and especially the sections of shared traffic and the slopes, in those so-called “greenways” that are not rail-trail. More info here: http://www.greenways.cz/Greenways-v-CR/Cyklostezka-Brno-Viden.aspx

See also the web portal czechiabybike.com of  TOP cycle routes in Czechia including EuroVelo routes, Greenways and cycling friendly businesses.   The  web site is available in English, German and Czech.

Denmark

 DenmarkByBike  www.denmarkbybike.dk  can guide you to some of the best cycle routes in Denmark. You can choose signposted routes and tour suggestions.  Long routes, perfect for a cycling holiday, and shorter routes for daytrips. Tour suggestions includes proposals for holidays with kids to guide you to fun and safer itineraries.

Both routes and suggestions can be downloaded to your GPS device.

DenmarkByBike builds on Naviki.org which is a global route planner and navigator for cyclists, and you can easily create your own itinerary.

The Danish Cycling Tourism   a non-profit association of public and private partners is behind DenmarkByBike, to propose you beautiful itineraries adapted to all types of people all over the country well known for its passion for cycling.

France

Discover the excellent greenways and cycle routes network in France in the interactive map that runs AF3V association. This is the reference map for all interested in greenways and cycle routes in France. The advanced search will allow you to access quickly and easily to any data of the map, http://www.af3v.org/CarteAF3V/carte-detaillee.html., ; furthermore ideas of long distance itineraries, as Avenue Verte, European Greenways Award 2011. This valuable information is available thanks to the French Association for the Promotion of Cycle Routes and Greenways (AF3V), an EGWA member.

Germany

Find out Ideas to explore the Romantischer Rhein and its side valleys on a tour along the riverside cycle trails. http://www.romantischer-rhein.de/en/themen/radwandern/

Ireland

The Greenways Strategy opens up cycling and walking routes all over Ireland, promoting the great outdoors for everyone. With stunning scenic routes through the countryside and along the coast, the greenways of Ireland offer endless adventures and a range of activities for all visitors.

Things to see and do; high quality; strong support from local communities; a coordinated public-private effort to achieve Word-class greenways, as amenities, and easy bike rental services to enjoy these fantastic and accessible routes. Greenways have become very popular on old disused railway lines.

Get inspired by these proposals and enjoy Ireland’s greenways! https://www.discoverireland.ie/great-greenways-this-year

Includes the winners in different editions of the European Greenways Awards, the wonderful: Great Western greenway , Waterford greenway , Limerick greenway and Royal Canal Greenway. 

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Italy

Italy has very beautiful examples of greenways worth visiting! And a great potential for further development.

There are some 7000 Km of abandoned rail lines in Italy of which about approximately 1000 Km have been transformed into greenways (Senes 2022)

The new version of the Atlas of greenways on FS lines – From disuse to reuse, made with the contribution of the Italian Greenways Association describes 32 greenways built on former RFI/FS railways totalling some 500 Km. The “Atlante” provides information for organizing the excursions by quality greenways, trough stunning landscapes from all over Italy. Furthermore describe the projects from a technical point of view; they represent examples of best practices to inspire other local authorities for promoting new projects of  greenways using former FS Group railway lines.  Download here: (in Italian): https://bit.ly/3KBr4DF

RFI promotes mobility by bike from the train, and has published also a brochure with proposals for discovering greenways and other routes from regional trains, which are more than appealing, all over Italy. Many of the proposals are based on greenways. An example to follow! Download here (in Italian)

We highlight the spectacular greenway Via Verde della Costa dei Trabocchi – Greenway of the Trabocchi Coast, Italy. Resulting for a  impressive transformation of a disused railway line into a 42 km high-quality greenway, integrated into the stunning landscape of the Teatine coast. 

Also the really fantastic greenway the Pista Ciclo-Pedonale del Parco Costiero Riviera dei Fiori. 24 km long itinerary using the former railway that from 1872 to 2001 gave service to the Ponente Ligure. Both Eurepean Greenways Awarded 2023 and 2011 , 

Another proposal is to discover Delta Po and its lagoons cycling, walking and by boat. Promoted by the local action group GAL Delta Po, association created in 1994 with the purpose of leading projects for the development of the territory and of the rural tourism in the province of Rovigo. One of its flagship projects is the realisation of the so-called Vía Verde del Po, combining  non-motorised canal paths and low-traffic routes. Specially suitable for nature and birds lovers, in the Po Delta you can observe from very close the numerous species of bird life that find shelter here. See the map of itineraries and resources here: https://bit.ly/3YVRYdT

Latvia

This Latvia Bike map is a unique first-edition, which combines the best Latvian signposted cycling routes and Greenways, highlighting the uniqueness, cultural and natural heritage of Vidzeme, Kurzeme, Zemgale and Latgale regions. Download the map here: http://www.vidzeme.com/en/about-vidzeme/maps-and-brochures/northern-latvia-publications.html

Luxembourg

The Luxembourg National network counts with some 600 km of cycle routes, 120 km using disused railways lines: the 90 % of disused railways lines have been reconverted into greenways! You have more than 20 signposted routes to discover the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and safe cycle routes The online map and also the online description fiches of the itineraries, will help you to find your route; pay attention to the beautiful transnational tracks that will permit you enjoy the great experience to cross the country by bike! See map here:  http://tourisme.geoportail.lu/ See the details of the routes:   http://www.pch.public.lu/fr/pistes-cyclables/index.html

Norway

The North Sea Cycleway goes through Rogaland County Council, where you can go for a beautiful ride or walk on the former railroad line between Hellvik and Egersund. Although there are some challenging hills you can always put foot on ground, because the landscape is really worth! http://www.northsea-cycle.com/

https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/the-stavanger-region/listings-stavanger/north-sea-cycle-route/1974/

Portugal

Ecopistas is the name given to the greenways in Portugal.  The country counts with more than 200 Km of great quality ecopistas; they are an exellent tool to discover hidden destination in Portugal by bike or walking. Find general info from the different greenways/ecopistas, under the program promoted by REFER, including description and the general map, that can be found here: http://www.ippatrimonio.pt/ecopistas

It’s really worth mentioning the European awarded ecopista do Rio Minho, just in the Nord of Portugal following the river thar unify this territory with Galicia Region in Spain.  

A must in the center of Portugal is the ecopista de Dao, also European Award in 2013 and recently connected with the fantastic ecopista do Vouga, creating a continuous long distance itinerary. Also the awarded in 2021 ecopista do Tâmega, with its beautifully restored old stations that respect and enhance the railway heritage, including the use of one of them as a railway museum, and its stunning views over the Támega valley.

We also recommend the visit to the beautiful and natural ecopista do Montado flanked by impressive cork oak trees, as well as the panoramic ecopista de Corgo with breathtaking views of the river Corgo, which will accompany you throughout your journey.

Spain

No doubt the great reference of the Spanish Greenways is www.viasverdes.com  . Find out wide information, maps of the itineraries and TV series videos about the 3225 Km distributed in 131 itineraries of the well knows Spanish greenways. From long distance routes (of more than 120 Km) to small greenways, you can use the search tool to choose your perfect ride or walk. It is also available the map of Spanish greenways in English / Dutch/ German. Have a look also at the accessible greenways web. It includes detailed info concerning the level of accessibility in 10 Spanish greenways. This info is especially suitable for people with disabilities and families with small children: http://www.viasverdesaccesibles.es/

 UK 

Sustrans promotes and manages the National Cycke Network (NCN) in UK. It is currently over 22,500 km long (about one third of this is on greenways and other traffic-free paths). The online map of the NCN is an complete and updated tool to find out excellent information about the routes  in UK; you can search particular routes by different criteria: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/about-our-online-map A special recommendation is the inspiring and informative guidebook Sustrans’ Traffic-Free Cycle Rides  to get the most out of your cycling trips around the UK.  http://www.sustrans.org.uk/shop/route-maps-guides/sustrans-traffic-free-cycle-rides. And the red-top cycle map series – http://www.sustrans.org.uk/shop/route-maps-guides/severn-thames-cycle-map-11