Bike Tourism: Transport Ministry Looks to Coordinate EuroVelo Activities in Greece

Copyright: EuroVelo (www.eurovelo13.com)

The Greek Transport Ministry is looking to establish a National EuroVelo Coordination Center in order to promote bike tourism activities in Greece.

EuroVelo is a cycling network connecting European countries. It includes 17 routes that cover 51,000km across 42 countries. The network is managed by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF).

Three of these routes include the following Greek destinations:

EuroVelo 8: Mediterranean Route – Igoumenitsa, Patra, Athens
EuroVelo 11: East European Route – Evzonoi, Thessaloniki, Central Greece, Athens
EuroVelo 13: Iron Curtain Trail: Nevrokopi – Participants cycle through the former “Surveillance Area”, a highly-militarized area along the Bulgarian-Greek border.

Source: EuroVelo

The benefits for Greece

EuroVelo ensures the quality and safety of its routes for cyclists. Furthermore, participants have the option to combine their trips with other means of transport.

Greek Deputy Transport Minister Yiannis Kefaloyiannis analyzed Greece’s plan for EuroVelo during a teleconference on Tuesday with European Cyclists’ Federation CEO Jill Warren, Eurovelo Director Ed Lancaster and ECF member in Greece Spyros Papageorgiou.

According to Kefaloyiannis, once established, Greece’s National EuroVelo Coordinator Center will organize activities, design infrastructure and launch information campaigns for the cycling network in collaboration with ministries, organizations, unions and other tourism bodies.

Copyright: EuroVelo (www.eurovelo13.com)

The installation of appropriate signage for cyclists and the improvement of infrastructure on existing routes are also considered significant prerequisites for holidaymakers who choose cycling as a way to travel.

Furthermore, Greece’s climate is considered ideal for the development of new cycling routes, that will promote small villages and towns.

According to EU data cited by the ECF, more than 2 million trips were conducted on the EuroVelo network in 2020, significantly enhancing the European economy.