10 reasons why you should cross Europe on a bike

1.    It is the best way to see Europe.

How else can you meet local farmers working the fields one day, visit a great museum the next day, find a quiet historical town the day after and enjoy a great workout all at the same time?

2.    Open Borders.

No more line-ups. No more security check points. No more questions. No NSA looking over your shoulders. Unfortunately for some collectors, no more passport stamps.

3.    Country Counters Welcome.

You can easily visit three or four countries in as little as 10 days of cycling.

4.    Immerse Yourself.

You will get to see and experience a diversity of cultures, gain a better understanding of the origins of Western culture and get a very personal feel for the continent’s geopraphy.

5.    Food! The Reason Many of us Travel.

You can taste a great variety of local foods: from wiener schnitzel to Polish klobasa; fruits such as sweet Italian grapes to wonderful Czech apricots; vegetables from Italian tomatoes to German red cabbages; not to mention French deserts. Discover some really great local restaurants that go unmentioned in any guide books.

6.    Linguistics

You can learn a few words in at least a dozen languages. Practice them with the locals even though a lot of people throughout Europe speak English, especially the young.

7.    Navigation is a Breeze.. usually.

European roads are well sign-posted, so you can see where you are and where you are going. This makes it easy to cycle one of the 14 long EuroVelo routes that crisscross Europe – over 70,000km (48,000miles) all together.

8.    Every Pedal Stroke, a History Lesson.

Everywhere you pedal you pass through thousands of years of history. Stop anytime, anywhere and explore the past, even your own roots.

9.    Contemplate Modern Problems and Solutions.

You can see firsthand how European cities are dealing and adapting to the environmental and modern challenges such as climate change, overbearing motorization, urban pollution and so on.

10.    Oh and I almost forgot…

The beautiful scenery on almost every road you take, art & music festivals, beer & wine all summer long, and some amazing architectural wonders.

Bonus reason. We give you the choice of cycling across Europe from East (St Petersburg) to West (Lisbon) on the Trans-Europa in 2014 & 2016 or West (Paris) to East (Istanbul) on the Orient Express in 2015 & 2017.