The 10 Best Places to Cycle in Europe

Why go

Mont Ventoux stands alone above Provence, so you see it long before you reach it. The upper slopes are bare white limestone, the lunar landscape that starts at Chalet Reynard, with the red and white mast of the old weather station on top. It is also cycling's most storied hill. The Tour de France has crossed or finished on it 18 times since 1951, and Tom Simpson died on its slopes in 1967, about a kilometre from the top, where a memorial now stands and riders leave tokens.

The route

Three paved roads reach the summit. The classic climb starts in Bédoin and runs 21.8 km through forest to Chalet Reynard at 1,435 m, then out onto the open stone for the last stretch past the Col des Tempêtes. From Malaucène the north side climbs 21.2 km, more sheltered from the wind. The road from Sault is the longest, about 26 km, and joins the Bédoin road at Chalet Reynard. Riding all three in one day makes you a member of the Club des Cinglés du Mont-Ventoux.

When to go

The summit road is closed every winter. In 2025 the Département de Vaucluse lowered the barriers on 18 November, and after a snowy winter the south side reopened on 17 April 2026, with the north side following in mid-May. No date has been announced yet for the 2026 closure, so check before riding in November.

Getting there

Bédoin, the usual start, lies on the D974 about 50 km east of Avignon and 15 km from Carpentras. Malaucène lies on the northwest side and Sault to the east.

Permits and booking

No permit or fee is needed to ride. In winter the Département closes the D974 to all traffic, bicycles included, above the Mont Serein station on the north side and Chalet Reynard on the south. After the spring reopening, cyclists must descend by the same road they climbed until the end of May. The Club des Cinglés registers riders through its own website.

How hard it is

From Bédoin the climb gains 1,617 m at an average of 7.43 percent, and the steepest kilometre, the ninth, averages 10.5 percent in the forest. Malaucène is about as hard, averaging 7.23 percent with ramps up to 15 percent. Sault averages 4.4 percent. The wind is the real hazard: it blows at about 90 km/h on roughly 240 days a year, and gusts have reached 320 km/h, enough to close the road. A Tour stage in 2016 was cut short at Chalet Reynard for that reason.

Where to sleep

Most riders base themselves in one of the three villages at the foot of the climbs. Bédoin is the busiest and sits at the start of the classic route.

Tips

• Carry a windproof jacket for the summit and the long descent, even on a hot day.
• Check the Département de Vaucluse road conditions page before riding in spring or late autumn.
• Skip the summit on strong mistral days and turn at Chalet Reynard instead.

Why go

The Stelvio is the climb that riders in the Alps measure the others against. The road was built by the Austrian Empire between 1820 and 1825, with Carlo Donegani as its engineer, to link Lombardy with Austria, and it still follows much the same line. At 2,758 m it is the highest paved pass in the Eastern Alps. The Giro d'Italia first crossed it in 1953, when Fausto Coppi beat Hugo Koblet, and it has often been the race's Cima Coppi, the highest point of the Giro.

The route

The classic way up is the northern side from Prato allo Stelvio in the Vinschgau. It climbs 24.8 km through Trafoi and up the last open slopes, where the 48 hairpins are numbered on stones counting down to the top, and from the summit you look straight down the stack of bends. The Bormio side climbs about 21.5 km with more than 1,500 m of gain, with about 40 bends. The Umbrail Pass at 2,501 m, Switzerland's highest paved road, joins the Bormio side below the top and drops to Santa Maria in Val Müstair. Bormio's tourist office describes a loop of about 99 km and 3,104 m of climbing that links all three: up from Bormio, over the Umbrail into Switzerland, round to Prato and up the 48 hairpins, then back down to Bormio.

When to go

The road closes every winter. In 2026 all three sides opened together on 22 May, and the winter closure is expected at the start of November, usually between late October and the first days of November, depending on snow. Stelvio Bike Day closes all three approaches to motor traffic from 8:00 to 16:00; the national park lists the next one for 28 August 2027.

Getting there

Prato allo Stelvio lies in the Vinschgau, the upper Adige valley west of Merano. The Vinschgau railway runs from Merano to Mals, though service is still returning after construction work, and regional trains in South Tyrol carry bikes with a 7.50 euro day ticket, with 16 to 20 spaces a train that cannot be booked. Bormio is the base on the Lombardy side.

Permits and booking

No permit or toll is needed to ride. On Bike Day there is no registration and no mass start, helmets are compulsory, and e-bikes are allowed. Check the pass status before setting out.

How hard it is

From Prato the climb averages 7.5 percent, with ramps of about 15 to 16 percent, and it steepens after about 7 km. The Bormio side averages about 7.4 percent. The altitude adds to the effort above 2,000 m. Summer traffic is heavy, and some vehicles need almost the whole road to get round the tighter hairpins.

Where to sleep

Riders stay in Prato allo Stelvio, Trafoi or elsewhere in the Vinschgau for the northern side, and in Bormio for the Lombardy side. Rooms near the pass fill early around Bike Day.

Tips

• Start early from Prato to climb before the cars and motorbikes build up, and fill your bottles in Trafoi.
• Carry a warm layer and gloves for the summit and the long descent.

Why go

Four mountain passes ring the Sella group, a fortress of pale limestone that rises to 3,151 m at Piz Boè, and one road links them in a loop. You can ride all four in a morning and see the massif from every side, with the Sassolungo and the Marmolada in view. Some of the Giro d'Italia's most famous climbs are close by, and twice a year the loop is closed to cars for the day.

The route

The Alta Badia tourist board describes the loop anticlockwise from Corvara: up through Colfosco to Passo Gardena at 2,136 m, then Passo Sella at 2,218 m, down towards Canazei and up to Passo Pordoi at 2,239 m. More than 30 bends drop to Arabba, and Passo Campolongo at 1,875 m leads to a descent of about 7 km back to Corvara. Its route data gives 50.7 km and 1,674 m of ascent. Stronger riders add Passo Giau, whose last ten kilometres from the Selva di Cadore side average 9.6%, or Passo Fedaia at 2,057 m below the Marmolada.

When to go

Summer and early autumn are the riding season, and snow can linger or return at pass height outside it. The Sellaronda Bike Day ran on 6 June and 12 September 2026, and the organisers list 5 June and 11 September 2027. The Maratona dles Dolomites, a mass ride over the passes, is set for 4 July 2027.

Getting there

Bolzano airport is 40 km from Val Gardena, Innsbruck 120 km and Verona 190 km. From Bolzano, regional buses, transfers and taxis run into the valleys, and AltoAdigeBus runs direct coaches from several larger airports.

Permits and booking

No permit or fee is needed to ride the passes. On Sellaronda Bike Day the four passes are closed to motor traffic from 9:00 to 16:00, with no registration or charge, and the organisers make helmets obligatory. Italian law did not require adult cyclists to wear helmets as of early 2026. South Tyrol dropped a planned through-traffic ban on Passo Gardena for autumn 2026 in favour of a digital test with no barriers or fines, and rules from 2027 are undecided.

How hard it is

Gradients on the loop are mostly 8 to 10% and sometimes reach 13%, on mostly good asphalt with small potholes in places. From Arabba, Pordoi gains 637 m in 9.4 km at an average of 6.8%. Giau is far harder, with a steepest kilometre of 11.8%. Summer traffic is the real challenge, as cars, coaches and motorcycles share the narrow hairpins.

Where to sleep

Riders base themselves in Corvara or another Alta Badia village, in Sëlva or Ortisei in Val Gardena, in Arabba or in Canazei, all on or near the loop.

Tips

• Start early on ordinary days to climb before the traffic builds on the passes.
• On Bike Day the roads only close at 9:00, so expect cars on the passes before then and ride anticlockwise as the organisers advise.
• Carry a windproof layer for the long descents, which stay cold at over 2,000 m even in summer.

Why go

The Tramuntana runs along Mallorca's north coast, a limestone range listed by UNESCO in 2011, and its roads were built with a care for curves that riders now come for from all over Europe. Professional teams prepare for the season here each spring, so in January and February you may share a climb with a team in matching kit. The climbs are long and steady rather than brutal, and nearly every one ends in a view of the sea.

The route

Sa Calobra is the famous one. From the turn near Lluc, 2.6 km of climbing takes you to the Coll dels Reis at 682 m, then the road drops through 26 hairpins and a loop that passes under itself to a cove at sea level, and the only way home is back up, about 10 km at around 7%. Puig Major is the long climb from Sóller, nearly 14 km at about 6%, topped by the Monnaber tunnel and followed by the Gorg Blau and Cúber reservoirs on the way to Lluc. The coast road through Valldemossa and Deià links Sóller with the southwest, and Cap de Formentor is a rolling out-and-back to the lighthouse from Port de Pollença.

When to go

Thousands of riders come through autumn, winter and spring, and pros fill the roads in January and February. Summer is hot, with heavy tourist traffic, so ride early. The Mallorca 312 sportive in late April offers 312, 225 and 167 km routes; the 2027 edition is on 24 April and sold out within hours of opening.

Getting there

Fly to Palma, then head north. Bike hire is easy to find in the riding bases, and many hotels in the north are set up for cyclists.

Permits and booking

No permit is needed to ride. From 15 May to 18 October 2026, the Formentor road was closed to private cars from 10 am to 10 pm beyond the beach car park, with fines of 100 to 200 euros for drivers, but bicycles may pass. Spanish law requires a helmet on roads outside towns.

How hard it is

Gradients are moderate, but the big days add up: the classic Puig Major loop runs to 138 km with about 2,640 m of climbing. On the Sa Calobra descent coaches inch round the bends, and in the narrow canyon near the bottom uphill traffic has right of way. There is little shade on the climb.

Where to sleep

Port de Pollença, Port d'Alcúdia and Playa de Muro are the usual bases, close to Formentor, the Lluc loops and the 312 start. Sóller suits riders who want Puig Major and the coast road on the doorstep.

Tips

• Carry lights for the Monnaber tunnel near the top of Puig Major.
• Start Formentor early in summer, before the coaches and the heat.
• Take more water than you think for Sa Calobra, which has almost no shade.

Why go

Three of the great Swiss passes join in a single loop, and Switzerland Tourism lists it as one of the country's classic road rides. Each has its own character: the Grimsel climbs into bare granite between lakes and dams, the Furka runs above the Rhône Glacier, and the Susten has some of the best engineered bends in the Alps. The loop is part of the Alpenbrevet, one of Switzerland's best-known road challenges, and the Furka has a sign marking the car chase filmed there for Goldfinger in 1964.

The route

From Meiringen the route climbs 26 km up the Hasli valley to the Grimsel Pass at 2,165 m, among lakes and waterfalls, then makes a short descent through hairpins to Gletsch. From Gletsch a 10 km climb leads to the Furka Pass at 2,431 m, with views of the Rhône Glacier, and a long descent runs to Andermatt. In Wassen you turn up the Meien valley for the Susten, which gains 1,308 m in 17 km to 2,264 m. The descent to Innertkirchen is one of the finest in the Alps, with many bends and an excellent surface, and the loop closes back at Meiringen. Switzerland Tourism gives the whole ride as 131 km with 3,840 m of climbing.

When to go

The passes close every winter. In 2026 the Grimsel and Furka reopened at the end of May and the Susten in June. Alpen-paesse.ch lists the 2026 season of both the Grimsel and the Susten as ending on 27 October, and from 19 October 2026 the Susten is closed at night between 18:00 and 8:00. Opening dates vary with the snow: the Susten opened on 28 June in 2025 and on 16 June in 2024.

Getting there

Meiringen is in the Bernese Oberland, east of Interlaken. Swiss trains carry bikes with a Bike Day Pass, which SBB lists at 15 francs, and from 21 March to 31 October a bike space must be reserved on InterCity trains on the days marked in the timetable.

Permits and booking

No permit or toll is needed to ride the passes. Routes may be blocked or interrupted by weather, and passes can close again at short notice after snow or rockfall, so check the road status before you go.

How hard it is

Switzerland Tourism rates the loop difficult. The Grimsel reaches 11 percent and the Susten 9 percent at their steepest, and the climbs are long rather than steep. Weather at over 2,000 m can turn cold fast, and the passes are popular motorbike routes, so expect traffic.

Where to sleep

Meiringen and Innertkirchen are the usual bases on the Bern side. Andermatt suits riders who start from the Uri side.

Tips

• Stop on the Grimsel descent for the view of the Furka hairpins across the valley.
• Carry a windproof jacket for the three long descents.
• Ride the loop on a weekday to avoid the heaviest motorbike traffic.

Why go

The hills south of Ghent are small, but their cobbled lanes have decided the Tour of Flanders, one of cycling's great one-day races, for decades. Riding them is a different test from the Alps: short, steep, rough climbs one after another, on stones laid long before bikes. Oudenaarde is the race's finishing town and the home of the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen, a cycling centre with an exhibition about the race, a café and bike hire.

The route

Three signposted Tour of Flanders loops, of 78, 103 and 114 km, follow the main cobbled roads and climbs of the race. They can be joined at Oudenaarde, Ronse, Geraardsbergen or Zottegem, and follow their own route signs rather than the usual numbered junctions. The blue loop from Oudenaarde takes in the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg, the Koppenberg and the Taaienberg, whose 800 m cobbled section is a protected monument. The longest loop adds Geraardsbergen and its Muur, the Kapelmuur, 1,075 m of cobbles at an average of 9.3 percent up to the chapel at the top, a climb the race used regularly from 1981 to 2011. The Oude Kwaremont is the long one, about 2.2 km at 4 percent; the Paterberg is short and savage, about 360 m at 12.9 percent with a steepest stretch of 20.3 percent.

When to go

Spring is the classic time, when the region fills with fans for the races. We Ride Flanders, the sportive on the race route, is listed for 3 April 2027, the day before the 110th men's race on 4 April. Its 2025 edition offered 80, 128, 158 and 229 km. Outside the race weeks the lanes are much quieter.

Getting there

Oudenaarde has a railway station, and trains from Gent-Sint-Pieters take about half an hour. The Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen is the suggested start and finish for the loops, with changing rooms, showers and hire bikes.

Permits and booking

No permit is needed to ride the loops. On race weekend in 2025 the Markt in Oudenaarde is open only to walkers and cyclists, and the organisers advise against driving in; free shuttle buses run to the main climbs.

How hard it is

The climbs are short but very steep. The Koppenberg is 600 m at an average of 11.6 percent and up to 22 percent, on cobbles rough enough that even professionals at the back have had to walk. Wet stones are slippery, and grip, not fitness, is often what stops riders.

Where to sleep

Oudenaarde is the natural base, at the start of the loops and the finish of the race. Ronse and Geraardsbergen also sit on the routes.

Tips

• Stay seated on the steep cobbles to keep weight on the rear wheel.
• Carry the route file as well, since some loop signs are missing.
• Ride the climbs on a dry day if you can choose.

Why go

This is the busiest stretch of EuroVelo 6, the river route that crosses Europe from the Atlantic to the Black Sea, and it suits almost anyone who can sit on a bike for a few hours a day. The path follows the Danube downstream from the Bavarian town of Passau through Upper and Lower Austria to Vienna, past baroque abbeys, castle ruins and terraced vineyards. In the Wachau, the valley between Melk and Krems, the landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed in 2000.

The route

From Passau the first stage follows the north bank for about 41 km to Schlögen, where the river turns back on itself in the Schlögener Schlinge, and a short ferry crosses to the village. The next day runs about 52 km past Aschach and Wilhering Abbey to Linz. Beyond Linz the river passes Enns and Mauthausen and the narrower Strudengau at Grein. The Wachau is the high point: the north bank runs about 34 km from Emmersdorf, opposite Melk Abbey, through Spitz, Weissenkirchen and Dürnstein to Krems, and the south bank about 33 km from Melk past the ruins of Aggstein. From Krems the path continues through Tulln to Vienna.

When to go

Most riders go between April and October, the season when the bike ferries run. The Schlögen ferry sails from 1 April to 26 October, and the Wachau roll ferries at Spitz and Weissenkirchen work from April to October.

Getting there

Passau has a main line station. For the way back, ÖBB Railjets carry bikes with a bike ticket and a compulsory reservation, 3 euros online, and spaces sell out in summer, so book early. Several operators sell self-guided packages with hotels, rental bikes, daily luggage transfer and the train from Vienna back to Passau.

Permits and booking

No permit or fee is needed to ride the path. Ferries charge small fares, for example 3.50 euros per adult with a bike at Schlögen, paid in cash. In 2026, check the diversions: the south bank at the Pyburger Au near Mauthausen is closed until 13 April 2028 with a signed detour, the path through Mautern is closed until April 2027, the Stein to Mautern bridge has been single-lane since 18 May 2026, and Weissenkirchen's centre is due to close from 27 October 2026.

How hard it is

The path loses height gently as it follows the river, and daily stages of 40 to 70 km are usual. It is mostly asphalt, with a few gravel and forest sections. In the Wachau the north bank often runs beside the B3 main road, so expect traffic there.

Where to sleep

Riders usually stop in Schlögen, Linz, Grein or Perg, Melk or Krems, and then Vienna. Inns and hotels along the river are used to cyclists and many offer bike storage.

Tips

• Use the ferries to switch banks in the Wachau, since the north bank is often beside a main road and the south bank is quieter.
• Book bike spaces on the train home when you book the trip.
• Check the regional tourism pages for diversions before you set off.

Why go

Rallarvegen is the old construction road built beside the Bergen Railway across the Hardangervidda mountains, and it is one of Norway's most popular cycle routes. Norway's parliament decided to build the railway in March 1894, and the road came first, so that supplies could be carried up by horse and cart in the short summers. The workers, the rallare, gave it its name. The line opened on 27 November 1909. Today the road takes you across bare high plateau, past lakes and snowfields, and then down a long valley to the end of a fjord at Flåm, with trains for the start and the ride home.

The route

The route follows the Bergen Railway from Haugastøl through Finse, Hallingskeid and Myrdal, then the Flåm Railway down to Flåm. Haugastøl to Finse, 27 km, is the easy, family part, wide and firm at first and gravel after about 13 km. Finse, at 1,222 m, has a historic hotel next to the station. Finse to Hallingskeid, 21 km, crosses the highest point of the route and the roughest ground. From Myrdal the last 20 km to Flåm drops through steep hills and tight gravel bends before the road turns to asphalt near the fjord. Many riders do it in a day; others take two or three with a night or two in the mountains.

When to go

The route is usually passable from early July to the end of September, and August is often thought the best month. Snow can block parts of it early in the season, so check the status report before you go.

Getting there

Haugastøl station is on the Bergen Line, 275 km from Oslo, with trains to Oslo, Bergen and Flåm. Bikes can be hired at Haugastøl and Finse and returned at Haugastøl, Finse, Myrdal or Flåm. Helmets are not hired out. Trains are few, so check the timetable, and book bike space if you bring your own.

Permits and booking

No permit is needed. Camping is not allowed between Haugastøl and Tunga or in the centre of Finse, out of respect for cabin owners. The road is a cultural monument kept in a traditional way, so some stretches do not meet modern standards.

How hard it is

The western part is rough, with rocky, uneven ground and short, steep descents. Fagervatn to Flåm is not suitable for children or inexperienced cyclists, and trailers and child seats are not recommended beyond Finse. Weather changes fast at this height, and some sections have no phone signal.

Where to sleep

Haugastøl has apartments and a restaurant, and Finse 1222 is the historic hotel beside Finse station. Hallingskeid has a self-service DNT cabin for members. Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell is a traditional mountain hotel on the way, and Flåm has hotels at the end.

Tips

• Pack spare brake pads, since the descent to Flåm wears them fast.
• Bring warm, windproof and waterproof clothes even in August.
• Walk the steepest bends below Myrdal if your brakes start to fade.

Why go

The Transfăgărășan crosses the Făgăraș Mountains in a ribbon of hairpins that has become one of Europe's most photographed roads. It was ordered by Nicolae Ceaușescu after the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia so that troops could cross the mountains quickly, built from 1970 to 1974 and opened on 20 September 1974. Top Gear made it famous in 2009, when Jeremy Clarkson called it the best road in the world. For a rider it is a long, steady climb to a glacial lake, then a quiet descent past a dam and a castle ruin.

The route

The road runs about 150 km in all, and the cycling section is the 94 km from Cârțișoara in the north to Arefu in the south. The north side climbs about 29 km to Bâlea Lake, through forest and then up the famous switchbacks, which start after Cârțișoara. At the top, beside Bâlea Lake, the 884 m Bâlea tunnel, the longest road tunnel in Romania, takes you through the ridge. The south side descends past the Vidraru Dam to Arefu, below the ruins of Poenari, the fortress of Vlad the Impaler. Curtea de Argeș lies about 30 km further on.

When to go

The high section between Piscu Negru and Bâlea Cascadă is closed in winter, usually from late October to late June. In 2026 CNAIR planned to reopen it on 12 June, and in 2025 it closed on 20 October because of bad weather. Snow walls can still line the top in July. The road can also close for rain, rockfall or events: the 2026 Transfier triathlon closed the section from Vidraru Dam to Bâlea Lake on 5 September.

Getting there

Sibiu is the city for the north side, about 40 km from the start of the climb. Curtea de Argeș and Pitești serve the south.

Permits and booking

No permit is needed. When the high section is open, traffic on it is allowed only between 7:00 and 21:00. A guide operator says cycling is possible when the road is closed to cars, but at your own risk from snow, rockfall and avalanches.

How hard it is

The north side is steady rather than steep, mostly 6 to 7 percent through the forest, and you do not need special gears. The whole crossing to Arefu has about 2,460 m of climbing. Traffic is heavy at weekends and in high summer, the tunnel needs lights, and the weather changes fast. Bears are common near the road, drawn by tourists who feed them.

Where to sleep

Guesthouses in Cârța and Cârțișoara serve the north side, with hotels and chalets at Bâlea Cascadă and Bâlea Lake. On the south side there are hotels near Vidraru Dam and many places to stay in Curtea de Argeș.

Tips

• Never feed or approach the bears; if one is on the road, wait for a car and pass beside it.
• Carry front and rear lights for the Bâlea tunnel.
• Ride on a weekday morning to avoid the heaviest traffic.

Why go

The Netherlands is the country where cycling is simply how people get around, and De Hoge Veluwe shows the Dutch way at its best. The park, between Arnhem, Ede and Apeldoorn, covers 5,400 hectares of heath, drift sand and forest, the largest actively managed nature area in private ownership in the country. Inside it you leave your car or your own bike and pick up one of 1,800 free white bikes. In the middle is the Kröller-Müller Museum, with one of the world's great collections of Van Gogh and a large sculpture garden.

The route

More than 40 km of cycle paths cross the park, and there are no numbered junctions, so riders follow the park map or a route description. The ANWB's park route from Otterlo runs across the Otterlose Zand, past the statue of General De Wet, to the Kröller-Müller Museum, then on to the Jachthuis Sint Hubertus, the hunting lodge designed by H.P. Berlage. The ANWB route also takes in the Deelense Veld, a heath with ponds, De Pollen, a restored area of drift sand, and the President Steynbank, a bench by Henry van de Velde.

When to go

The park is open all year. Late summer, when the heather flowers, and autumn, when the forests turn, are the most colourful times. The Kröller-Müller Museum is closed on Mondays.

Getting there

The park has three entrances, at Hoenderloo, Otterlo and Schaarsbergen, and the nearest towns are Arnhem, Ede and Apeldoorn.

Permits and booking

You need a park ticket, sold at the entrances and online, and the museum needs its own ticket as well. White bikes are free, cannot be reserved and have no locks; blue hire bikes, e-bikes and adapted bikes can be booked. Racing bikes, mountain bikes and speed pedelecs may use only the cycle paths, at a suitable speed and not in groups. Fatbikes, e-choppers and electric scooters are not allowed, and there are no mountain bike trails.

How hard it is

The paths are flat and paved, and suit children and riders of any level. The white bikes have no hand brakes, so you brake by pedalling backwards. Leaves, twigs and pine needles can make the paths slippery, and on busy days the white bikes can run out at some places.

Where to sleep

Riders stay in the villages at the park gates, Otterlo and Hoenderloo, or in Arnhem, Ede or Apeldoorn.

Tips

• Come early on summer weekends, when white bikes can run short.
• Book the museum in advance and plan your ride around it.
• Ride single file when passing oncoming cyclists, as the park asks.