Europe is home to some of the most pedal-worthy cities and regions in the world. From Catalonia to Mallorca, the Alps to the Dolomites, and the Yorkshire Dales to the Lake District, what we’ve seen and heard has made us fall in love with the charm and challenges of cycling in every corner of the […]
Europe is home to some of the most pedal-worthy cities and regions in the world. From Catalonia to Mallorca, the Alps to the Dolomites, and the Yorkshire Dales to the Lake District, what we’ve seen and heard has made us fall in love with the charm and challenges of cycling in every corner of the continent. But what does it take to be crowned the cycling capital of Europe?
In Girona, all you have to do is walk through the town centre to see the shops and cafés aimed exclusively at cyclists, a testament to the wealth of rides and climbs surrounding the city; in Provence, the winding roads flanked by lavender fields draw in cyclists from around the world to test their endurance on legendary routes, such as Mont Ventoux; Puerto Pollença in Mallorca is a base for professional and amateur cyclists alike, with a vibrant café culture that makes it the perfect start point for routes across the island, leading to Sa Calobra, Cap Formentor, and the Tramuntana mountains.
Each location offers something different, something unique, that attracts a particular tribe of cyclists: roadies, gravellers and MTB-ers will have their say, and among them, those who prefer high-gradient climbs, coastal flats, rocky trails or endless dirt roads. Our European cycling tours offer something for everyone. Here’s a breakdown of what we consider to be the best contenders for the cycling capital of Europe.
Girona: Catalonia’s cycling mecca
Okay, we’re biased! Girona has been the home of Eat Sleep Cycle for the past eight years. We opened our first Hub in 2016 in Girona’s Barri Vell and stocked it with seven Cinelli rental bikes. Fast forward to today and we now offer a bike shop, workshop, apparel store, bike hire centre, café and sunny terrace in the centre of Girona. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, the entire city is buzzing with cycling activity, with riders fueling up on coffee and navigating the cobblestone streets to head out for a well-deserved weekend ride. Girona’s international cycling community comes to life among the clicks and snaps of freehubs and cleats, with high chances of spotting a professional team jersey or two heading out for an active rest day spin.
Outside the city centre, the fun really gets going. Girona is famous for being the starting point for loads of legendary rides, including Rocacorba, Els Àngles, Mare de Deu del Mont, Banyoles, Cadaques and Cap de Creus. Girona’s northern position also makes it a strategic location from which to access the Pyrenees mountains, at just over 100 km from the French border. Our Trans-Pyrenees Challenge for example takes riders up into Northern Spain’s mountainous heartlands and down into the Basque city of San Sebastian, a full on immersion into this epic mountainscape.
Malaga: Year-round sun in Southern Spain
If Girona is Spain’s cycling capital in the north, Malaga is the cycling capital in the south. Once a humble fishing town, Malaga has flourished to become a hub of culture, art, gastronomy and cycling! The city is in fact home to our second Eat Sleep Cycle hub, where we offer bike hire, organise social rides, provide mechanical services at our workshop, and sell apparel, bikes, accessories and nutrition. Malaga’s blend of hills, mountains, and coastal flats, made even more appealing by the 300+ days of sunshine, make it an obvious contender for cycling capital of Europe —check out our New Year in Malaga road tour for warm winter cycling. Just like in Girona, some of the best rides start right from the city centre, such as el Puerto del León, a 16.1 km climb with an average gradient of 5.6%.
Other stunning rides include the El Torcal Loop —around 100 km and 2,000 m of elevation— which takes you up to the El Torcal Natural Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring millennia-old rock formations that once formed the seabed. Another legendary loop is El Chorro, spanning around 138 km from start to finish, and taking riders up towards El Caminito del Rey (translated as “The King’s Pathway”), a narrow wooden walkway that clings to the sheer cliffs and rock faces of the El Chorro Gorge. Sticking to the coast, Malaga’s national N-340 road hugs the Mediterranean Sea from the city centre to the beaches of Granada, and beyond towards the region of Almeria, offering hundreds of kilometres of sun-baked coastline.
Ljubljana: Slovenia’s cycling gem
Nestled in the heart of Slovenia, Ljubljana is another contender worthy of being crowned the cycling capital of Europe. Once the road less travelled, Ljubljana is surely becoming a popular destination among cyclists from all over the world. The city itself boasts a cycle network of more than 300 km, making exploring on two wheels an easy, safe and sustainable way to view the sights and surrounding parkland. Just 15 minutes from Copova in the city centre you’ll find yourself surrounded by trees in an immense forest, just one example of the easy access to nature that Ljubljana offers.
Beyond the city limits, many of these cycle paths serve as a gateway to some of Slovenia’s most iconic cycling routes. Lake Bled, with its stunningly blue waters and picturesque island church, is around 65 km from Ljubljana, climbing some 900 m as the paths snake up into the Triglav National Park. Another epic ride is the journey to the Vršič Pass, Slovenia’s highest road pass at 1,611 meters, challenging riders with its 50 hairpin bends and rewarding them at the summit with unparalleled views of the Julian Alps. In terms of the weather Ljubljana, has distinct seasons, with milder temperatures in spring and autumn, greater for longer scenic rides, and warm summers, perfect for cooler mountain routes.
Italy: La dolce vita della bici
Where do we start? Italy is another classic European cycling destination, topping the charts alongside France and Spain. From Lucca to Bassano del Grappa, Corvara and Bormio, we’ve been lucky enough to visit some incredible Italian cycling destinations in order to plan our Italian cycling tours. We’ve been charmed and dazzled by Italy’s road and gravel routes, landscapes, cycling culture, hospitality, food, wine and of course, people —Italy is without a doubt among the cycling capitals of Europe. If we had to choose just one destination, Bassano del Grappa might just take the hot spot.
Bassano del Grappa is nestled in Italy’s Veneto region. It’s a must-visit for lovers of Italian cycling culture (most of us…) and a buzzing hub for local cyclists. The city is home to esteemed bicycle manufacturers Basso and Wilier Triestina, the latter of which has been crafting exceptional bikes since 1906. Our Italian cycling tours offer the option to hire a stunning Basso road bike, allowing guests to ride in style on the same roads that inspired its creation.
The surrounding landscape offers the rolling hills of the Veneto countryside, giving you the chance to cruise through vineyards and historic villages —the ideal ingredients for unforgettable rides. Just outside Bassano del Grappa we find Monte Grappa, a mainstay on our Prosecco Hills Cycling Tour. This Giro d’Italia classic climb stretches for a mighty 19 km and reaches an altitude of 1,700 m. At the summit, riders are met with the awe-inspiring memorial to the fallen soldiers of the two great world wars.
Port de Pollença, Mallorca: Mediterranean charm at its best
Mallorca has been a site of pilgrimage for road cyclists for decades. World-famous climbs such as Cap Formentor, Sa Calobra, Coll de Sóller, and Coll de Sa Gramola still bring professionals and amateurs alike flocking to the island year after year. Mallorca stretches around 100 km from east to west, and around 70 km from north to south, making it completely possible to explore the island solely by bike —and something we highly recommend! Our Tour of Mallorca offers full immersion into this charming Mediterranean landscape, introducing our guests to the Tramuntana mountain range, the sweeping roads towards the east of the island, and picture-postcard villages such as Orient, Bunyola, Santa Margalida and Arta.
Mallorca’s central location in the Balearic archipelago also makes it an ideal starting point for exploring its neighboring islands, Menorca and Ibiza. Menorca lies just 40 km northeast, and Ibiza is about 80 km southwest, both easily reachable by ferry as an add-on to a Mallorca cycling tour. Beyond cycling, the island of Mallorca is rich in history, tradition, culture, food, and beaches, with a fantastically warm and sunny climate that makes it ideal for riding all year round. That being said, the island’s coastal winds can occasionally pick up, particularly in the Tramuntana mountains or along exposed roads, so we recommend bringing along lightweight, packable layers that can be tucked away when the sun breaks through.
Want to discover the cycling capital of Europe for yourself?
As soon as you’re ready to travel we would love to show you around! Check out our selection of European Tours or give us a call now on +34 972 754 301 or contact us online for more info!
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