Radio Bulgaria

What better experience than riding a bicycle among nature without depending on your car and knowing that you are a part of the great family of “people on two wheels”. One can learn a lot about the Bulgarian history and culture, while riding a bike along the cycling paths. And of course, he or she can try the local cuisine of the different regions.

For the past two years the “Eco Community” Foundation has been working on the marking of the Bulgarian part of the so-called Danube path, or “Euro bike 6” that is to become a part of the common European bicycle network. According to Mrs. Radost Petrova, program manager of the foundation, the beginning of this path is at the springs of the Danube River and its end – at the delta. The Bulgarian part is some 550 km long.

“The interesting thing about this path is that it exhibits the Roman inheritance in Bulgaria – Mrs. Petrova says. – There are remains of Roman fortresses in most of the cities along the route. They can be visited and reveal interesting details from the lifestyle and culture of their ancient inhabitants. Even I myself managed to travel along the first 300 km this spring. People are now used to see bikers along this route, since there are many of them, most likely foreigners. It is quite popular in Europe and definitely one of the most interesting for their bikers. I found it quite interesting that small kids even in the most deserted villages used to say “hi!” and “hello!” They were used to greet foreigners. We were told in a motel that at least ten bikers per day pass by even in the cooler months.”

According to Radost Petrova there are also good bicycle routes in the southeastern mountain of Strandzha. They are well marked and one can find information leaflets at the park’s directorate. The so-called “Cross-Rhodope Route” in the southern part of the state is under the auspices of the Bikearia association. Paths have been marked along it with various difficulty of mountain biking. Work on this route continues with the expectations the whole marking to reach the town of Svilengrad by the end of 2011:

“We expect to do another cycling path in the further future and it is called “Route Along The Iron Curtain” – Radost Petrova says. – It is a European initiative. According to it the route has to connect all the countries from the Barents to the Black and Mediterranean seas. In Bulgaria this route passes along the border with Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey. The path goes exactly through those places, where the “iron curtain” has restrained access. Nature has been well preserved there. This route will become a part of the European cycling network “Euro bike-13”. Discussions have started at the EC on the exact route of the path. This route has not been developed yet and is not a tourist product, but one can even try to go along it, if he or she is experienced enough. Other paths were recently marked in the area of the town of Mezdra, on the Shumen Plateau and elsewhere in the Northern Bulgaria. Routes for bicycle races were even marked in the town of Chiprovtsi, so things are still to develop in these parts of the country.”

Bulgaria gets more and more attractive for bicycle tourism, according to Mrs. Petrova:

“There are many hills, mountains and plains in Bulgaria, so one can choose routes that suit best his riding style – she continues. – Tour operators for adventurous tourism offer cycling tours with a guide. Cycling routes can be combined with wine tourism in some regions, like the one of the town of Vidin.”

According to Mrs. Radost Petrova there are several organizations that have taken care of the development and maintenance of cycling routes in Bulgaria through the past years. A lot of cycling enthusiasts mark the routes by themselves and upload on the Internet instructions where and how you can ride a bike.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev