Exploring Europe By Bike

Biking can be a great way to add fun to your trip while you travel through Europe. Not only can it provide enjoyment while allowing you to discover the city's beauty, but it can also keep you fit and healthy, and help you stay eco-friendly too. What better way is there to explore a city than on a bike? You get to see it all! What you can't cover on foot, you often can on a bike. It's a fantastic alternative to walking that is easy to take advantage of while you're on your trip. Plus, you'll still be able to protect the environment from harmful fumes that come when you rent a car or jump on a bus.

Biking: The Best Way to Explore the City?

European cities offer various options for picking up a bike to go cycling for the day. But before talking about where you can find them, let's look at why biking might be the best way to see the city sights:

⦁ By covering extra ground, you'll get to see more attractions: Walking all day can be tough on the legs. It's easy to burn out and extra breaks are needed when you explore the place on foot. That's where bikes come in! Spot the beautiful architecture as you cycle past and stop for a photo to add to your holiday collection.

⦁ It's a fun activity that covers many aspects related to a healthy life: Biking boosts your mood, adds exercise to your day, and helps you to stay fit. Walking's great, but biking might be better! Think about all those extra sights you'll get to see and how they can add a benefit to your mental well-being.

⦁ You can bypass the traffic jams while caring for the world by reducing fumes.

Where Can You Rent Your Bike From?

Ok, now that we know why biking's great, it's time to let you in on where you can rent them from. In cities around Europe, it's not uncommon to pick up a bike from:

⦁ Tourist information offices

⦁ Hostels and hotels

⦁ Airbnb

Bike rentals also often come as part of city cards and are usually included in the price. Check online to see if the city you're traveling to offers one of these perks. You might be able to benefit from a few hours or a full day of cycling here.

Hostels might be more likely to have bikes on offer than hotels, however, you can sometimes get them at hotels too. While booking your place to stay, it's worth checking to see if they've got a bike rental option.

Electric bikes (E-bikes) are starting to be used. If you can, they can be a great choice for exploring the city in an eco-friendly way.

Taking Advantage of Bike-Friendly Zones

While taking up the options that your place of stay provides, biking can also be made more accessible by planning your trip to cities with bike-friendly zones. Some offer the perfect terrain to cycle on, while others have entirely car-free areas that allow you to bike with ease as you pass walkers by. Here are some examples:

• Cities with flat grounds make biking a perfect option: Amsterdam is one capital that’s well known for its flat terrain. In fact, most of the Netherlands is like that too! Places like that naturally have more spots where you can pick up a bike. It’s part of the culture and welcomes you to become a part of it.

• Pedestrian zones are a cyclist's dream: Take Prague for example – its Old Town Square is vehicle- free! Old Towns are abundant in European due to its rich history. You’re even more likely to see a horse and carriage cross your path than a four-wheeled car. Being pedestrian-friendly, you can expect to be able to bike freely through and benefit by breathing cleaner air.

Note: I personally had the privilege of traveling to Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, one summer. Sections of the Old Town is fully pedestrianized (just like in Prague), and biking is part of life for the locals. It's the perfect city break destination for renting a bike. If you go, I highly recommend grabbing the Ljubljana city card. As well as a wide range of activities for you to take part in, biking is included. You can pick yours up from the local tourist information center for a four-hour ride. Explore the breathtaking sites and all the charm the city has!

I hope by reading this we've put biking in your mind as an option for when you travel. Europe has plenty of great options. Why not take advantage of them and see the beautiful city you're traveling to on the back of a bike? That way, you can stay healthy while keeping the environment clean and healthy too!