search

Friday, March 31, 2023

Exploring state of mind in Poland

Tamara Cicic is a Serbian film producer from Belgrade, who’s been living in Poland for almost 2 years now. Even though coming to Poland...

Polish revitalization: fusing old and new

MIPIM 2023 - the world's largest real estate event, with 6,000 international investors and financial institutions, including 76 of the top 100 investment managers...

Polish cities pitching for international investors at Cannes

Poland: strong and stable - this was the motto of the Polish delegation during MIPIM 2023. Polish cities and the Polish Investment and Trade...

Transforming the CEE Region into a logistics hub of the future

Sylwia Ziemacka talked to Kustaa Valtonen, an Entrepreneur and Angel Investor, Founding Partner at Finest Bay Area Development; Peter Vesterbacka, Founder of FinEst Bay...

CPK moves into design stage

Poland’s giant airport project, Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) - the largest infrastructure program in Europe - has moved from planning to design, signing contracts...

The Green Velo Trail

2,000 kilometers long and more than 2,000 reasons to visit

The Green Velo East of Poland Cycling Trail is the longest consistently marked cycle trail in Poland. It leads through picturesque areas of eastern Poland and along quiet asphalt roads. Many measures have been introduced along the trail to improve cyclist safety. The main route is 1,885 kilometers long. Additional trails are about 200 kilometers in length, and have similar markings to the main route.

The kingdom of Biebrza and Narew Rivers Valley is a place of marshes, a sanctuary of elks, a paradise for bird watchers and a place of peace and quiet. This area is large and sometimes difficult to reach due to the vast marshes. Nevertheless, well-marked tourist routes allow one to visit the most interesting parts of this region. The Green Velo runs along asphalt and unpaved roads, at the edge of the Biebrza and Narew Valleys, which are protected as national parks and a landscape park. In the spring, Biebrza and Narew form picturesque marshes, which may limit the route.

New and rebuilt cycle paths, and pedestrian and bicycle trails account for about 300 kilometers of the route, and unpaved roads for around 150 kilometers. More than 30 bridges and footbridges have been created or renovated along the Green Velo Trail, and more than 20 key junctions have been rebuilt. 230 Cyclist Service Points have been constructed, each equipped with bicycle racks, sheds and benches, as well as with rubbish bins and information boards.

The name of the kingdom – Northern Mazury – can be confusing, especially to cyclists following this section of the The Green Velo trail expecting to see lakes and sailing boats. In fact, riders may be surprised by the natural wilderness, secluded places and the diverse landscapes, through which the trail leads. The route circumnavigates the best-known part of Masuria, i.e. the mass tourism destinations of Mikołajki and Giżycko, only stopping off in the northernmost town of the area, Węgorzewo. Visitors wanting to explore the great Masurian lakes further can stay in one of the best-located bsps (bike service points), along the shores of lake Mamry, near Węgorzewo.

There are an additional 10,000 kilometers of other marked cycle routes along the trail, as well as hundreds of noteworthy tourist attractions. The route leads through five national parks and numerous landscape parks and nature reserves. Along the northern part of the trail, long sections have been laid on the embankments of former railway lines.

  • 1,885 kilometers of the main route
  • Almost 200 kilometers of liaison trails
  • 300 kilometers of new and rebuilt cycle routes
  • More than 30 new and rebuilt bridges and footbridges
  • 230 Cyclist Service  Points

The trail has been divided into 12 so-called ‘bike kingdoms’. These are attractive regions where longer visits are the norm. Visitors can take advantage of over 100 one-day, weekend (or longer) cycling tours around the kingdoms of Eastern Poland – arguably the most beautiful parts of the country.

Photo description – app

The Szlak Green Velo mobile application is available, where you will find all necessary information, routes and facilities that will be useful for you during your trips. It is a comprehensive guide not only on the Green Velo Trail, but also on the side trails connected with the main corridor. You can easily plan a trip and calculate routes from A to B. The application is very intuitive, and a wide range of options allows you to adjust the route to your requirements. 

Sylwia Ziemacka
Sylwia Ziemacka
“I believe our unique selling point is that we focus on what brings us together. Poland Weekly offers something you will not find anywhere else: a truly international and unifying perspective focused on content that builds cooperation and mutual understanding. This attitude doesn't make us naïve, but it allows us to focus on mutual understanding and a search for solutions. There are so many new challenges that we are all facing, such as energy transformation, climate change and supply chain disruption, to name but a few. By working together and sharing good practices, we can achieve so much more.”
MUST READ