Length 5900 km (3666 mi) | Use cycling | |
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Designation European Cyclists' Federation Trailheads Cadiz, Spain to Greece and Cyprus Website | ||
EuroVelo 8 (EV8), named the Mediterranean Route, is a 5,900 km (3,700 mi) long EuroVelo long-distance cycling route running from Cadiz, Spain to Athens, Greece, and then continuing to the island of Cyprus. The route runs east-west across Europe mainly along or close to the Mediterranean coast, passing successively through 11 countries: Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Cyprus.
Contents
Route
As of January 2014, the EV8 route is one of the least complete EuroVelo routes.
In Spain
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Spain is incomplete, so much riding will be on roads. Only one short section is complete: this is the "Pirinexus" Cycle Route which has been open in Catalonia since March 2013, and the EV8 follows this from Sant Feliu de Guíxols to the border.
The route starts in Cadiz and passes through Malaga, Granada, Valencia, and Barcelona before crossing the border into France.
In France
As of January 2014, the EV8 in the France is still in development. Therefore, much riding will have to be on roads.
In France, the EV8 will eventually provide a 670 km (420 mi) long cycle route linking Spain to Italy following the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It will arrive in France from the border with Spain over the Panissars pass over the Pyrenees at Le Perthus and depart at Menton on the border with Italy. In doing so, it will pass through the cities of Argelès-sur-Mer, Port Barcarès, Port Leucate, Narbonne, Béziers, Agde, Sète, La Grande-Motte, Cavaillon, Apt, Forcalquier, and Nice.
In Monaco
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Monaco is still in development.
In the tiny Principality of Monaco, the EV8 passes through the city of Monte Carlo before exiting back into France as it approaches the Italian border.
In Italy
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Italy is at its most advanced stage: approximately half of the route has been completed.
In Italy, the EV8 goes through Turin, Piacenza (EV5), Mantua (EV7), Ferrara, Venice, and Trieste (EV9).
In Italy, though the EV8 is still in development from the French border to Pavia, from there it has been completed to just past Venice. From Pavia, the EV8 follows either of two branches of the BicItalia 2 (BI2) route along the Po river valley: these are the BI 2 Ciclovia del Po e delle Lagune EV8 and the BI 2 Ciclovia Destra Po EV8.
In Slovenia
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Slovenia is still under development: though the route may still be cycled, it may be on busy roads.
In Slovenia, the EV8 goes through Koper (EV9).
In Croatia
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Croatia is still under development: though the route may still be cycled, it may be on busy roads.
In Croatia, the EV8 goes through Pula (EV9), Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Klek and Dubrovnik.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Bosnia and Herzegovina is in development.
Only 14 km of the EV8 passes through Bosnia and Herzegovina so you will actually be cycling along the whole of the country's coastline! The route enters from Klek in Croatia and heads towards the only town on the coast, Neum. Several kilometers south-east of Neum, the EV8 re-enters Croatia.
In Montenegro
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Montenegro is in development.
In Montenegro, the EV8 goes through Kotor, Podgorica. It will pass by the Bay of Kotor, a UNESCO world heritage site, on the way around the Adriatic coast to Podgorica, the country's capital.
In Albania
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Albania is still yet to be developed.
In Albania, the EV8 goes through Shkodra, Tirana, Durrës
In Greece
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Greece is in development.
In Greece, the EV8 goes through Igoumenitsa, Patras, Corinth and Athens (EV11).
In Cyprus
As of January 2014, the EV8 in Cyprus is yet to be developed.
In Cyprus, the EV8 does a circuit of the island and goes through Lemesos.