Do you want to train your body well and verify your fitness on the cycling route? Do you like challenges and prefer to ride a mountain bike on a forest trail? Do you cross Europe on asphalt with the EuroVelo brand? Or do you want to use a sunny day for an active family trip full of impressions? We offer you 14 tips for cycling routes throughout Slovakia, in which everyone can easily find their own. (Cover photo: Bratislava Tourist Board)

Western Slovakia

1. River cycle route EuroVelo 6 along the Danube river

Bratislava - Štúrovo (168 km, easy road route)

If you are a fan of road cycling on a quality asphalt surface out of traffic, head to Bratislava. The Euro Velo route No. 6 runs along the Danube embankment, 4,500 km of which connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Black Sea. The Slovak section, which starts at the border crossing Bratislava-Berg and ends at the Hungarian border in Štúrovo, can be cycled in one stroke as an intensive 168 km challenge or you can plan it as a weekend trip. On the route, which can be an endless plain for some, and relax in floodplain forests without hills along the Danube river for others, several attractions await you. In Čunovo, don't miss the Danubiana – the gallery of modern art; more active visitors will certainly appreciate the local water sports complex with an artificial water channel. At the dam in Gabčíkovo, you can watch the lifting of ships, in Komárno in the European Square you can admire the architecture typical of the individual countries of the old continent. Not far from the village of Iža you will find the remains of the Roman defense system Limes Romanus with the UNESCO brand, in Štúrovo you will have a nice view of the Esztergom Basilica cupola staying on the Bridge of Maria Valerie. The cycle route with almost no elevation is not demanding, but in case of bad weather, riding against the wind can bother even more experienced cyclists. (Photo: Bratislava Tourist Board)

    2. The path of the Iron Curtain - EuroVelo Route No. 13

    Bratislava - Moravský Svätý Ján (90 km, easy road route)

    You can also head north to discover Europe from Bratislava. In Berg, you connect to EuroVelo No. 13, Europe's longest cycle route, which runs through 20 countries. Its 10,400 km connects the Black Sea in the south with the Barents Sea in the north, copying the Iron Curtain Line from Bulgaria to Norway, which divided Europe into two worlds for almost four decades in the 20th century. 90 km section in Slovakia starts in Bratislava on the border with Austria, continues along the border with the Czech Republic, and ends in Moravský Svätý Ján. This route offers cyclists a ride through beautiful nature in close contact with the fauna and flora of the Morava river, which is a paradise for water birds. On the route, you will discover a system of bunkers that were built before the Second World War in the Petržalka district of Bratislava, the majestic Devín Castle, the important paleontological location Sandberg, as well as the picturesque villages of Záhorie, among others Vysoká pri Morave with a 17th-century Baroque church. The route, on which there are practically no elevations, leads on asphalt roads of various quality, mostly with minimal or no car traffic. Its great advantage is that you can easily combine it with other cycling routes in Záhorie, in the Danube region, as well as in Austria and Hungary. (Photo: Bratislava Tourist Board)

      3. Štefánik's cycle route through the Malé Karpaty

      Bratislava - Košariská (100 km, moderate difficult MTB route)

      Do you want to tread a little, move your body, but just enough not to be destroyed? And at the same time to meet a piece of fascinating nature and history? Try the cycle route, which is named after the Slovak astronomer, military pilot, and brigadier general of the French Army Milan Rastislav Štefánik. Symbolically, it connects the capital of Slovakia with its native place Košariská. You can start the route from Koliba, the district of Bratislava. 100 km route will take you across the entire mountains of the Malé Karpaty from south to north. Get ready for a changing countryside, where climbs alternate with descents, and a route takes you on two wheels of your bicycle through the asphalt, gravel, and forest roads. The great advantage of this route is the fact that only in a small section does it feed on the road with cars. Smart up your trip with a walk to Červený Kameň castle near Častá or to nearby Smolenice, where you can find the fairytale Smolenický zámok (Smolenice Castle) with an English park ideal for a picnic. Be sure not to miss the underground pearl of the Malé Karpaty - the Drina Cave with a rich sinter decoration. At the end of the route, get ready for a more physically demanding ascent to the Bradlo hill, where the monumental Štefánik mound rises. You will be rewarded with beautiful views of the surrounding rural settlements. (Photo source: Sportmedia)

        4. Across the Považie region, filled with many interesting castles

        Hlohovec - Strečno (166 km, easy MTB route)

        Do you want to see as much as possible from Slovakia, but do you prefer flat terrain without cars? Take a trip to the Vážska cyklomagistrála (Vážska cycle route), which stretches along Slovak longest river Váh, and crosses up to four regions - Nitra, Trnava, Trenčín, and Žilina. The longest continuous section - more than 166 km is marked from the town Hlohovec to Strečno village. You can look forward to an undemanding journey lined with the built-up Váh canal, beautiful nature, and many interesting places. In the spa town of Piešťany, you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee in one of the art cafes with galleries or have a break by the Sĺňava reservoir, which is ideal for water sports. Not far from the town Nové Mesto nad Váhom, you will be amazed by the beautiful Haluzická tiesňava (Haluzice gorge), reminiscent of the original habitats in the rainforest. In Trenčín, don't miss the Trenčín Castle standing on a high cliff, well-known for its myths and legends. The Bytčiansky zámok (Bytčiansky Castle), a Renaissance jewel of Slovakia with its unique Wedding Palace, is definitely the place you have to visit. In the Budatínsky zámok (Budatínsky Castle) in Žilina, you can see the refined skill of the local wiremen and a beautiful park at the confluence of two rivers. The cycle route will take you to the village of Strečno with the ruins of a castle from the 13th century and a medieval village on the castle grounds. (Photo: Jaroslav Moravčík)

          Central Slovakia

          5. Large route around the "Liptov Sea"

          Liptovský Mikuláš - Prosiek - Liptovský Mikuláš (71 km, moderate difficult MTB route)

          One of the most beautiful places in Slovakia that you can get to know from the saddle of your bicycle is definitely the Liptovská Mara, a reservoir also known as the Liptov Sea. The cycling route that goes around it is relatively rugged but without long or too difficult climbs. Recreational cyclists can also handle it. It leads along less frequented roads II. or III. class and partly also cross-country unpaved gravel, so we recommend using a mountain or trekking bike. If you decide on a circuit starting and ending in Liptovský Mikuláš, you will cover 71 km. Get ready to get to know the distinctive Liptov villages, which alternate at a brisk pace through large meadows with views of the scenery of the Low, Western, and High Tatras. You can start your trip at the famous Tatralandia Aquapark, then relax on the best accessible Liptovská Mara beach in Liptovský Trnovec; in Prosiek and Kvačany you have the opportunity to visit the fairytale Prosiecká and Kvačianská valleys with diverse rock formations, waterfalls, and lush forests; in nearby Havránek visit the archaeological open-air museum with Celtic Druid shrine. In the village of Svätý Kríž you can find one of the largest wooden buildings in Central Europe - an articular church that can accommodate almost 6,000 visitors. When crossing the Demänovská dolina (Demänovská Valley) on the northern side of the Low Tatras, you have the opportunity to explore the longest cave system in Slovakia. You can make the route more difficult by turning to the spa town of Lúčky or the recreation center in Bešeňová. (Photo: Michal Reiberger, www.visitliptov.sk)

            6. In the landscape cycling route near Banská Štiavnica

            Great Hodruša route: Hodruša-Hámre - Kerling - Hodruša-Hámre (40 km, difficult MTB route)

            Up to 237 km is distributed into 23 easily combinable routes of various categories - from wide forest roads to smooth tracks highlighting the topography of the country. And in addition, this route offers silence, pleasant sound of the forest, and the calm water level reflecting the treetops. The Štiavnické vrchy (Štiavnica hills) tend to call a mountain biking paradise. Cycling routes with not too long, but relatively steep slopes will perfectly test your condition. However, they will reward you with views of the picturesque region inextricably linked to mining. Cycling the "silver" town of Banská Štiavnica with the UNESCO seal and its surroundings is, therefore, a really wonderful impression. The longest route is the Veľký hodrušský okruh (Veľká Hodruša circuit) - 40 km and you will cross it in about 4 hours. It begins and ends in the village of Hodruša-Hámre. The highest point of the track is Kerling (820 m a.s.l.), which offers to visit the local chapel and enjoy panoramic views of the opposite hills. The circuit leads to the Kopanický tajch. If you want to take a break, you can visit the nearby located spa Sklené Teplice. During this route, you can also see the so-called „Rocky Sea“ in Vyhne, which is the largest place of its kind in the Carpathians, or the Kysihýbel arboretum, where more than 260 species of various foreign woody plants mainly from North America is located on an area of 7.7 ha. (Photo: Banská Bystrica Region Tourism)

              7. Royal trail in the Low Tatras

              Šumiac - Kráľova hoľa - Šumiac (20 km, difficult MTB route)

              You can find on this route everything a good mountain route should include - brutal climbs and wild descents. If you want to enjoy the highest marked cycling route leading to Kráľova hoľa (1946 m a.s.l.) in the Low Tatras, you need not only the physical condition but also a good cross bike. The cycling route starts and ends in the village of Šumiac and it is only 20 km long, but you must get ready for a difficult climb with an elevation of 1066 m, which can be hampered by the strong wind. When you reach the Predné sedlo after overcoming the forest bends, it will be a little bit easier for you. From here up to the top of Kráľova Hoľa hill, an asphalt road leads. The end of the route offers the curves in the rocky terrain, which will take you to the top of real the best view in our territory: you will see in front of you the Spiš region, the High Tatras, the Liptov region, and also the Horehronie region. On the way back, we recommend you to visit Telgárt village, which is located only 9 km from Šumiac village. You will find there a real treasure of the railway architecture: two massive viaducts - Telgártsky and Chmarošský, which belong among the most sought-after technical monuments in Slovakia. You can enjoy the view of the second of them by drinking a fragrant coffee in the Depo Café in a wagon from the Austria-Hungary times. (Photo: www.ebikytelgart.sk)

                8. With a headlamp through disused railway tunnels

                Ochtiná - Revúca (23 km, moderate difficult MTB route)

                We also have something interesting for those who are looking for adrenaline adventure cycling. The moderately demanding 23 km route starts in Ochtina near the rarity of the UNESCO brand - Ochtinská aragonite cave, which is one of the few accessible aragonite caves in the world. Following the asphalt road, you will get through Rochovce to Slavošovce, where at the mouth of the valley you will be met by the Dobšinský fairy-tale place, a relaxation zone with wooden climbing frames and a dragon carousel, named after the famous storyteller, a local native. This is where you will find an inconspicuous entrance to the tunnel, which is the longest cycle tunnel in Europe and 3rd one on a global scale. The Slavošovský tunnel, approximately 2.4 km long, is an unfinished technical construction from the Second World War on a railway line that the train never crossed. It is freely passable, but don't forget to pack a headlamp and a spare light so that you can observe something interesting in the black and dark darkness of the S-shaped tunnel. After overcoming it, you will soon get to another - Koprášsky tunnel, which is only 300 m long, and right behind it another technical uniqueness will await you: the Koprášsky viaduct. The cycle route passes under the viaduct, field roads will then take you out of the woods to the village of Mníšany. Through Chyžné and Mokrá Lúka you can get to Revúca, from which it is only a short to the ground squirrels´ meadow in Biele Vody. (Photo: Banská Bystrica Region Tourism)

                  9. In the region of tinkers and rounded hills

                  Kotešová - Demänová saddle (138 km, difficult MTB route)

                  If you prefer endurance mountain biking, go to Kysuce. From the village of Kotešová, where the 138 km long Kysucká cycle route begins, you will find a route through picturesque rural settlements with distinctive architecture and natural peculiarities. In Korňa, be sure not to miss the Korňanský oil spring. In Megoňky, visit the quarry with mysterious stone balls of unknown origin. Above the village of Čierne, tall granite obelisks mark the place where the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland meet. Nearby tourist shelters with seating and a fireplace invite you for a refreshing break. In Oščadnica you can try adventure golf, a climbing wall, or relax in the wellness area. In Krásno nad Kysucou you will connect to the Bystrická cycle route. It is worth coming to nearby Stará Bystrica just before the break of the hour - in the center of the village, there is a wooden astronomical clock, which is the only one in the world showing the so-called real solar time. Follow the Bystrická cycle route to Nová Bystrica. It includes the open-air museum of the Kysuce village in Vychylovka with a unique historical narrow-gauge railway. From Vychylovka, you can take a long climb to the Demänová saddle, where the cycle route passes smoothly to the Orava highway. (Photo: Marek Hajkovský)

                    Eastern Slovakia

                    10. Seven kilometers that only trained connoisseurs can handle

                    Tatranská Polianka - Silesian House - Tatranská Polianka (14 km, difficult MTB route)

                    Are you looking for a short but intense challenge? Head to the High Tatras. The path to the mountain hotel Sliezsky dom (1670 m a.s.l.), which is only 7 km long, is one of the most beautiful cycle routes in our mountains, but due to its constant ascent with an elevation difference of 698 m, only well-trained cyclists can handle it.  It starts in Tatranská Polianka, continues over the Velická bridge, and then climbs through the crossing over the Velická valley. The reward for an hour and a half of the real effort will be the wonderful surroundings of Velické pleso, the view of the Podtatranská kotlina with the silhouette of the Low Tatras, and refreshments in the Sliezsky dom (Silesian House), which is located directly below Gerlachovský štít. The route has an asphalt surface, which is not ideal in many places, so it is better to take a mountain bike instead of a road bike. You can extend the way back to Poprad (it is 17 km from Tatranská Polianka), where you can relax in the aquapark, where you can find many swimming pools with natural thermal water. If you are an urbex enthusiast, the nearby royal town of Kežmarok (15 km from Poprad, 22 km from Tatranská Polianka) will surprise you with an unusual combination of various architectural styles and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Photo: Martin Maličký)

                      11. From Palcmanská Maša to Ružín

                      Dedinky - Margecany (68 km, moderate difficult road route)

                      A relaxed route for road bikes along the enchanting water areas surrounded by mountains and distinctive villages, which copies the railway line, so you can jump off the saddle at any time and use the train to explore the beauties and relax. This is a brief introduction to the Hnilecká cycle route. It passes through the picturesque valley of the river Hnilec, which borders the forest massifs of the Slovenské rudohorie mountains. The route starts on the bank of the artificial reservoir Palcmanská Maša in Dedinky in the Slovenský raj (Slovak Paradise National Park). From the very beginning, it offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, which will also be enjoyed by recreational cyclists - except for a short steep climb behind Sykavka, the route has an evenly descending character. You can stop in the mining settlement of Rakovec or in the villages of Mlynky, Hnilec, and Švedlár, where you will be enchanted by authentic wooden houses. In Gelnica, you can visit the ruins of Gelnický Castle with a view of the surrounding Volovské vrchy hills. After tens of kilometers on the bike, be sure to take a break at the Ružín dam in Margecany, which is a popular recreational area with many mysterious places and crannies. Boating on the emerald green surface of this vast water area surrounded by dense forest is an unforgettable experience. (Photo source: Sportmedia)

                        12. Complete collection of Spiš UNESCO sites

                        Hrabušice - Lesnica (171 km, moderate difficult MTB route)

                        The Spišská cycle route, which starts in Hrabušice and stretches 171 km to the Polish border, will allow you to get acquainted with the Spiš region rich in historical gems and natural rarities. If you are not afraid of heights, in the village of Spišské Tomášovce turn to Tomášovský view in the Slovenský raj. Near the village of Matejovce nad Hornádom you can reach the Šikľavá skala waterfall. A short distance behind it begins the paradise of UNESCO monuments – Spišský hrad (Spiš Castle), Spišské Podhradie with Gothic-Renaissance burgher houses and remarkable sacral buildings, Spišská Kapitula (aka "Slovak Vatican") with the Cathedral of St. Martin, Žehra with the Church of the Holy Spirit, as well as the archeological site Dreveník. The cycle route continues through the royal town of Levoča (another site on the UNESCO list), where you should not miss the wooden altar of Master Paul. In Kežmarok, the wooden Church of the Holy Trinity is proud of the UNESCO brand. In Spišská Belá, do not miss the renaissance Kaštieľ Strážky (Strážky Manor) with Slovak National Gallery exhibitions and a large English park. Then you will find a route along the narrow seams of the fields, interwoven with steep borders and woods, as well as a more challenging climb to the highest point of the highway in Magurské sedlo. After a long descent, you will come to the village of Červený Kláštor, where you can visit the Carthusian monastery or get on a raft and navigate the river Dunajec in the Pieniny National Park. (Photo source: Košice Region Tourism)

                          13. Easy cycling and tasting of Tokaj wine

                          Čerhov - Viničky (23 km, easy MTB route)

                          If you want to enjoy easy cycling in the beautiful region, head to the bustling Tokaj wine-growing region, which is reminiscent of Tuscany with its tree lines, fields, and vineyards. The heart of the Tokaj cycle route is the 23 km long section of the Dolnozemplínska Cycle Route, which connects the villages of Čerhov and Viničky. It mostly runs on an asphalt surface with a small elevation and low-traffic roads, so even a family with children can handle it without any problems. However, we recommend you pull out a mountain or trekking bike - you can rent it directly at the information center in Čerhov. The route offers unique views of the picturesque vineyards, especially if you make a stop behind Malá Tŕňa village, where you find a wooden-iron structure of a 12-meter-high barrel-shaped lookout tower. There is also a children’s playground and a gazebo nearby suitable for a break. The trip invites you to taste more than twenty sorts of wines from local production. Be sure to visit the historic tuff wine cellars in Veľká Tŕňa village. Lovers of history and Renaissance architecture should not miss the restored mansion in Borša, where the leader of the last anti-Habsburg uprising was born. In the village of Viničky, you can get on a ship with your bike and go to the town of Sárospatak in Hungary. (Photo source: Košice Region Tourism)

                            14. In the footsteps of the "beast of the East" EuroVelo 11

                            Mníšek pod Popradom - Trstené pri Hornáde (203 km)

                            A section of the EuroVelo No. 11 route, nicknamed the "beast of the east", the 6000 km of which connects the Norwegian Nordkapp with Athens in Greece is gradually being built on the territory of Slovakia. It enters Slovakia via Mníšek nad Popradom, a border crossing with Poland. There are many attractive stops on the 203 km long section. East Slovakia is dotted with wooden churches built without the use of a single nail. Six of them have also been on the UNESCO list. In Stará Ľubovňa you can visit the castle from the 13th century, which was famous in the past for the meetings of the crowned heads and the imprisonment of Móric Beňovský, the later king of Madagascar. In Sabinov, take a picture of the Oscar statuette in the square, which reminds you that the Academy Award-winning film „Shop On the Main Street“ was filmed here. In Veľký Šariš, go through the new bicycle bridge, which evokes the impression of a medieval building. In Prešov, do not miss the late Gothic Concathedral of St. Mikuláš, an Orthodox synagogue built in the Moorish style or Solivar, a unique complex of technical buildings for pumping and cooking salt from brine from the 17th century. In Košice, enter the largest Gothic cathedral in Slovakia - the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth. The promenade, in the heart of which it stands, is lined with palace houses and townhouses with restaurants, boutiques, and cafes. From Košice, the cycle route copies the Hornád riverbed to the village of Trstené pri Hornáde, where it enters Hungary. (Photo: Bicyklom po Slovensku)