Let’s face it, hills can be a real pain. Especially in the summer, it can feel like you’re sweating your soul out on those steep climbs. Fortunately, there are places where you can avoid them!
We have 7 tips for perfectly flat destinations full of beautiful bike paths, where you can enjoy a fantastic cycling holiday without your legs or lungs giving out. And besides Bohemia and Moravia, we’ll also be looking beyond the borders.
Welcome to the land of mirrors. Around every corner, you’ll come across a picturesque pond reflecting old pine and oak trees. You’ll cross plenty of dams, relax in the shade in the middle of a forest, take pictures on a fairytale bridge, grab a lemonade at a kiosk, explore peat bogs… and you won’t encounter a single hill!
Every day you can head in a different direction – to Rožmberk, to Majdalena past the Ema Destinnová monument, to the Staňkovský Pond, or to Chlum u Třeboně. You can also pack your swimsuit and cool off in one of the ponds along the way.
ACCOMMODATION TIP: The spa town of Třeboň is the ideal base for this relaxing cycling holiday. And if you receive employee benefits at work (Edenred, Pluxee, or Up), we recommend choosing your accommodation on Booking.com – you can pay for the whole stay using your benefits and save money! Just copy the hotel link into this form.
The kilometers just fly by on their own on the smooth asphalt along the Elbe River. This area is an absolute paradise for cyclists and inline skaters. Plus, biking here can be easily combined with other modes of transport – when your legs start to ache, you can simply hop on a boat or a train along the way.
What’s the most beautiful part of Polabí? Besides the picturesque river, it’s mainly the small towns and chateaus. The spa town of Poděbrady with its colonnade, Nymburk with its impressive town walls, the open-air museum in Přerov nad Labem, or the Loučeň Chateau with a massive labyrintharium in its gardens where kids can burn off some energy.
ACCOMMODATION TIP: You can stay right in Poděbrady, which is absolutely gorgeous. Take a morning stroll along the colonnade to the bakery for breakfast, and then hooray, get on your bike! Here too, you can pay for your Booking.com accommodation with your benefits and save. Just book a hotel via this form and start looking forward to your trip.
Ready for that authentic Moravian atmosphere? Slovácko is a charming landscape full of wine cellars, where you can pedal for long kilometers on completely flat terrain right alongside the Baťa Canal, stopping for some wine or catching a boat ride along the way. The most interesting wine cellars are definitely Plže in Petrov, where beautiful folk architecture awaits you.
The meanders of the Morava River are also beautiful, and the village of Vnorovy is incredibly fascinating as the river literally crosses paths with the Baťa Canal there – an absolute technical marvel!
ACCOMMODATION TIP: The best base is Veselí nad Moravou, featuring a beautiful historical center. And if you receive employee benefits at work (Edenred, Pluxee, or Up), we recommend choosing your accommodation on Booking.com – you can pay for the whole stay using your benefits and save money! Just copy the hotel link into this form.
Cruising on a bike through the "Garden of Europe," as the Lednice-Valtice area is nicknamed, is a fairytale experience for all fans of beautiful parks and chateaus. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into Pride and Prejudice or the Bridgerton series.
The entire area is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the bike paths act as links between all the architectural gems. You're in for a ride through floodplain forests and tree-lined avenues, past mansions and pavilions. You’ll find something interesting on every single kilometer.
ACCOMMODATION TIP: Lednice is the best starting point, putting you right in the center of the action with everything within reach. Here too, you can pay for your Booking.com accommodation with your benefits and save. Just book a hotel via this form and start looking forward to your trip.
Let’s move out of Czechia and further into Europe, where you can combine relaxing cycling trips with exploring new countries.
In the Netherlands, you'll truly understand what it means for the cyclist to be the main priority. All bike paths are separated from cars, have their own traffic lights, and feature a special signage system (knooppunten) that guarantees you won't get lost! The whole country is perfectly flat with pristine surfaces, where your biggest enemy isn't hills, but the headwind. So, which part should you head to?
Zeeland Province: Islands connected by a monumental system of dams and bridges. Open sea, dunes, beaches, lighthouses, and modern engineering structures. Plus, a seriously strong gale that only adds to the atmosphere. If this sounds like your style, definitely choose Zeeland!
Friesland Province: Windmills, green meadows interwoven with canals and lakes, historical towns with colorful, leaning houses, and the occasional tulip field. If you prefer a calmer landscape over the rugged sea coast, Friesland is the perfect choice.
ACCOMMODATION TIP: For a holiday in Zeeland, Middelburg is ideal; for a Frisian base, Leeuwarden is a great choice. Here too, you can pay for your Booking.com accommodation with your benefits and save. Just book a hotel via this form and start looking forward to your trip.
Hundreds of kilometers of flat terrain along the Loire River with breathtaking views of French chateaus, vineyards, and historical villages. This is exactly what you'll experience if you decide on a relaxing cycling holiday in France.
It boasts one of the most beautiful bike paths in Europe. The Loire River has a wide, sometimes wild riverbed dotted with sandy islands, towered over by famous chateaus. How about hopping off your bike to taste some French gastronomy, visit castle gardens, and then hitting the pedals again? Nice and easy, zero hills. Magnifique!
ACCOMMODATION TIP: The town of Amboise is situated in a highly strategic location and is absolutely magical, historical, and majestic. Here too, you can pay for your Booking.com accommodation with your benefits and save. Just book a hotel via this form and start looking forward to your trip.
Just an hour from Berlin, you’ll find a completely different world. Spreewald is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and a unique labyrinth of hundreds of narrow water canals.
The bike paths here run right along the water, through floodplain forests, and over wooden bridges. All around you, the only sound is the splashing of water and an occasional passing boat. The terrain is entirely flat, and thanks to the dense network of trails, you can easily plan both shorter and longer loops. And once you get tired of pedaling, just hop into a traditional wooden boat!
ACCOMMODATION TIP: You can base yourself in the picturesque town of Lübbenau. Look around for accommodations with the "Bett & Bike" label, which guarantees cyclist-friendly facilities. And if you receive employee benefits at work (Edenred, Pluxee, or Up), we recommend choosing your accommodation on Booking.com – you can pay for the whole stay using your benefits and save money! Just copy the hotel link into this form.
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