COPENHAGEN TO GDAŃSK BY BIKE: INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS EXPLORE EUROVELO 10 AND TEST A NEW CROSS-BORDER CYCLING PRODUCT
For five unforgettable days, an international group of tour operators, cycling tourism specialists, bloggers, media representatives and destination experts travelled from Copenhagen to Gdańsk along the Baltic Sea coast. Organised within the Baltic Biking UPGRADE (BBU) project, the fam trip offered participants a unique opportunity to experience the EuroVelo 10 Baltic Sea Cycle Route https://en.eurovelo.com/ev10 first-hand while testing a new cross-border cycling product linking Denmark and Poland.
The journey officially began on 27 May 2026 at Copenhagen City Hall, where participants were welcomed by Christopher Røhl, Mayor of Culture, Leisure and Citizen Services of the City of Copenhagen, and H.E. Ewa Dębska, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Denmark. Their presence highlighted the growing importance of sustainable mobility and tourism cooperation across the Baltic Sea Region.
Participants represented a diverse mix of organisations and businesses active in cycling tourism and destination promotion, including Cycle Travel Club, OneWayBikeTours, Poland by Locals, Loverowi, Cyclingworld, S-cape Partners, Kampio, Danish Cycling Tourism, Mecklenburger Radtour, Tourismverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Tourismus Barth, Pomorskie Tourist Board and Zachodniopomorska Regionalna Organizacja Turystyczna. The route took participants through Denmark, Germany and Poland. Starting in Copenhagen, the group travelled south through Zealand and Falster, reaching Marielyst. The following day, they visited Gedser Odde, Denmark’s southernmost point, before taking the ferry to Rostock and continuing through Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to Barth. Subsequent stages included Stralsund, Heringsdorf, Świnoujście, Kołobrzeg, Mielno, Ustka, Krokowa, Puck, Sopot and finally Gdańsk.
One of the main objectives of the fam trip was to test a newly launched one-way bicycle rental service between Copenhagen and Gdańsk. This innovative offer was developed by two SMEs – OneWayBikeTours from Denmark and Poland by Locals from Gdańsk. The companies first met during a Baltic Biking UPGRADE study visit in Sweden in 2025. Inspired by the opportunities presented by growing cycling tourism demand, they decided to create a new tourism product allowing cyclists to start their journey in Copenhagen and finish in Gdańsk without having to return their bicycles to the original rental location. The service removes one of the key barriers to long-distance cycling holidays and opens new opportunities for discovering the Baltic coast by bike. To support the launch, a dedicated website was created: https://bike-copenhagen-gdansk.com/en/home/ . The journey was much more than a route inspection.
Participants exchanged experiences, met local stakeholders and businesses, evaluated infrastructure and services, and discussed future cooperation opportunities. The atmosphere throughout the trip was exceptional, with excellent weather, inspiring conversations and a strong sense of community among participants. The final stage through the Pomorskie Region showcased the area’s diverse cycling offerings, from coastal landscapes and nature reserves to cultural heritage sites and urban waterfronts. The group expanded over the weekend, with more cyclists joining the ride into Gdańsk. About 15 cyclists entered the city together and finished the journey at the historic Gdańsk Shipyard. The fam trip gained immediate exposure through social media, blogs, and specialised cycling channels. Participants actively shared their experiences, creating genuine content that will continue to promote the route in the coming months. The Copenhagen–Gdańsk Fam Trip illustrated how international cooperation can translate into practical tourism solutions. By linking destinations, SMEs, and cycling communities across borders, Baltic Biking UPGRADE is helping position the South Baltic area as one of Europe’s top cycling tourism regions.
The Baltic Biking UPGRADE project is co-financed by the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021–2027.
Photo Credit: BalticBikingUPGRADE Project
