Europe has plenty of cities known for their bike-friendly cultures with oodles of cycle-sharing schemes, bike lanes and cyclists on the road. Even if you’re only visiting for a few days, it’s a great way to see the sights and get some exercise at the same time. Better yet, electric bikes are growing in popularity in many of these cities, offering the recreational benefits of cycling without forcing you to break too much of a sweat. Intrigued? Here are our 15 favourite European cities to explore by e-bike.
Since the start of the pandemic cyclist numbers in London have been up 25% – and by a whopping 82% at weekends – suggesting that visitors as well as locals might be moving around on two wheels. A lot of people got into cycling during the coronavirus lockdowns, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan has introduced 160 miles (260km) of new cycle lanes since coming into office in 2016.
Santander, which operates a popular bike rental scheme in London, is bringing 500 e-bikes to its fleet in September 2022, which will make getting round the city a breeze. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a guided cycle, there are plenty of options: try this top-rated London landmarks tour, which whizzes around Westminster, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace with informative guides telling you all about the city’s fascinating history.
Known for its gorgeous buildings and historic spas, Budapest is also beginning to make a name for itself as a cyclists’ paradise. The Hungarian capital is home to roughly 124 miles (200km) of bike lanes, which snake past some of its prettiest views: the banks of the Danube river, Buda Hills and plenty of other famous landmarks.
Want to see the best of Budapest in a limited time? We suggest deferring to the experts and taking a guided adventure. We particularly like this four-hour e-bike tour, which allows you to tick off a list of landmark attractions (Freedom Square, Margaret Bridge, Buda Castle, Parliament Building) on a svelte-looking electric bike. For something a little different, try hopping on an e-scooter excursion – Luna Tours offers a ‘Grand City Tour’, a sunset tour and a castle tour, as well as e-scooter rentals depending on what you’re after.
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In September 2021, authorities in Berlin announced they would be expanding the city's (already extensive) network of bike paths, with a plan to add around 932 miles (1,500km) of cycle routes in the coming years. So there’s never been a better time to be a cyclist in this dynamic and ever-changing capital. Bike rental scheme LimeBike offers electric models throughout the city, which you can easily rent via an app.
There are plenty of captivating routes to discover: you could try cycling along sections of the famous Berlin Wall, exploring abandoned airport-turned-park Tempelhofer Feld or threading through the enormous Tiergarten Park at the heart of the city. Alternatively, book a guided excursion with E-Bike Tours Berlin, and choose between a Berlin Wall tour or a classic city highlights tour. Both cost £33 ($40) per person and take place daily.
Dubbed the cycling capital of southern Europe, Seville is the place to be if you want to whizz past ornate cathedrals and Moorish fortifications on two wheels. You'll probably get to do so in glorious sunshine, as the Spanish city benefits from a warm and sunny climate for most of the year, giving it a sizeable edge on its northern European rivals.
The Andalusian capital hasn’t always been big on bikes, but in the past decade it's seen a huge expansion of its bike lane network, which increased cycling rates 11-fold in just a few years. To make the most of the city’s cycling infrastructure while learning about its most prominent sights, book onto this two-and-a-half-hour e-bike tour. The highly rated excursion stops at two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Seville Cathedral and the Royal Alcazar Palace – plus other famous attractions like the Plaza de España.
Paris hasn’t always been a cycling centre, but thanks to a massive £130 million ($152m) investment from incumbent Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the city is having a bit of a bike boom. What’s more, the second stage of its 'Plan Velo' will see a further £216 million ($254m) spent between 2021 and 2026, adding 81 miles (130km) of cycle paths in an effort to make Paris an entirely bikeable city.
It’s also a leader in e-biking, as the citywide cycle-share scheme, Vélib, has around 8,000 e-bikes which you can easily rent from one of 1,400 docking points around the city. Once you’ve got your wheels, the options are endless. Breeze through the new Parc Rives de Seine, a pedestrian and bike-only path skirting the famous river; whizz along the railway overpass to Bois de Vincennes, Paris’s biggest park; or track along the Canal de l'Ourcq to the Père Lachaise Cemetery, where famous names like Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf are buried.
Slovenia’s capital is among the most eco-friendly cities in Europe: it’s home to the largest car-free zone in the EU, has plenty of great public transport options and boasts an impressive 5,800 square feet (542sq m) of green space per inhabitant. It makes sense that the city is also a cycling hotspot, and in 2022 Ljubljana’s first e-bike sharing scheme was launched, with 75 Nomago bikes available at 25 different docking stations.
Perhaps the easiest and most beginner-friendly route is this five-mile (8km) loop around the forest at the foot of Rožnik Hill, which packs in plenty of stunning scenery along the way. Or you could try cycling to the tranquil Zbilje Lake, which, at around 11 miles (18km) from Ljubljana, is an ideal day trip. For a guided tour, opt for this three-and-a-half hour excursion around the city’s main attractions.
Located in northern Spain’s beguiling Basque Country, San Sebastian is surrounded by picturesque mountains and windswept coastlines. It’s long been a hub for cyclists, but the steep hills make renting an e-bike much more enticing than sweating it solo. Try renting from Go Local, whose prices start at a reasonable £7.81 ($9.15) for two hours, before venturing out onto the beach, up into the mountains or through the scenic city centre.
If you’d prefer to have someone show you around, this highly rated small-group e-bike tour is a good option. During the three-hour excursion, you’ll glide along La Concha’s golden sands, explore lesser-known neighbourhoods and venture up to the viewpoint of Monte Igueldo for stunning vistas across the city.
It’s pretty hard to find an image of Amsterdam’s gorgeous canals that doesn't contain at least one bike – if not dozens of them. But there are good reasons cycling is so popular here, beyond the fact that the streets are so appealing to cruise round. The country is blessed with a mild climate and few hills – ideal conditions for cycling – and there are lots of bike lanes and a strong cycling culture that dates back hundreds of years. These days, 38% of all journeys in Amsterdam are made by bike.
The city’s popular cycle rental scheme, provided by Urbee and Cargoroo, is in the midst of adding 260 e-bikes to its networks in Amsterdam, Leuven and Nijmegen, which should make cycling even more accessible. You could easily just hop on a bike and explore the city centre, but for a more tranquil experience, try escaping to the picturesque Waterland region, journeying along the hidden Amsterdam Beach or even cycling to the charming coastal city of Lelystad.
The medieval Belgian city of Ghent sweeps visitors off their feet with its fairy tale-esque castles, cobbled streets and charming canals. Better yet, it’s a cyclist’s dream, with miles of bike paths, parking areas, rental schemes and even bike-friendly bars and restaurants. E-biking looks set to get big here too: the city recently gained a new fleet of 600 electric models courtesy of Dott, as well as 100 BAQME e-cargo bikes with extra space for carrying bags.
The bikes can be rented via an app, costing less than £1 ($1) to unlock and £0.20 ($0.23) per minute to ride. One of the loveliest routes is the path running alongside the Scheldt river valley, which links Ghent and Kluisbergen and takes in rolling hills, flat pastureland and charming small towns. The total route is 112 miles (180km), but you could easily start cycling either south or north from Ghent and go as far as you please.
From the renowned Barceloneta Beach to the extraordinary architecture of city icon Gaudí, the streets of Barcelona make for an extremely aesthetic cycle ride. The city has a popular bike rental scheme, Bicing, which recently gained 300 electric models, so you can scoot around extra fast. That means more time for touring tapas bars and taking in the sights at your leisure.
If you’re after a little extra help to get cycle-confident or just want to be guided round by someone in the know, sign up for a trip with Barcelona eBikes. Offering small-group tours tailored to the city’s best known attractions – from a 'Gaudí highlights' itinerary to a 'Picasso, wine and tapas' option – the highly rated company has received stellar Tripadvisor reviews for its knowledgeable guides and well-planned routes.
While cycling is popular in Prague, its notoriously steep hills can be hard on the legs, but e-bikes make light work of them. The Czech capital is graced with an excellent network of cycle routes, ranging from roadside tracks to paved cycle-only paths, although you could just keep things simple and pedal sedately along the Vltava River.
To learn more about the city’s rich history, take one of the tours offered by locally owned Prague by E-Bike. They offer two excellent itineraries: a historical city tour, which encompasses more than 30 stops, including the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock, or a 'Communism and World War Two' route, which includes free entry to the Museum of Communism and stops at the Kafka Museum, John Lennon Wall and Jewish Old Town.
Located in northeastern France, near the German border, Strasbourg is the most bike-friendly French city, boasting an impressive 373 miles (600km) of cycle paths. Bikes are a big part of life here, with around 16% of commuters opting to cycle to work, but they're also a delightful way for visitors to explore the canals, half-timbered buildings and quaint neighbourhoods.
Although pedalling through the city is sure to provide a few hours of entertainment, it’s also worth going further afield and exploring the gorgeous Alsace countryside. Try this four-hour vineyard tour by e-bike, which includes several stops at nearby wineries to learn how the drink is made, plus a picnic lunch and tasting at the end.
Set on the banks of the River Loire, Nantes is a captivating medieval city full of pretty châteaus and half-timbered houses. It’s perfect for exploring by bike, with an extensive 364 miles (586km) of cycle path, plus plenty of parking spots all over the city. The epic La Vélodyssée, a 746-mile (1,200km) route along France’s Atlantic coast, runs through here, so you could join the route northwards and discover more of Brittany or venture west along the Loire towards Saint-Nazaire.
As far as e-biking is concerned, the city’s Bicloo rental service recently had to add another 250 electric models to its fleet to cope with demand – so it’s clearly pretty popular. Bike N’ Tour offers e-bike day rental, or you can take one of their guided tours. The two-hour panoramic Nantes option is the best bet for exploring the medieval town and its landmarks, costing £34 ($40) per person, while the ‘Bike N’ Wine’ group excursion journeys through vineyards around the city, with wine tasting and food at the end (price on request).
With an intriguing mix of historic and modern architecture and incredible fjords in every direction, Oslo is a wonderful city to discover by bike. The forward-thinking Norwegian capital has a slew of scenic cycle paths, which include the 5.6-mile (9km) harbour promenade, the tranquil Bygdøy peninsula on the western side of the city and the enchanting Lake Maridal.
To discover these beautiful areas at your own pace, rent a ride from Viking Biking, whose prices start from £51 ($60) a day and include helmets and locks, plus several different models to choose from. For a more off-road adventure, you could book this guided e-mountain bike tour of the Oslomarka region. The route takes in striking scenery, like the Skjærsjøen Dam, Akerselva river and Sognsvann lake, plus an idyllic café in the woods known as Ullevålseter.
Like its Scandinavian neighbour, Copenhagen is a big cycling city and it's easy to get in on the action. The Danish capital has a public e-bike sharing scheme, Bycyklen, which provides rentable e-bikes at docking stations all over the city. To get started, you just need to download the Bycyklen app and register your card details.
Once you’ve got your wheels, you’re spoiled for choice with all the beautiful cycling routes. Check out the striking architecture of Bjarke Ingels on this 13.7-mile (22km) route, cycle around the picturesque harbourside bike path or head further afield with this 19-mile (31km) Six Forgotten Giants route. If you’re looking for guided options, this e-bike tour takes in the city’s top landmarks in just two hours.