… from Antalya to Faro,
… from Turkey to Portugal,
… from east to west,
… from sunrise to sunset,
… from eternal spring to never-ending summer,
… with three flat tyres, with two flat mattresses,
… with a hacked credit card,
… without accident or theft,
… without doctor or hospital,
… with beautiful memories and experiences,
… through different cultures,
… over mountains and hills,
… twice at the end of the world, not in Brittany-Finistère, but in Galicia-Finistère and at the Portuguese Capo de São Vicente-Finisterre.
We only lost weight. (The winter weight comes off by itself.)
What comes to mind when you think of the country we cycled through? Fourteen countries: Turkey, Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany.
When I think of Turkey,
… I think of Oktay, the cycling SGE fan who recycles Eintracht Frankfurt jerseys. I think of the 60 cents it costs to take the ferry from Asia to Europe. There is the crazy traffic in and around Izmir, with us right in the middle of it on our bikes, and we made it out unscathed. Because of the amazing hospitality, we would love to come back to this country anytime.
When I think of Greece,
… the rooftop bar in Thessaloniki and Mount Olympus with its wonderfully wild flowers immediately spring to mind. Here we cycle our most challenging stage, covering 120 kilometres and over 2,300 metres of elevation gain, accompanied by Gian-Maria on the last stretch.
When I think of Albania,
… I think of the Kulla Hopi Tower near the town of Bulqize and the Rossmann branch in Korce, which looks like it was dropped from a UFO.
When I think of North Macedonia,
… despite having a good night’s sleep there, nothing memorable comes to mind.
When I think of Bosnia,
… I think of the lively, sporty town of Trebinje and the adventurous Ciro railway cycle path.
When I think of Montenegro,
… I think that it is only called that because Europeans cannot pronounce its real name, Crna Gora. Travelling back in time on Tito’s mountain railway is an experience.
When I think of Croatia,
… I think of the camper who checks in ahead of us. ‘Best place for satellite’ is her request. Circulatory collapse in Ploče, wasteland on Pag and with the bora wind, cycling is more than dangerous: we do not want to go there anymore.
When I think of Slovenia,
…I think of farm camping without a farm and the well-secured border with Croatia.
When I think of Italy,
…I enjoy the refreshingly spirited people and the 1000 Peaks Tour. South Tyrol is not Italy, I want to go somewhere else quickly.
When I think of Switzerland,
… I think of passes, passes, passes and wonderful campsites. I look forward to seeing my loved ones again.
When I think of Slovenia,
…I think of farm camping without a farm and the well-secured border with Croatia.
When I think of France,
… I think of the Col de la Madeleine and the heat of the Atlantic.
But how do I get there in a wheelchair?
When I think of Spain,
… I think of croquetas calamares, our campsite surrounded by the sea, and countless pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago.
When I think of Portugal,
… I think of cork, sardines and sailors, our meeting with Michael Müller in Porto. Cycling through the dune landscape reminds me of Africa. We are surrounded by young people at the university in Evora. We dream of a road cycling holiday through the Algarve in November.
On the morning of October 14th, 2025, we board the plane to Faro. The pilot lands the aircraft safely at Frankfurt Airport around noon. Check out, go to baggage claim, assemble bikes, dispose of boxes. Around half past three, we are on our bikes, enjoying perfect cycling weather: sunny and dry, 16 degrees Celsius. Ahead of us lies the last stage of the season, 107 kilometres. A broken front light, a bent gear shift and makeshift repairs on the side of the road in pitch darkness turn the last tour into a final adventure. Shortly before midnight, after six months, we roll into our home happy, grateful and exhausted.
After cycling around 62,000 kilometres between 2019 and 2025, we declare Europe discovered.