A historic distinction for Western Pomerania – the first ever EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Award goes to Poland

The European Cyclists' Federation (ECF) presented awards in two categories:
Best Cycling Tourism Initiative Award - for the best tourism initiative related to cycling,
Best Cycle Route Development Award – for the best development of a cycle route.
Western Pomerania won in the latter category, becoming the first winner of this prestigious European award in history.

The exact number of participants in the competition is unknown. No list of entries was published, and the nominations themselves were not an open competition, but EuroVelo/ECF itself selected the projects that were evaluated. Typical investors in the routes are public institutions (governments or local authorities) responsible for infrastructure development in the regions.

The ECF emphasized that the West Pomeranian section of EuroVelo 10/13—known in the region as Velo Baltica—is the "backbone" of the entire route network, but the award was given for the overall investment in cycling infrastructure. This includes not only Velo Baltica, but also projects such as Blue Velo, the Old Railway Trail, the Szczecin Lagoon Trail, and the Western Lake District Trail.

The award was presented by Henk Swarttouw, President of the ECF. During the ceremony, he stated that the ECF's mission is to create ever better cycling infrastructure for everyone and that Western Pomerania is one of the regions that is implementing this mission.

The award was received by Wanda Nowotarska, Cycling Representative of the Marshal of the West Pomeranian Province.

"It is a great honor to receive such a prestigious award. Our network of bicycle routes is not only infrastructure—it is an opportunity to discover the region, promote sustainable tourism, and show that bicycles are really changing the lives of our residents," she emphasized during the gala.

In her speech, Wanda Nowotarska also thanked her team from the Marshal's Office's bicycle communication department and the residents who have fallen in love with the new routes. She noted that thanks to consistent investments, many people have started using bicycles, cycling tourism and recreation have become accessible to a wider group, and the infrastructure has contributed to the revitalization of many areas. She also thanked Marshal Geblewicz for his decision to implement the project and for entrusting the investment to be carried out in accordance with our vision and best European practices.

Second prize for the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail

The Amazon of Europe Bike Trail, which runs through Slovenia, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, and Hungary along the Drava, Danube, and Mura rivers, won the Best Cycling Tourism Initiative Award. The award was received by:

Urska Dolinar, Director of Iskriva, Institute for Development of Local Potentials, Slovenia

Tibor Polgár, Director of West-Pannon Nonprofit Ltd., Hungary

Importantly, they are also partners of Western Pomerania in the EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail (ICTr-CE) project. The initiative, funded by the Interreg Central Europe 2021–2027 program, covers 8 countries and 3,000 km of the Iron Curtain route. The project began in March 2023 and will last three years, with the aim of creating a new, innovative, and sustainable model of cycling tourism along the former border of a divided Europe.

You can read more about Amazon of Europe here: aoebiketrail.com .

Velo Baltica – the cycling symbol of Western Pomerania

The West Pomeranian section of EuroVelo 10 runs along the Baltic Sea and is one of the most beautiful coastal routes in Europe. It leads through, among others:

Świnoujście and Międzyzdroje – with views of the Avenue of Stars and the Wolin National Park,

Rewal, Trzęsacz, and Niechorze – where the cliff coast and the ruins of a Gothic church are attractions,

Kołobrzeg – with its historic port and lighthouse,

Mielno and Darłowo – popular resorts with wide beaches,

Ustka – where Velo Baltica connects with other routes leading deeper into the region.

It is here, at the peak of the season, that record bicycle traffic volumes are recorded - on August 16 last year, counters recorded almost 18,000 trips in a single day.

During the conference, a vote was also held in which Wanda Nowotarska, the representative of the Marshal of the West Pomeranian Province for bicycle transport, was elected to the EuroVelo Council – the governing body of EuroVelo routes.