Green Velo

The East of Poland Cycling Trail Green Velo, with a length of nearly 2000 km, is the longest cycling route in Poland.

The East of Poland Cycling Trail Green Velo, with a length of nearly 2000 km, is the longest cycling route in Poland. It runs through five voivodeships in the eastern part of the country: Warmińsko-mazurskie (approx. 420 km) Podlaskie (approx. 592 km), Lubelskie (approx. 351 km) Podkarpackie (approx. 428 km) and Świętokrzyskie (approx. 190 km).

The uniqueness and diversity of the regions through which the trail leads are emphasized by tourist attractions, both those located directly on the route as well as those found within the 20-kilometer corridor on both sides of the route. Among them there are many monuments which are an important part of Polish cultural heritage, including the cathedral in Frombork, the castle in Lidzbark Warmiński, the monastery complex in Supraśl, the former Jewish towns of Tykocin, Chmielnik and Leżajsk, the cities of Chełm, Włodawa and Szczebrzeszyn, known for their multicultural heritage, the Bug River shrines of different denominations in Kostomłoty, Kodeń and Jabłeczna, the old town in Przemyśl, the castle in Łańcut, the city of Sandomierz and the ruins of a castle in Ujazd. Apart from that there are places which are extremely valuable environmentally: 5 national parks, 15 landscape parks, 26 special protection areas for birds and 36 special areas of conservation. 615 km of the trail (31% of the length of the route) runs through them. Almost 580 km (29% of the length of the route) are sections running through wooded areas, and 180 km (9% of the length of the route) through river valleys. More than 70 km (3% of the length of the route) of the trail runs along very attractive river embankments and former railway embankments).

Green Velo begins in Elbląg, from where it heads north-east along the Vistula Lagoon. It runs through Frombork and close to the border with Kaliningrad oblast it reaches Braniew. There it turns east through Warmia and Masuria and reaches the junction of the borders of three countries: Poland, Russia and Lithuania. The trail runs through Suwałki Region, passing Augustów Primeval Forest, among other places. In Podlasie a several-hundred-kilometre-long section begins which runs along the borders with Belarus and Ukraine. It crosses three national parks: Biebrza, Bialowieża and Narew. Then Green Velo runs through Lublin region, visiting, among other places, the scenic areas of the Bug River with shrines of different denominations: in Kostomłoty, Kodeń and Jabłeczna, multicultural cities: Chełm and Włodawa and Roztocze National Park. The route then reaches Podkarpackie Voivodeship, where on our way to Przemyśl we visit two wonderful wooden Orthodox churches - in Radruż and Chotyniec - included in 2013 on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

There the route changes its direction again - this time it goes west - and passes through magnificent scenic areas of the Przemyśl Foothills and San Valley. Then the trail goes north-east and through the villages of the Dynowskie Foothills until it reaches Rzeszów, and then through Łańcut and Leżajsk to the San River. It runs along this to Sandomierz - one of the most beautiful cities in Poland, and from there through the Świętokrzyskie Mountains to Kielce - capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In its final stage the trail passes Oblęgorek and reaches Gatniki near Sielpia Wielka, which is the largest holiday resort in the region, and then Końskie.

The trail connects the following villages which you will certainly have heard of:

in Warmińsko-mazurskie voivodeship: Elbląg – Tolkmicko – Frombork – Braniewo – Pieniężno – Górowo Iławieckie – Lidzbark Warmiński – Bartoszyce – Sępopol – Korsze – Węgorzewo – Gołdap – in Podlaskie Voivodeship: Bolcie – Suwałki – Augustów –Goniądz – Łomża (link to the city) – Tykocin – Białystok – Supraśl -  Białowieża (link to the town) – Hajnówka – Kleszczele – Mielnik – Niemirów - in Lubelskie Voivodeship: Sławatycze – Hanna – Włodawa – Wola Uhruska – Chełm – Krasnystaw – Zwierzyniec – Józefów – in Podkarpackie Voivodeship: Narol – Horyniec-Zdrój – Lubaczów – Wielkie Oczy – Radymno – Przemyśl – Dynów – Łażowa – Rzeszów – Łańcut – Leżajsk – Rudnik nad Sanem – Radomyśl nad Sanem – Zaleszany – Trześń – in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship: Sandomierz – Klimontów – Ujazd – Raków – Kielce – Oblęgorek – Sielpia Wielka – Końskie.