4 European Heritage Label Sites to add to your summer bike trip
Are you interested in learning about European history? Do you want to visit some of the most iconic heritage sites in Europe? If the answer is YES, check out four recommendations of EHL sites that you can include in your bike route this summer!
When looking at the European map searching for cultural heritage sites related to the history of Europe there are 67 sites that stand out among the rest, these sites are the ones recognized with the European Heritage Label. The European Heritage Label sites can be found in most of the European regions and European Union countries. The 67 sites are spread into more than 280 locations all over the EU, which means that there is always an EHL site close to you!
The European Heritage Label is an initiative promoted by the European Union that recognises heritage representations that have high European symbolic value, represent one or more of the European Union values and/or had an important role in contributing to the European integration project. Including a visit to one of the many EHL sites could be a perfect addition to your travel itineraries if you are interested in learning about the development of the European Union, the values upon which the EU was built or the different milestones in the European integration.
Below you will find four recommendations of EHL sites that can be included in your travel itineraries. We selected these four sites because all of them can be reached from several EuroVelo routes. In addition to this, each one of the sites represent a unique period of the European history, has a different story to tell and is part of the shared cultural heritage of Europe.
Historic Gdańsk Shipyard (Poland)
Routes: 9. Baltic – Adriatic; 10. Baltic Sea Cycle Route and 13. Iron Curtain trail
Reachable through EuroVelo routes 9, 10 and 13, the city of Gdásnk in Poland is one of the most well-known cities in the Baltic. Whithin the city, we can find the Gdańsk Shipyard. It is here where the Solidarity (Solidarnosc) movement began in 1980, movement that played a pivotal role in the peaceful revolution that led to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. The European Solidarity Centre (ECS), located within the historic shipyard, preserves this legacy. Solidarity’s peaceful rise to power in 1989 inspired similar movements across Central and Eastern Europe, making the ECS an important symbol of Europe’s democratic transition. It has been recognized as a European Heritage Label (EHL) site in 2014.
The Heart of Ancient Athens (Greece)
Routes: 8. Mediterranean Route and 11. East Europe
Travelers who choose to arrive to Athens through EruoVelo routes 8 or 11 will have the chance the travel in time to ancient Greece when visiting the EHL site of The Heart of Ancient Athens: Acropolis and its surrounding Archaeological Sites. Awarded the European Heritage Label (EHL) in 2014, is a rich archaeological area representing over 3,000 years of history. It includes significant monuments like the Acropolis Hill, the Ancient and Roman Agorae, and the Kerameikos burial grounds. This area is where key elements of democracy, philosophy, theatre, and freedom of expression originated, influencing the values and principles that define the modern European world.
Great Guild Hall Tallin (Estonia)
Routes: 10. Baltic Sea Cycle Route; 11. East Europe and 13. Iron Curtain trail
Easily reachable from routes 10, 11 and 13, the Great Guild Hall in Tallinn represents one of the most vibrant times in the history of the Baltic sea, the times of the Hanseatic league. The Guild was built in the 13th century and was once the meeting place of the city’s most influential merchants. It played a significant role in the Hanseatic League, serving as a hub for commerce, culture, and diplomacy. Today, it houses the Estonian History Museum and is a key historical site in Tallinn’s World Heritage-listed Old Town. Awarded the European Heritage Label (EHL) in 2014, it stands as a symbol of medieval European trade and culture.
Peace Palace (Netherlands)
Routes: 2. Capitals Route and 12. North Sea Cycle Route
To reach the EHL site of The Peace Palace in The Hague, travellers can choose either EuroVelo route 2 or 12. The Peace Palace is one of the most internationally recognised cultural heritage sites in this Dutch city. It was established in 1907, and today serves as the home of the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and The Hague Academy of International Law. It symbolizes global peace, justice, and European values. With its European Heritage Label (EHL) awarded in 2013, the Palace plays a key role in promoting EU ideals, fostering dialogue, and supporting the judicial resolution of conflicts in alignment with the EU’s focus on peace, democracy, and human rights.
