A long-distance bicycle journey from the heart of Europe to the Black Sea.
Setting out from Prague, the route crosses some of Eastern Europe’s most varied and fascinating landscapes before reaching the shores of the Black Sea at Odessa. Along the way are mountain ranges and endless plains, medieval towns and remote villages, and regions whose names alone evoke centuries of European history—Transylvania, Bukovina, Moldavia, Bessarabia, and Transnistria.
The journey traverses Slovakia and Hungary before crossing the Carpathian Mountains twice—first in eastern Moravia and western Slovakia, and later in the highlands of northern Romania. From there, the route descends through Bukovina and Moldavia before entering the historical lands of Bessarabia and continuing through Moldova, Transnistria, and Ukraine to Odessa on the Black Sea.
More than a cycling adventure, this is a journey across the cultural frontier between Central and Eastern Europe. The farther east one travels, the more visible become the layers of history that have shaped this remarkable part of the continent—from the legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the enduring imprint of the former Soviet Union.
Photographed and written by long-distance cyclist and travel writer Tomas Belcik, Cycling Prague to Odessa is a 24-stage travel pictorial of an unforgettable passage across Eastern Europe.
The book includes:
- 80 photographs from the journey
- 24 cycling stages and stage distances
- Informative and entertaining captions throughout
- Accommodation suggestions
- Downloadable GPX tracks of the complete route
Whether you dream of cycling to the Black Sea or simply wish to explore one of Europe’s lesser-traveled regions, Cycling Prague to Odessa offers a unique perspective on the landscapes, peoples, and history of Eastern Europe by bicycle.
The downloadable format of the title is a PDF.
The paperback version of this title is available on Amazon.