INTRO

A trail unlocks the best kept secrets of a place. As we cross it on a bicycle or on foot we can smell the place, we can listen to it. We can perceive the hard work of the older inhabitants.

EUROVELO 13

Such a trail is EuroVelo 13. For almost half a century, Europe was forcibly divided into East and West. EuroVelo 13 retraces this ‘Iron Curtain’, a border stretching from the Barents Sea in the north to the Black Sea. Within our territory, cyclists have the opportunity to cycle through the former "Surveillance Area", a highly-militarized region along the Bulgarian-Greek borders. During the Cold War, owning land or driving a car in this area was forbidden and passing through this 25 km wide strip of land was only possible upon the presentation of a special military passport. After crossing this former border - where access is of course now allowed - EuroVelo 13 enters Greece near the Roupel fortress, famous for its defense during the German invasion in Greece in April 1941. The route continues to Karydochori, passes by the slopes of Orvilos and Lake of Katafyto, and crosses the rural road from Katafyto to Nevrokopi. From there, it heads towards the Customs Office of Exochi, where it passes through the Greek-Bulgarian borders before continuing on its course.

For more information on EuroVelo 13, please visit the EuroVelo 13 website:

https://en.eurovelo.com/ev13