Active holidays are on the up, and if you’re a helmet-donning fan of exploring the world on two wheels, we’ve got some very exciting news.
The Ljungleden cycle path is a 170km combination of dedicated bike trails and low-traffic roads in Sweden, and it’s officially opening in May.
Cyclists will pass through a mixture of countryside and urban areas on their way from Gothenburg to the northwest town of Falköping, on a trail that allows for short day trips or multi-day journeys, and is suitable for casual riders as well as serious cyclists.
Recommended: Here are the very best things to do in Sweden.
The route is named after the Swedish term for the violet heather flowers that cyclists will bike through, and passes towns such as Vårgårda, Herrljunga, and Alingsås, nicknamed the ‘capital of fika’ (Sweden’s coffee and cake culture).
In fact, western Sweden is a champion of food tourism – there’s an array of sweet little cafés dotted throughout the region, each of which rely on locally-sourced produce, as well as farm shops and brilliant restaurants.
If you want to take your trip further, Ljungleden actually connects what are already two of Sweden’s most established long-distance cycling routes. You can follow the path along the 390km Kattegattleden on the west coast (which connects south Gothenburg and Helsingborg with panoramic sea views) or head inland to Ätradalsleden.
🚴♀️ Check out our collection of the planet’s most beautiful cycling routes.
Did you see that this Spanish mountain range has just been named the world’s most beautiful place?
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
