The Dinaric Alps, a mountain range in southern Europe, are home to a new 3,400-mile bike trail.
Stretching from Slovenia in the north to Albania in the south, the route climbs, twists and slaloms through national parks, Unesco sites and remote villages as it crosses the Dinaric Alps, one of Europe's most pristine and least-visited landscapes. Picture: postcard-worthy villages, pristine lakes, uncrowded parks, and quirky monuments.
While crowds of tourists flock to coastal resorts in Croatia and Montenegro, the craggy mountains, untamed rivers and dramatic canyons of the Western Balkans remain unknown to most travellers. But traversing the lesser-known sites is only part of the lure. The route also connects a “patchwork of cultures,” the BBC reports. Decades after Yugoslavia broke up into six different states, the formerly war-torn region is now full of neighbours from different backgrounds and religions.
Ancient Hellenistic ruins, Orthodox monasteries and Ottoman cities bear witness to the Balkans' tangled history, while natural wonders - such as Montenegro's Tara River Canyon (the deepest canyon in Europe) and Lake Ohrid (Europe's oldest lake) – are found along the route.
In this sense, the pathway isn’t only special for visitors but also for locals. “I hope that Trans Dinarica can connect the region in a new way,” Jan Klavora, one of the creators, told the outlet. "From a database containing 27,000km of cyclable roads and trails, we chose the best 5,500km and mapped it, adding points of interest along the route," says Klavora.
Yet, the Trans Dinarica's goal isn't just to encourage cyclists to visit; its creators are also hoping to revive depopulated areas where residents have left in search of better job prospects.
"We believe that [the] Trans Dinarica can have a regenerative effect on these regions. With tourism and services starting to develop, people will have the chance to stay," says Jana Apih, the founder and sustainable tourism expert of GoodPlace.