EuroVelo 5

EV5 Via Romea Francigena
Length	3900 km (2423 mi)
Designation	European Cyclists' Federation
Trailheads	London, UK to Brindisi, Italy
Use	cycling
Cycling details
Website	http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos/eurovelo-5
Cycleway map London Canterbury Dover Channel Tunnel under English Channel United Kingdom France Calais Lille France Belgium Brussels Namur Belgium Luxembourg Luxembourg (several km in Germany) Luxembourg France Strasbourg Mulhouse France Switzerland Basel Luzern Andermatt Switzerland Italy Lake Como Milan Piacenza Florence Siena Rome Taranto Brindisi Adriatic Sea This diagram:

EuroVelo 5 (EV5), named the Via Romea Francigena, is a 3,900 km (2,400 mi) long EuroVelo long-distance cycling route running from London to Rome and ending at the Italian port of Brindisi. The route crosses Europe passing successively through six countries: England, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, France again, Switzerland and Italy.

The EV5 is named the Via Romea Francigena after the ancient road from France to Rome that passed over the high Alps: this is reflected in the old road's Latin name, Via Romea Francigena, which means "the way to Rome that comes from France". This route was notably documented by Archbishop of Canterbury, Sigeric the Serious who made the trip to Rome and back again in the 11th century.

Note that there is also a walking trail called the Via Francigena which follows Sigeric's route from Canterbury to Rome more closely. It is important to realise that the EuroVelo route does not in any way follow the walking route; the two are very different. For instance, the Via Francigena walking trail does not pass through Belgium or Luxembourg.

In England, the EV5 is complete. The route is 113 mi (182 km) long and follows the National Cycle Network route NCR1 from Greenwich to Dover.

From Greenwich the EV5 follows the NCR1's Thames Cycle Route along the south bank of the Thames, passing the Thames barrier. It continues to Dartford and follows the north Kent coast with views of the Thames Estuary. It then follows another constituent route of the NCR1, the Crab and Winkle Way, to the ancient city of Canterbury which was the historic starting point of Sigeric's Via Francigena. The EV5 then travels to the coast and the port of Sandwich and ends at Dover, where a ferry can take you to France to continue the ride.

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Wikipedia