Finalne spotkanie partnerów projektu Bike Across the Baltic: Gdańsk, 9–10 kwietnia 2025

The final meeting of the partners of the Bike Across the Baltic (BAB) project, co-financed by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Program, took place in Gdańsk on April 9–10, 2025. Partners from across the Baltic Sea region met to summarize the results of the project, discuss recent activities, and explore opportunities for further cooperation in the field of cycling tourism and mobility. The meeting was hosted by the Pomorskie Tourist Board.

Internal discussions and planning

On Wednesday morning, April 9, the partners gathered at the Dolna Brama Center in Gdańsk for an internal session. The meeting was devoted to evaluating the results of the BAB project, planning the final activities, and discussing the sustainability of the results after the end of the project. Key topics included the preparation of the final report, dissemination activities, and maintaining the cross-border cooperation developed within the project. The partners also discussed strategies for further promoting cycling tourism in the Baltic Sea region, using the experience and tools developed within BAB.

Meeting with external guests

After a networking lunch at the Almond Hotel restaurant, the meeting was opened to external guests to broaden the perspective on the promotion of cycling and the development of tourism.

Magdalena Szymańska, representing both the City of Gdańsk and the Velo-City 2025 Steering Committee, presented the highly successful Bicycle May campaign. This initiative encourages students and their families to commute to school and work by bicycle on a daily basis through a month-long competition with attractive prizes. The campaign, which began in Gdańsk, has been successfully adapted in many cities across Poland, showing how local actions can develop into nationwide initiatives. Szymańska also presented the current state of preparations for the Velo-City 2025 conference, which Gdańsk will co-organize. She emphasized the importance of presenting the bicycle as a tool for sustainable urban development, tourism, and climate action, inviting BAB partners to contribute to the event program.

Paweł Bober from Stena Line presented the company’s growing commitment to the development of bicycle tourism. He discussed how Stena Line is adapting its ferry services to the needs of cyclists by introducing transport facilities and travel offers specially designed for people traveling by bicycle. This is part of a broader trend of supporting active and sustainable tourism on ferry routes in the Baltic Sea region.

Finally, Sebastian Małyszczyk from Poland By Locals discussed a practical approach to the development of cycling tourism from a tour operator’s perspective. He highlighted the importance of authentic local experiences, tailored routes, and high-quality infrastructure in building attractive cycling tourism offers, especially in lesser-known locations.

The afternoon session ended with informal networking, after which the partners met for a dinner at the Piwna 47 restaurant in downtown Gdańsk.

Discovering Pomerania’s cycling routes

On Thursday, April 10, participants had the opportunity to explore one of the most picturesque cycling routes in the region. The group gathered at Brama Wyżynna and took a bus to Mikoszewo, where they began a 40-kilometer trip along the Vistula Spit.

The event, organized in cooperation with Poland By Locals, presented various elements of cycling infrastructure, such as road surfaces, signage, and parking spaces. During the tour, participants visited the following points:

• • Beach in Stegna – a popular seaside resort,

• • Sztutowo – a stop in front of the Stutthof Museum,

• • the Vistula Lagoon Museum in Kąty Rybackie,

• • the Canal through the Vistula Spit – an impressive engineering project.

The ride showed how natural landscapes, historical heritage, and well-developed infrastructure can create attractive cycling tourism products. During the trip, the challenges of maintaining routes, signage, and integrating local services that support the cycling experience were also discussed.

Summary

The final partner meeting in Gdańsk was a valuable opportunity to summarize the achievements of the Bike Across the Baltic project, strengthen the cooperation network, and exchange good practices with external stakeholders. With the end of the project, the strong partnership that has been established during its course provides a solid foundation for further initiatives supporting cycling tourism and sustainable travel in the Baltic Sea region.