May 25, 2026, 5:16 am | Read time: 5 minutes
As an extreme athlete and world record holder, Jonas Deichmann has already traveled through more than 100 countries. Currently, he is on his “Around Europe” project with Josefine Rutkowski, cycling across Europe on a gravel bike. In an interview with TRAVELBOOK, he discusses why Europe is a special kind of adventure for him and why countries can be discovered differently by bike.
TRAVELBOOK: Many associate great adventures with other continents. Instead, you travel for months by bike through Europe, often through the hinterlands rather than the classic hotspots. What makes Europe so exciting for you–and what do you experience on a bike that you might miss otherwise?
Jonas Deichmann: “I’ve now cycled through over 100 countries–Pan-American world record, Eurasian world record, through Africa to Cape Town. But Europe has an extreme diversity. There are different languages, cultures, foods, and mountains. From the northern Arctic Circle in Norway to the Mediterranean in Greece. For me, an adventure is always a journey into the unknown. That can be right outside your door. It’s about setting off and seeing what happens. Southern Italy, for example, was completely different from what I expected.
With a bike, you experience countries much more intensely. You’re slow enough to pass through small villages and areas you wouldn’t otherwise see. We traveled in Tuscany, where there’s mass tourism, but also in small mountain villages in southern Italy, where there are hardly any tourists. You sit in restaurants mainly frequented by locals. I’m convinced that you get to know a country much better and more authentically by bike than on regular trips.”
»We discovered authentic Italy in the hinterland
TRAVELBOOK: You’ve left Italy behind and are heading towards France. Where did you experience the most authentic Italy on your journey? And which route is particularly memorable for you?
Jonas Deichmann: “Southern Italy is completely different from northern Italy. The income in the south is significantly lower, and many people move away. Consequently, there are areas with abandoned villages and a lack of prospects. On the other hand, there are postcard landscapes like in Tuscany, where everything looks almost too perfect with the avenues and houses. Italy is an extremely diverse country.
There is exclusive tourism, but also mass tourism on the Adriatic with large hotel complexes. For cycling, the Italian coast has dreamlike sections. Cinque Terre, for example–70 or 80 kilometers with little traffic and fantastic views. Also, south of Naples, there are beautiful routes. At the same time, the coast is extremely built-up and full of traffic in many places. We discovered the authentic side more in the hinterland: in small mountain villages and on side roads where there are hardly any tourists. This can be in both southern and northern Italy. Tuscany or Liguria are more the Italy for tourists.”
TRAVELBOOK: On long bike trips, things probably don’t always go as planned. Have there been moments when you had to improvise?
Jonas Deichmann: “In France, everything is going pretty much according to plan. We’ve traveled through areas that are well-prepared for bike tourism. In southern Italy, however, we had to completely replan our route at times. We wanted to ride many small side and gravel roads. The problem was that some paths were no longer maintained. Some routes were completely overgrown or suddenly blocked by barriers. I planned the routes with ‘Komoot,’ which usually works very well in Europe. But especially in southern Italy, the algorithm often led us into dead ends. We had to improvise and sometimes switch to larger roads to reliably move forward. You can definitely tell that the infrastructure becomes much more reliable north of Rome.”
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»If you dream of cycling to Lisbon or Sicily, just go for it
TRAVELBOOK: Can you undertake such a bike trip without a background in extreme sports? And how much planning does it require?
Jonas Deichmann: “You have to distinguish between the distances you travel and where you are. We average 180 kilometers a day and had around 50,000 meters of elevation gain in Italy alone, plus many gravel paths. That’s quite extreme for most people. But fundamentally, anyone can make such a journey. There are EuroVelo routes all over Europe, designated and signposted bike paths with good infrastructure. We’re in Europe, not the Sahara or Siberia.
If you dream of cycling to Lisbon or Sicily, just go for it. You don’t set 180 kilometers as a daily goal, but plan more time. You don’t need much special equipment: a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and the most important spare parts. I always carry a derailleur hanger. It’s often model-specific and hard to find on the road.”
TRAVELBOOK: In your experience, which country is particularly good for cycling–and which is less so?
Jonas Deichmann: “For this trip, France has been more pleasant for cycling than Italy because there’s significantly less traffic and drivers keep more distance. In Italy, you sometimes get overtaken very closely. In France, you’re often much more relaxed. I’m generally a big fan of Scandinavia. You can camp almost anywhere there. In Europe, that’s often a gray area, but in Scandinavia, you can legally pitch your tent by a lake or the sea. That makes traveling much easier. You just ride until you find a nice spot. That’s an absolute luxury.”
»Montenegro is an absolute insider tip
TRAVELBOOK: Is there a country or region you particularly recommend–perhaps an insider tip?
Jonas Deichmann: “In Europe, I’m particularly looking forward to Norway, even though many people know it by now. A country that hardly anyone has on their radar is Montenegro. Many don’t even know exactly where it is. I’ve cycled there twice and find it incredibly beautiful. Montenegro is small but has one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe and impressive mountains in the hinterland. For me, it’s an absolute insider tip.”