While Velo-city is centred on cycling, our top-notch keynote speaker, Gil Penalosa, delivered a clear takeaway in his opening speech: "If you want to promote cycling, do not talk about cycling." Instead, we should highlight the many benefits cycling brings and choose the one that resonates most with decision makers to hit them in the hearts.
His message echoed throughout the days that followed. Velo-city 2025 Gdansk demonstrated how cycling can be championed without naming it directly — whether through the lens of health, inclusivity, environmental impact or economic development. Cycling benefits everyone, and we must continue to share this message.
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On Wednesday, Velo-citizens and locals met at Targ Węglowy, right in the city centre, and pedalled together through Gdansk’s most iconic and vibrant areas. With views of the shipyard cranes, landmarks like the European Solidarity Centre, and the fresh Baltic Sea air, the route was a vivid reminder of Gdansk's rich history and the power of collective action.
More than 2,500 cyclists joined the ride, which was filled with entertainment — from circus shows and street theatre to Neptune and drummers riding along. The parade ended back at Targ Węglowy with food, drinks, and a concert by 7po.
Under the theme "Energizing Solidarity", it became clear that in Gdańsk, cycling represents not only freedom and sustainability, but also a collective aspiration to improve living conditions through unity and shared goals. By promoting healthier lifestyles, fairer allocation of road space, and more equitable mobility systems, cycling can drive transformative change—contributing to the decarbonisation of transport while also boosting the economy.
With over 400 speakers and more than 80 sessions—from lectures and panels to brand-new, longer interactive workshops—there was something for everyone passionate about cycling and sustainable urban development.
Velo-city 2025 showcased the most ground-breaking innovations for more and better cycling for all in our cities. As a pivotal point of the conference, the exhibition introduced a variety of solutions, from cycling counters to inventive bike racks.
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Beyond the conference halls, Velo-citizens explored the streets, parks, and neighborhoods of Gdańsk and Pomerania to experience firsthand how the region is transforming for active travel and better quality of life. The eight expert-led technical visits by bike were organised around different themes like safe crossings, pedestrian zones, multimodal hubs, and cycling tourism routes.
The sixth edition of the Smart Pedal Pitch invited the most innovative cycling solutions focused on intermodal travel data to compete for a pilot project with the City of Gdańsk. After a fierce competition with both semi-finals and finals happening at Velo-city, e-Bike City emerged as the audience-chosen winner of this year's edition.
The networking dinner party was a highlight moment for Velo-citizens to catch-up and connect with their peers from around the world. Surrounded by shipyards cranes and rugged vessels, the open-air venue 100cznia was the perfect setting for lots of discussions, local food and music sets well into the night.
Beyond its significance as a seaport, Gdansk has been a cradle of cultural and political movements. In this spirit, cycling has emerged as a powerful tool for promoting freedom and social connections. Today, the Baltic town is a key junction for several EuroVelo routes, making it an essential hub for international cycling adventures.
