The region in South-West Hungary along the Croatian border is characterised by an undisturbed natural environment, the vicinity of the Dráva River, a diverse and rich biota as well as a varied cultural and ethnic heritage and a bike route for hikers on the Croatian side (between Legrad and Pitomaca).

Project “Three Rivers Bike Route” organised by the South Transdanubian Regional Development Agency received a grant in 2005 from the INTERREG IIIA fund. The project directly aims to connect the region along the Hungaro-Croatian border to the network of international bike routes, thus enhancing tourism.

Successful completion of the project will make this region an integral part of the international bike route network: from Mohács it is connected to the EuroVelo® line, from Murakeresztúr, continues along the line of the western border, and it will be part of the Three Rivers bike route leading from Austria. The project will also allow for the joint development of products and services, the creation of an integrated range of cross-border tourism offers, the high-quality presentation of the treasures of the Danube-Dráva National Park, and the involvement of local entrepreneurs and local governments in the product development process.

The tender will be submitted jointly with Croatian partners, namely the Zupanija of Virovitica County and the Tourism Community of Koprivnica-Krizevci County. Our Hungarian partners are the Local Government of Baranya County and the Danube-Dráva National Park Directorate.

Professional supervision is provided by Baranya Megyei Közútkezelő Kht., the South-West Hungary Environment Protection and Water Affairs Directorate and the Danube-Dráva National Park Directorate.

The entire budget of the project is HUF 57,238,312 which is made up of the following amounts:

Interreg IIIA subsidy:
HUF 54,376,396

Contribution of the Local Government of Baranya County:
HUF 1,500,000

Own contribution:
HUF 1,361,916

In the course of the project, bike routes if approximately 120 km have been defined between Mohács and Barcs, connecting 34 settlements, and in part following the border along the Dráva River (between Drávaszabolcs and Barcs). The route spans two counties and four subregions in South-West Hungary along the border. The route follows in part low-traffic highways that are suitable for cycling and in part the flood prevention bank, thus visitors will have the opportunity to get acquainted with both the treasures of the local settlements and the environment of the Dráva River. Information boards will be erected in 20 settlements to introduce the local natural and cultural values in four languages (Hungarian, Croatian, German and English), with the help of maps and photos.

In addition to defining the route, the project also aims at preparing a feasibility study for a bike route that would lead on from the end of the one at hand, from Barcs to Murakeresztúr, covering the entire south-western region of Hungary and the full length of the Dráva River in Hungary.

Two groups of bike tour guides have been also trained in the course of the project, in Harkány and in Barcs. The training of the ten people trained in each group was funded from the project budget. The future tour guides have been educated on the natural and cultural values along the route as well as the methodology of leading tours, the Highway Code and have gained familiarity with the fundamentals of tourism.