From Dortmund to Nerja's Balcón de Europa by bike

German couple Bernadette and Günther Phillip, 64 and 67 respectively, cycled 2,580 kilometres from Schwerte, a village near Dortmund in Germany to the Balcón de Europa in Nerja. The reason: their love for the town where they bought an apartment a few years ago. In total the couple cycled non-stop for five weeks through Germany, Luxembourg, France and Spain.

In Nerja they were welcomed by their friend Mia Vanlook and by Marcelo Berutti, the town’s councillor for Sport. Mia, a Belgian national with whom the couple became friends after the purchase of a flat through her real estate agency, Angel y Mia, presented the cyclists with a garland of flowers and gave them a T-shirt commemorating their achievement. The councillor congratulated Bernadette and Günther for their hard work.

The journey from Germany was not without its difficulties, including a small accident they suffered in La Rochelle, France, as well as the intense heat endured on their way through Spain, but nothing was going to stop the couple from achieving their goal of cycling to Nerja, "our second home”.

Bernadette and Günther expressed their gratitude for the help they have received during their journey. "The people have been wonderful," they said. The reward for so much effort will be to spend a few days' rest in Nerja, a town for which they have nothing but praise. They will then return to Germany by plane while the bikes will stay in their apartment in Nerja.