Ruse welcomes "Danube Ultra" on August 30 with a special program at "Freedom" Square

Wednesday, 26 August 2026

The municipality is the main partner of the "Ruse on Bikes" initiative

For the first time, Ruse will welcome the participants in "Danube Ultra: Odyssey 2026" with a special event at "Svoboda" Square. On August 30, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., the city center will become a place for live tracking of the most prepared cyclists along the over 700-kilometer route.

Under the motto "Ruse on Bikes", the organizers invite Ruse residents and guests of the city to become part of the event and join with their bicycles at "Svoboda" Square. From 4 p.m., the audience will be able to follow the movement of the most prepared participants in "Danube Ultra" live on the interactive GPS map, and after 8 p.m., the culmination of the evening is expected - the passage of some of the most prepared through Ruse and their live welcome.

While waiting for the cyclists, visitors will be able to join the special program on the square with creative workshops, interactive activities, a charity stand, a photo wall and activities for young and old. Admission is free.

The "Ruse on Bicycles" initiative is being held this year for the first time with the organizer "Danube Ultra" and the main partner is the Municipality of Ruse. On behalf of the Ruse community, the social and event platform "Ruse on the Danube" and the "Children's Palace" are actively participating in the program. The event will be hosted by Denitsa Doncheva - founder of "Fabrica Kultura".

The "Ruse on Bicycles" initiative is being held on the occasion of the 13th edition of "Danube Ultra", the starting point of which this year is Vidin. For the first time in Ruse, a public area will be set aside with a program that turns the city not just into a point on the route, but into a meeting place between the participants and the audience.

The centerpiece of the experience will be real-time tracking of cyclists. A 55-inch screen with an interactive GPS map will be located on Svoboda Square, where visitors will be able to see the movement of the fastest participants, striving to cover the over 700-kilometer route in less than 48 hours. As they approach Ruse, the audience will be able to follow the last kilometers before their passage through the city and welcome them live.

The event will be hosted by Denitsa Doncheva - founder of "Fabrika Kultura", who will present what is happening along the route and engage the audience in interactive activities on the square.

Part of the space will be decorated with a large photo wall dedicated to the "Danube Ultra" route. "Ruse on the Danube" - an active partner of the initiative, will participate with a charity stand, and visitors will be able to take pictures and share their experience on social networks. All proceeds from the products of "Ruse on the Danube" are donated to the Alexander Rusev Foundation in support of the construction of a water rehabilitation center in Ruse.

"Children's Palace" is preparing a special program of creative workshops and activities inspired by bicycles and travel. Among them are group drawing and creative drawing with imagination. As the evening falls, the program will continue with an experience with a luminous bicycle and filming by a professional photographer.

The expectations are that the most prepared cyclists will reach Ruse after 8 p.m., when the audience at "Freedom" Square will be able to welcome them live. The exact time will depend on their pace along the route and can be followed in real time on the interactive GPS map.

"Danube Ultra" is among the most recognizable initiatives in Bulgaria for the promotion of active tourism, cycling and settlements along the Danube River and Dobrudzha. The route starts from the most northwestern settlement - the village of Kudelin, and ends in the most northeastern - the village of Durankulak, passing through over 110 settlements with a total length of about 700 km. The initiative is not a competition - participants choose their own pace, and upon successful completion they receive a certificate for completing the route. Since the start of the initiative, over 1,000 such certificates have been issued.

“The route has the potential to arouse international interest as one of the most attractive cycling destinations in the Balkans - says Boris Begamov, creator of “Danube Ultra”.

In the 2026 edition, a total of 110 cyclists from Bulgaria and Romania will start from Vidin on August 30, divided into three categories - completing the route in up to 48 hours, up to 5 days and up to 7 days. Among the participants are also residents of Ruse - Milen Shishmanov and Kamelia Varbanova will participate in the 48-hour category, and Milen Yordanov, Maria Horozova and Teodor Valchanov will complete the route in the main group for the sixth time. Among them is 83-year-old Prof. Antoaneta Momchilova from the University of Ruse, who proves for the fifth consecutive year that there is no age limit for adventures. In recent years, the Ruse resident has successfully completed the entire route many times, becoming a shining example of an active lifestyle regardless of age. Just a few months before this year's edition, Prof. Momchilova fulfilled another of her big dreams, reaching Everest Base Camp at 5,364 meters above sea level on the eve of her 83rd birthday.

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