Nine beautiful iconic cycling routes in Belgium
Cars run on petrol and airplanes run on kerosene, but bicycles run on the power of your legs, lungs and willpower. In other words: you’ll burn fat, not oil. What’s more sustainable than that?
“It’s by riding a bike that you learn the contours of a country best.” Ernest Hemingway must have been thinking of Flanders when he wrote these words. Flanders is the Valhalla of cycling, but that doesn’t mean it’s only reserved for the modern-day, lycra-clad Flandriens. It has something to offer anyone who likes to ride a bike.
These nine iconic cycling routes are the living, breathing proof. They provide you with a wonderful map of Flanders’ most beautiful assets to discover on two wheels: the best of Flemish scenery, along a central theme and attractive cycling paths. All these routes are fully signposted in both directions. A little heads-up: some of these routes are lengthy, so take your time. Let’s roll!
©Visit Flanders.
Up and down, up and down (459 km)
Massage your calves and prepare yourself for the hills (and cobbles) that have made (and broken) the greatest of Flandriens. Here comes the Hilly Route (459 km). Cruise up and down through the fruit orchards of Limburg and the crisscrossing streams and woods of Flemish Brabant. Conquer the legendary climbs of the Flemish Ardennes and wind through the landscape between the rivers Scheldt and Leie. This route is littered with history — and that nice, cold glass of beer at the end of the road will certainly be well deserved!
Vibrant and historic glory (332 km)
Who says you have to visit the countryside to enjoy a cycling trip? The Art Cities Route (332 km) visits age-old heritage connected by a network of canals, rivers, and old railway tracks, and forming a patchwork quilt of forts, churches, and almost non-stop art. From Europe’s capital, Brussels, via Leuven and Mechelen, across gorgeous Ghent, fashionable Antwerp, beautiful Bruges, and Ostend, queen of the seaside resorts. Pedal from one surprise to the next.
Limitless beauty, endless possibilities
Here are but three examples; Flanders’ iconic cycling routes have so much more to offer. Try the Meuse Route (63 km) along the river of the same name, the 14-18 Western Front Route (100 km) along the front line of the Great War, or discover the Coastal (85 km), Scheldt (181 km), Kempen (213 km) or Brussels’ Green Belt (126 km) routes.
If you really, really can’t choose, clear your schedule and combine them all, cycling the Flanders Route (952 km). This best-of bundles your wildest dreams into a single experience. Trust us, it’s worth it.