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Belgium Bike Tour Self Guided: Everyone knows that Beer and Belgium are inseparable, but Pure Adventures Tours believes that cycling should also be part of that inseparable equation! That is why we’ve organized this 8-day, Beer, Bike, and Belgium cycling vacation for the fit biker. Our tour starts in Gent and finishes in Bruges, the “Venice of the North,” and takes you through cycling-friendly Flemish scenery. A cycle node network combines the coastal polder region with traditional, historical, artistic cities and the charming Flemish Ardennes. Mainly flat country routes give you the opportunity to discover cultural highlights and typical local farm dishes after a day on the bike. And of course, you can taste the very best of Flemish beers! On this Pure Adventures tour, enjoy cycling at your own pace and the freedom to travel the way you wish: from the seat of your bike!
Expert Tip: Ask us about adding an extra day for a private guided beer tour!
Tour begins in Gent and finishes in Bruges.
Not Included:
Ghent: 2 nights at Hotel Harmony ****
Oudenaarde: 1 night at Hotel Leopold ****
Ypres: 2 nights at Hotel Ariane ****
Bruges: 2 nights at Hotel Adornes ***
Local Expert: Ken is our local Belgian who will meet you and offer you a very warm welcome to his country! He is fluent in many languages and has years of experience with bike travel in Belgium. We developed these routes with Ken to ensure that you not only experience the best cycling in Flanders, but also the best beer and not-to-be-missed sites!
Need to Know:
Arrive during the day at Hotel Harmony, conveniently located in the historic center of Ghent. Enjoy this beautiful medieval town with its Gothic cathedral, Medieval castle, and belfry. Meet and greet with our local expert, who will deliver the rental bikes if requested. During your welcome orientation, you will also receive additional notes and tips for your upcoming travels. Timing on this is flexible, depending on your arrival time.
Meals: on own
Overnight: Ghent
Enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast in the hotel and get ready for your first ride. This short route takes you along the beautiful and quiet rivers in the area surrounding Ghent. After the ride, be sure to stop and taste a local beer in the city brewery of ‘Gruut’, located in the center of town.
Meals: breakfast included, other meals on own
Overnight: Ghent
After eating a hearty buffet breakfast at your hotel, it is time to gear up for your ride! Today you ride from Ghent, in the southern direction to Oudenaarde. Bike along small, quiet roads with a few gentle hills, before arriving in this beautiful city situated along the Schelde River. Visit the grand old market square in Oudenaarde, or enjoy the ‘Ronde van Vlaanderen’ museum, just two steps from the hotel. Additional routes are available from Oudenaarde if you wish to explore in the afternoon or visit the famous brewery of Liefmans, where the cherry beer is made.
Meals: breakfast included, others meals on own
Overnight: Oudenaard
Before heading out for the day, fill up on another tasty breakfast in the hotel. Today you cycle in the direction of Ypres, which was a notorious battleground during the first World War. Cycle along small roads with some light elevation gains as you leave Oudenaarde. Ride through the city of Kortrijk, following one of the other big rivers in Flanders, the ‘Leie’. This is the perfect spot to have a coffee stop or a light lunch. Follow your GPS route until arriving at the historic battlefields, located just outside of Ypres. Once here, you will also find the Hill 62 Canadian memorial, where you can visit the local museum, memorial, and some remaining trenches. Continuing on, arrive in Ypres and bike in front of the Menin Gate. Your hotel for the night is conveniently located in the city center, close to the market square. This hotel also prepares delicious Belgian cuisine, so you will likely wish to take advantage!
Meals: breakfast included, others meals on own
Overnight: Ypres
After breakfast at your hotel, take some time to visit the beautiful market square and the ‘In Flanders Field’ museum. Or, pay a visit to the city brewery of Kazematten, which was built in the basement of the fortress wall that surrounds the city. Don’t forget to attend the Last Post ceremony at 8 pm at the Menin Gate!
Meals: breakfast included, other meals on own
Overnight: Ypres
After a delicious breakfast, head out on your bike and begin pedaling towards Bruges, the Medieval masterpiece of Belgium. Pass through the small villages of Zonnebeke and Passendaele, and visit the largest Commonwealth cemetery of Tyne Cot, located just outside of Zonnebeke. Continue through Roeselare, a small town that is a nice spot to stop for a snack or coffee. Enter the history-rich town of Bruges along the green, south side. Your hotel tonight is beautifully situated alongside a canal, only 5 minutes from the market square and belfry.
Meals: breakfast included, other meals on own
Overnight: Bruges
Today provides some leisure time to explore this beautiful town as you wish. We included a GPS route to Damme, another Medieval masterpiece located just outside of Bruges, which has very nice restaurants and coffee bars. If the weather is warm, another option is to take your bike and visit the exclusive sea resort of Knokke, where you can enjoy its beautiful sandy beaches.
Meals: breakfast included, other meals on own
Overnight: Bruges
Your tour ends today, after breakfast. We are happy to help you organize additional nights in Belgium. Or, if you wish to travel on to Paris or Amsterdam, we can assist you as needed, with advance notice.
Meals: breakfast
Dates: Plan your trip at a time that best fits your schedule! Pure Adventures tours have flexible start dates.
2024 Tour Rates:
Rates are shown based on 2-4 persons. Single supplement is for single room occupancy. For groups of 6 or more, please contact us for quotes.
Belgium Flanders – 7 nights | |
Double Occupancy: | 1690 euros/person |
Single/Solo Supplement: | 749 euros/person |
Bike Rental:
We loved the go-at-your-own-speed that a self-guided tour provides you. Plenty of time to stop, see things, relax, and enjoy the ride! Local support and welcome orientation was extremely thorough and knowledgeable. Great bike tour!
This was our third cycling tour through Belgium and our first time with Pure Adventures. Everything went to plan and we thought that overall, the entire tour experience went smoothly. Mar had outstanding communication, from start to finish. Belgium is lovely and we always enjoy how cycling-friendly it is there. Plus, one can enjoy a delicious pint as a reward!
The Flanders and Beer Tour was excellent! The bikes, hotels, and routes were great and we really appreciated the extra information provided regarding additional route/beer options. The combination of Belgium beer, scenery, Belgium history, and World War 1 history was exceptional.
I really enjoyed the tour!
So, a fantastic trip to Belgium for the Knox-Crandalls, indeed the trip of a lifetime. Loved the cycling, loved the Hybrid bikes, loved the beer, loved especially the hotels- great choices in each town. Pure-Adventures provided great service at a great price. We were able to shorten the Ghent-Oudenaarde leg by following the bike maps down the Schelde River, and on the last two days by jumping trains, as you suggested. Easy. Got used to cycling in the occasional rain, had some special beer-discovery moments, too. Best beer by consensus- not even close, Westveletern by a mile (or a kilometer). Flat countryside cycling keeps the group together, too. Maybe you could organize for us a self-guided trip to Netherlands, Denmark, or French seaside for next summer?