Flanders Adventure
Leuven, Belgium
Adventure price: $3000 per person - Double Occupancy
Tour Description
Our Flanders adventure will take you through unique and beautiful areas of Belgium, including Antwerp, Leuven and an overnight visit to the Dutch city of Maastricht. We will visit a number of Belgian family brewers, beer themed cafes, and off the beaten track craft breweries. This trip is for all levels of cyclist as the days vary from 25-55 miles of relatively flat cycling along cycle paths, rural roads, and historic city centers. We will sample beer from small family breweries and drink beer in Westmalle near the source of one of the classic trappist breweries. We will also bike through the tree tops and the water while enjoying the beautiful Limburg cycling landscapes.
Trip Itinerary
Day one - Leuven
Beginning in the university town of Leuven we will meet you at the Train Station or Hotel depending on your arrival point. From there we will have a short tour of Leuven before dinner.
Day two - Leuven to Mechelen ~27 miles
After a healthy breakfast we will cycle to Hof Ten Dormaal brewery before lunch. After our visit we will cycle the rest of the way to Mechelen. Upon arriving in Mechelen we will enjoy coffee or beer at a local cafe. We have a special stay in Mechelen. After our post ride toast we will check into the Het Anker Brewery and Hotel. Het Anker is a 15th century family brewery and distillery we will be calling home for the evening. You have time to explore Mechelen before a tour, tasting and dinner at the brewery.
Owner Bob has developed a close relationship with Het Anker and this is a highlight of every trip.
Day three - Mechelen to Antwerp ~30 miles
Today's ride is through the picturesque countryside of the Antwerp Province of Belgium, finishing in the host city for the 1920 Olympics, Antwerp. Along our ride today we will see WW1 sites and wildlife habitat. We will stop at a cafe in Lier, a small city dating from the 12th century. After our stop in Lier we will finish our ride to Antwerp and visit one of the newer breweries in Belgium, the Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie or the Antwerp City Brewery of De Konnick.
Bob has a list of great beer bars, be sure to ask which one we will be visiting.
Day four - Antwerp to Turnhout ~28 miles
Our ride heads east to the rural province of Limburg. As we leave the city we are greeted with farmland and forest cycle paths and a visit to the Cafe Trappisten. At this cafe you can taste the freshest Westmalle available anywhere in the world. We will enjoy a lunch and beer tasting before finishing our ride in the playing card capital of the world, Turnhout.
Day five - Turnhout to Hasselt ~56 miles
Today we will ride to Hasselt. The cycling highlight of the day is literally cycling in the tree canopy, Fietsen door de Bomen. The province of Limburg is known as the best cycling region in Flanders because of what they have invested in cycling tourism and infrastructure. After our ride through the trees we will have lunch and sample some local beers at a special lunch stop before finishing in Hasselt.
Day six - Hasselt to Maastricht ~40 miles
Today you will cycle across the border to the Netherlands. Along the way we will take in another of Limburg’s special cycling routes, Fietsen door het Water. The bike path was built through the middle of the lake. Maastricht is the birthplace of the EU and a wonderful place to spend an evening. In Maastricht we will sample some beers unique to Holland and maybe a few special Belgian ales as well.
Day seven - Maastricht to Diest ~45 miles
We cross back into Belgium after breakfast and enjoy a scenic ride through forests, fields and over hills. We stay in the old, traditional city center of Diest where we will enjoy an evening together including a beer and chocolate pairing.
Day eight - Return to Leuven ~28 miles
For our last day of riding we will return to vibrant Leuven and celebrate at the local craft brewery, Brouwerij de Coureur. Along the way we will pay a visit to the Sven Nys Cyclocross Center for lunch. You will have the opportunity to learn about the history of cross and ride the course featured on the annual New Year's Day race. Upon arrival in Leuven we will change clothes and enjoy a post tour dinner and laugh about our adventure.
Day nine - Breakfast and onto your next adventure. We are happy to help with port tour travel arrangements. It is an easy train ride to Brussels or the airport from Leuven.