Spend 8 days cycling the legendary Flemish beer route on this self-guided tour
Enjoy an exciting mix of cycling and gastronomic adventures on the 8-day self-guided Flemish Beer Route Cycling Tour in Belgium.
Realize the perfect balance of leisure and activity on this exciting cycling tour that introduces you to the marvellous world of Belgian beer. There is no better place to begin a Flemish beer tour than at Europe’s largest beer brewery museum, Bocholt. Bocholt will enlighten you on the beer brewing process from start to finish while providing fascinating insights into the history of beer brewing in Belgium, which dates back to the Middle Ages.
The tour then whisks you through several charming Flemish towns, like Heeze and Turnhout, where you’ll visit brewing galleries and the birthplace of playing cards! Continuing through tiny beer towns like Oostmalle and Westmalle, you’ll savour the opportunity to post up with a crisp cold Trappist after exciting days spent cycling. Visit the cosmopolitan city of Antwerp before pressing on to Leuven, where you’ll find Belgium’s oldest university town complete with beautiful historical buildings.
Enjoy stunning routes through some of Belgium’s most scenic areas, such as the Beverbeekse Heide nature reserve and the fields of heather in the Brabant Campine region.
Get the best of both worlds on this beer and cycling tour! Book The Flemish Beer Route Cycling Tour today, and discover the fascinating world of legendary Belgian beer.
Highlights of the Flemish Beer Route Cycling Tour
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Flemish Beer Route Cycling Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive
Your tour begins in Genk, where you’ll find your charming accommodation in the beautiful Molenvijver Park. After settling in, head out to explore the park’s sprawling grounds and enjoy a low-key evening here in preparation for your first ride to Heeze tomorrow.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Genk
Distance: None
Meals: None
Day 2 Visit the Bocholt Brewery Museum and Ride to Heeze
This morning after a hearty breakfast, you’ll set out on your first ride to Heeze, first stopping at Bocholt, Europe’s most extensive beer brewery Museum. Bocholt provides the perfect contextual introduction to the world of Belgian Beer, and you’ll enjoy a fascinating look at the brewing process from start to finish, followed by a perfectly poured pint.
Continue the route through the Beverbeekse Heide nature reserve, where you’ll enjoy a patchwork of beautiful wetlands, woods, and heath. Next, you’ll want to hop off your bike at the Achelse Kluis Abbey, where you’ll find a brewery and gallery ripe for exploring.
Savour a well-earned Tripel here before continuing through the Leenderbossen woods to your accommodations in Heeze.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Heeze
Distance: 75km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Cycle to Turnhout (the Birthplace of Playing Cards)
A scenic route unfolds this morning as you navigate the beautiful Brabant Campine and Kempen regions. Fields of heather flank the route with several opportunities to hop off your bike in small, charming Brabant towns like Valkenswaard and Bergeijk.
Continue the route past the Postel Abbey—where beer has been brewed since 1611—then take a break in Arendonk before pressing on to today’s destination, Turnhout.
Turnhout is said to be the birthplace of playing cards, and the town boasts an excellent museum documenting this.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Turnhout
Distance: 64km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Cycle to Antwerp via Merksplas
Set out this morning bound for Antwerp, stopping in Merksplas for an interesting look at a former corrective institution known as Merksplas-Kolonie, where vagrants were taught farming skills and made to work the fields.
Continue through Oostmalle and Malle, then hop off your bike in Westmalle to savour a well-deserved Trappist from a sunny spot on the café patio overlooking the town abbey. Continue to Antwerp, where you’ll find tonight’s accommodation in this cosmopolitan city.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Antwerp
Distance: 69km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Cycle Antwerp to Leuven
Swap out the lively buzz of Antwerp this morning as you ride to Leuven, enjoying a peaceful green route. Pause in Mortsel to visit Fort No. 4 for a dose of military history before continuing to lovely Leuven.
Leuven is a charismatic university town known for its stunning architecture and unique districts, such as the Groot Begijnhof.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Leuven
Distance: 63km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 Ride to Diest
Today’s exciting route takes you to Diest via Tielt-Winge, where you can take in the wonders of the bizarre Vlooybergtoren stairs.
Continue the route to the impressive Haksberg Castle, where you’ll find a fairy-tale scene of a fortress encased by sprawling vineyards. Change things up with a wine tasting here before continuing the route to Belgium’s most significant pilgrimage site, Scherpenheuvel.
The final stretch will take you to Diest, a delightful town with said ties to the Royal House of Orange. Take in the country beguinage and peruse the scenic banks of the River Demer, complete with a bike path and boardwalk for your enjoyment.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Diest
Distance: 44km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Final Ride to Return to Genk
The final ride of the tour is sure to leave you awe-struck as you navigate some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Belgium. First up is the gorgeous Schulermeer Lake, then it's off to the land of 1001 ponds known as De Weijers.
The route continues through Bokrijk, where you can visit an open-air museum, and then you're in for a surprise. The final leg of the day takes you via a remarkable 200-meter cycle path right through a natural lake, with the surface of the lake's waters at eye level. Enjoy the wonders of this final ride back to Genk, where you'll enjoy your final evening of the tour.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Genk
Distance: 58km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Depart
This morning, your cycling tour comes to an end. With a week’s worth of epic memories made on the Flemish beer route, check out to depart.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
This self-guided tour is always run as a private tour for your group only.
2024 Departures
The departures are available every Saturday, from April 1st to September 23rd .
- Single room: from $1,495 USD*
- Sharing a double room: from $975 USD*
*-Pricing for this tour depends on the dates of your trip and all the prices are per person. Please click the booking button below to get the exact pricing for your trip dates.
Book NowAccommodation on the Flemish Beer Route Cycling Tour
This tour is based on hotels. Hotels on this trip are 3- and 4-star and offer modern conveniences that can make this trip more pleasant. Guests may have access to amenities such as swimming pools, steam rooms, or private decks to lounge on.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.
Hotels on Standard Tour
Hotel Zuid in Genk ★★★
Guests will enjoy the hip and lively atmosphere of this excellent hotel in Genk, which offers spacious bright rooms and helpful amenities like laundry and room service.
Kapellerput Hotel in Heeze ★★★★
Enjoy a relaxing getaway at this estate hotel situated on a nature preserve, adorned with contemporary interiors and creative style.
Best Western Plus Turnhout City in Turnhout ★★★★
A charming red brick building in central Turnhout houses this top-tier hotel, which offers its guests several modern amenities such as a games room and tennis courts.
Hampton Hotel in Antwerp ★★★
A modern hotel found in the bustling center of historical Antwerp within walking distance of the famous cathedral and the Diamon District.
The Park Inn in Leuven ★★★★
Located directly behind the central station, this charming upscale hotel offers spacious rooms with modern design and an in-house restaurant and bar.
Hotel de Franse Kroon in Diest ★★★
Located centrally in Diest, this unique hotel offers all the grandeur of an authentic 19th-century classic guesthouse, with the added touch of modern amenities.
Hotel Zuid in Genk ★★★
Guests will enjoy the hip and lively atmosphere of this excellent hotel in Genk, which offers spacious bright rooms and helpful amenities like laundry and room service.
What’s Included in the Flemish Beer Route Cycling Tour?
Meals
7 breakfasts are included. Dinners can be added as a supplement (please inquire for more information).
Accommodations
Accommodations for 7 nights are included. Accommodations before and after the tour in Genk are not included but can be added as a supplement.
Transportation during the Tour
Luggage transportation during the tour is included. Your bike rental and airport transfers are not included but can be booked in advance as a supplement.
Also Included
- Maps and route descriptions
- Routes in digital format
- Tourist information on all places of interest
- Tourist taxes
- GPS tracks available upon request
- Phone hotline 7 days/week
Not included
- Bike rental
- Guide services
- Flights to and from Brussels
- GPS
- Any ferry crossings
- Entrance fees and excursions
- Meals, drinks, or snacks not previously mentioned
- Gratuities for tour guides or other staff if desired
Optional Extras
- Bike rental
- Upgrade to half board (breakfast and dinner)
- Additional services and biking equipment rental
- Additional nights before or after the tour
- Airport transfers
- Single occupancy upgrades
- Optional activities or excursions
Frequently Asked Questions about Flemish Beer Route Cycling Tour
Operating since 2017, Dutch Biketours knows how to immerse travellers in Dutch life–best done on a bike, of course! Their experienced staff can lead your trip planning, or they can take your ideas and tailor a custom itinerary that reveals the charm of the Netherlands.
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