Start: Mechelen

Your Itinerary


Antwerp and Flemish Beer Tour Self-Guided Cycling Tour
Self-Guided | Individual | 8 days | 7 nights | From £559 per person
Other durations available on request.
Full holiday prices by date are shown on the ‘Book Now’ tab.

Book the Belgium Beer Tour cycle tour here >>

Cycle Tour Highlights

• Cycling through beautiful typical Flemish landscapes and authentic villages
• Art Cities Antwerp, Leuven and Mechelen and their charming town centres
• Visit to breweries as De Koninck and het Anker
• Visit to the Antwerp Diamond museum
• Visit to the Rubens House, probably the most famous Flemish Master
• Tour to Westmalle Trappist abbey

Cycle Route profile
Easy and flat, suitable for all cyclists and families with children.

The approximate difficulty level for this tour

Difficulty Scale

Day-by-Day Cycling Holiday Itinerary


Day 1: Arrival in Antwerp

A stroll through the cosy city centre of Antwerp, city at the river Schelde, will show you all the most important historical buildings.

Day 2: Circular ride in Antwerp (23 or 30km)

Today we will discover the historic town centre of the art city Antwerp, home of multiple Flemish Masters and the epicentre of diamond trade worldwide. Antwerp has one of the biggest harbours in Europe and is dotted with fashion houses and jewellery shops. It is also the home town of the painter Rubens, one of the most famous Flemish Masters. As you can read, Antwerp is a multi-faceted city where tradition and modernity go hand in hand! Most buildings in the historic town centre date back to the 16th and 17th century. There are many museums (like the MAS, Museum aan de Stroom) and monuments to be visited. The town hall and the central station are perfect examples of the beautiful and rich architecture. What you should certainly not forget, is visiting the cathedral and the other churches in Antwerp. And to top off this perfect day you may visit the famous brewery ‘De Koninck’ and enjoy a beer tasting at the brewery!

Day 3: Circular ride to Westmalle (62km)

Today we will discover the Trappist beer! The tour brings us through the green landscape of the ‘Kempen’ region to the Westmalle abbey, a name that is in the limelight! The abbey was founded in 1794 by French monks. They were refugees because of the difficult circumstances for religious people in France in that era. The Bishop from Antwerp gave them a farm so that they could earn a living. They started brewing the Westmalle beer around 1850. The abbey itself cannot be visited but there is a pub near the abbey where you can taste the superb Trappist Westmalle and the traditionally produced cheese.

Day 4: Antwerp to Bornem (56km)

From Antwerp, we go along the Schelde river to Bornem. When you have left the centre of Antwerp, you can admire the landscape of the ‘Hobokense Polder’. Enjoy the surprisingly silent nature, so close to the centre of a big city! On the road to Bornem you can visit the abbey of Hemiksem. You will also pass the brewery ‘Bosteels’ where they brew ‘Karmeliet’, the ‘Kwak’ and ‘Malheur’.

Day 5: Bornem to Mechelen (46km)

Today we go from Bornem to Mechelen. On the tour through the authentic flat Flemish landschape, you will pass several breweries as the ‘Palm’ brewery in Steenhuffel and the brewery of the very famous beer ‘Duvel’ in Puurs. After this great cycling day, you can take a rest in the town centre of the art city Mechelen which was the political centre of the low countries during the 16th century. There are over 300 historic and protected buildings as a witness of the glorious past of Mechelen! You certainly have to visit the St. Rombouts-cathedral, from where you have a superb view of the region, the palaces of Margarete of York and Margarete of Austria, the market square and the beguinage. The most famous beer in Mechelen is the ‘Maneblusser’ which is produced in the brewery ‘Het Anker’, certainly worth a visit!

Day 6: Circular ride to Leuven (66km)

Today we will visit another art city and also the ‘beer capital’ of Belgium: Leuven. The Stella Artois brewery for example is the biggest brewery in Europe! It is said that the biggest bars in the world can be found in Leuven, probably because it is a city with a lot of students. Leuven has the oldest university in the low countries, established in 1425. Leuven is also a city with many sights, like the beguinage, the really beautiful gothic town hall, the university library and probably Belgiums most picturesque market place, the ‘old market’. A cycling path along a canal brings us back to Mechelen for our last night of the tour.

Day 7: Mechelen to Antwerp (53km)

We leave Mechelen along the green borders of the wiggling river ‘Nete’ to the town of Lier. Lier is known in Belgium as the ‘Pallieterstad’. Pallieter is the key person in the Flemish novel ‘Pallieter’ from the writer Felix Timmermans, born in Lier. He is a person who enjoys life as no other, and that is exactly what you can do in Lier: take a rest in a local pub and enjoy the local beers like ‘de Strooien Hoed’ or the famous cake ‘Liers Vlaaike’. There are also enough of sights: the beguinage, the ‘Zimmertoren’ and the market square. After Lier, we cycle further to the famous town of Antwerp, also named ‘koekenstad’ (biscuit town). Along the tour to Antwerp you will see some fortifications from the First World War.

Day 8: Departure Day

Depart after breakfast.

Map & Route Information

Route Profile
The routes are easy on well signposted routes.

Where is the starting point of the tour?

Tour Route Map

Tour Information

Holiday Information

The Antwerp and Flemish Beer Tour tour stays in 3*/4*- hotels carefully chosen for their location, hospitality and proximity to your tour route.

Your stay includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and permanent assistance in case of problems.

Services

- 8 days – 7 nights in 3/4* hotels
– Room with bath/shower and toilet
– Room and breakfast, possibility to book half board in Mechelen and Bornem (4x no diner in Antwerp when the tour starts in Antwerp or 3x no diner in Antwerp when the tour starts in Mechelen)
– Swimming pool, sauna and steam bath in Antwerp
– Map, tourist information and road description in English, German, French, Spanish and Dutch
– Luggage transport (1 piece per person, up to 20 kilos)
– Tourist tax in Bornem and Mechelen (NOT in Antwerp, payable on the spot)
– Service-Hotline (also in weekends)

Star Star Star
Rental Bike Information

This is a touring bike that is often known as a ‘City Bike’.

They are equipped with sufficient gears, a saddle bag, a fix lock and a pump.

Child trailers and seats are available too.

Star Star Star

Your Prices

Antwerp and Flemish Beer Tour, 8 days, 7 nights
All prices are per person and include bike hire.

Cycling Holiday Prices:

Prices are based on seasonal date bands
Season 1: April – June | August – September
Arrival Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays
Season 2: June – August
Arrival Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays

Category A: Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: From £559 | Book online here >>
Season 2: From £609 | Book online here >>
Single Room Supplement: From £229
Half Board Upgrade: From £159
Electric Bike Upgrade: From £69

Extra Nights (Price Per Person)
Location | Price (DBL/BB) | Single Supplement (SGL/BB)
Antwerp: From £99 | £30

Calculate the cost of your cycling holiday







Hotel Category Descriptions
Accommodation in 3* and 4* hotels with double room with private facilities

Any local tourist taxes are not included in the holiday price and are payable at the hotel.

For help and queries regarding this tour…
Contact us | F.A.Qs

Holiday Price: From £559
Single Supplement: From £229

Click here to book now
Call: 01706 618155

Wheel2Wheel Holidays is part of KE Adventure Travel Ltd.

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