Around Romantic Bruges

This is a 5 day, hotel based tour. There are 4 fantastic cycle tours to choose from making use of the easy to navigate cycle route network around Bruges. Shorter stays are possible. Just ask.

• To the beach and back along the canals, Napolean Canal to Damme and over the board to Holland,  29 mi. (48 km)
• Castle Hunt, 36 mi. (57 km)
• Polders and picturesque villages, 28 mi. (44 km)
• Land of the Counts, forest of Bulskamp, 33 mi. (54 km)

Here is a suggested itinerary but you can decide your own itinerary from the routes provided. For example, you might want to incorporate a rest day or to organize the order of your days differently. You can even shorten or lengthened your days.

Ride 1: To the beach and back along the canals, Napolean Canal to Damme and over the board to Holland,  29 mi. (48 km)
Today you could enjoy a route along canals through the picturesque village of Damme and on to the town of Knokke at the seaside. Due to its rich history and many things worth seeing, Damme is a popular tourist center. Popular, but fortunately not too crowded. Damme is renowned for its cuisine and lately has come to be known for the place to buy old (and new) books. Afterward, you cycle along the Napoleon canal towards the Siphon and over the border to Sluis. The town of Sluis was almost completely destroyed in 1944 and the Dutch rebuilt the city. Sluis too is known for its cuisine. The route continues along the polders to the National Park of "t Zwin with its Stork Colony. A little further, near the beach, you find the posh city of  Knokke Zoute. As you continue to cycle the beach to Duinbergen, you will enjoy the North Sea. 

Ride 2: Castle hunt,  36 mi. ( 57 km)
This route heads south towards the Tillegem forest and Castle and the Wijnendale Castle. These castles are both surrounded by water and in a wonderful setting. During your trip, you will see many beautiful houses. Your return route has you passing by Beisbroek Castle, with its adjoining forest and grassland. You can also visit Cozmix, which is the public observatory, and the planetarium. (this ride is not suggested for Mondays)

Ride 3: Polders and picturesque villages, 28 mi. (44 km)
This ride will take you through the picturesque village of Lissewage and the beautiful seaside towns of De Haan and Blankenberge, cycling between the sea and the dunes. Time in Lissewege seems to move a bit slower than elsewhere. With its picturesque canal, whitewashed polder houses, and extensive fields and meadows, this quaint village is a classic example of how every Flemish village once looked: lively, charming and a touch nostalgic. A visit to De Haan is like a return to the 'Belle Epoque' of the turn of the century. The name De Haan means literally 'The Rooster'. According to a legend, the village got this name because a rooster rescued a group of stranded fishermen. His crowing guided them to this safe place. Legends aside, De Haan is small but beautiful. Its most famous resident was Albert Einstein, who lived there for six months in 1933 after leaving Nazi Germany.

Ride 4: Land of the Counts, forest of Bulskamp, 33 mi. (54 km)
Perhaps this ride could be used as a day to familiarize yourself with your bike and to explore the parks and nature reserve area around Bulskampveld Castle near Beernem. The scenery and beauty surrounding the area of the castle served as a source of inspiration for its design. Leaving Bruges, through the green suburb of Assebroek, into the historic land of the counts of Flanders to Maldegem, you will pass the East Flanders border.  You make your way back to Bruges along the charming canal Ghent - Bruges canal.

Departure from Bruges
You might decide to stay an extra day or two to explore Bruges even more. The incredibly well-preserved medieval architecture makes this small city one of the most exciting tourist attractions in Europe. Besides architecture, sites to see include several museums.  The Groeninge Museum, with six centuries of paintings from different styles, including works by Jan van Eyck, a Flemish Primitive painter,  and the Memling museum, with the wooden Shrine of St. Ursula. Also, the only work of art by Michelangelo to leave Italy during his lifetime can be seen in the Church of our Lady. Of course, a visit to Bruges wouldn’t be complete without a canal or carriage ride, sampling the chocolates and waffles, shopping for craft work including Bruges famous lace, climbing the belfry, or sampling several of the more than 350 Belgian beers.

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You will be accommodated in the lovely Hotel Fevery or the boutique B & B Bariseele. You decide!

Both historic establishments are privately owned and operated. In 1865, the family Bariseele owned one of the biggest and most luxurious hotels in Bruges, which thrived until just before WWII. In 1940, the hotel closed its doors, and the large building was split into three parts.
The main building, where Bariseele and Fevery are today, was a private home with local businesses (butcher, bakery, small supermarket).

In 1965, Hotel Fevery opened as the small Pension Vandaelea and the story began anew. Paul bought the hotel in 1996, and through the years, has made his hotel into what it is today, obtaining many awards, including being the first hotel in Belgium to receive the European Ecolabel.

In 1998, the entire main building was bought back and the B & B Bariseele opened its door featuring suites with kitchen amenities and a boutique and romantic atmosphere.
So whether you are looking for very nice 3-star accommodations or a more boutique 4-star suite experience, we can accommodate.