Around Romantic Bruges

On this Bruges bike tour, you are provided with a roadbook offering details on four fantastic tours. The routes are well marked using a number system which also corresponds with the numbers on the roadbook. Highlights of these tours include the castles around Torhout and Wijnendaele, the picturesque villages of Damme and Lissewage and the seaside towns of Knokke and De Haan. You will also enjoy the parks and nature around Bulskampveld. Bruges offers so much more than just cycling. Called the "Venice of the North", it is one of Belgium's crown jewels. In no other European city is the feel and the look of medieval times so present as here in this city close to the North Sea. As you cycle Bruges, you will see the rich architecture of churches, abbeys, castles and windmills, this little medieval city boasts canals, chocolate shops, museums and carriages. Soak up the atmosphere in one of the many cafés and restaurants (there are 350 different kinds of beer to savor). Whether you enjoy art, fine cuisine, shopping or the countryside, Bruges has something for everyone.

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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.

• Along the Napolean Canal to Damme and over the board to Holland; to the beach and back along the canals, 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 your days to accommodate young children

Ride 1 : Along the Napolean Canal to Damme and over the board to Holland; to the beach and back along the canals, 29 mi.  (48 km)
Today you could enjoy a route alongside 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 know 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. Back to Bruges after your tour.

Ride 2 : Castle hunt,  36 mi. ( 57 km)
This tour 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 You return by passing Beisbroek forest and castle with Planetarium and nature education center and Tudor Castle with herb garden. (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 polder 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 canal Ghent – Brugge and its

Departure from Bruges
You might decide to stay an extra day or two to explore Bruges even more. Bruges incredibly well-preserved medieval architecture makes it one of the most exciting tourist attractions in Europe. Besides architecture, sites to see include several museums. First is the Groeninge Museum, with six centuries of paintings from different styles, including works by Jan van Eyck, a Flemish Primitive painter. The Memling museum is also not to be missed, 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, visiting art galleries, climbing the belfry or trying several of the more than 350 available Belgian beers.

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Very nice 3 star hotel (Hotel Fevery) or 4 star (B & B Bariseele) featuring suites, one with a private entrance.