Belgium Beer Route

Day 1: Arrival Genk
Day 2: Genk - Heeze, 47 mi. (75 km) 
Day 3: Heeze - Turnhout, 40 mi. (64 km)
Day 4: Turnhout - Antwerp, 43 mi. (69 km) 
Day 5: Antwerp - Leuven, 39 mi. (63 km) 
Day 6: Leuven - Diest, 27 mi. (44 km) 
Day 7: Diest - Genk, 36 mi.  (58 km)
Day 8: Departure from Genk

Due to organizational reasons, weather conditions, or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the way, you may find temporary deviations caused by work on roads that cannot be foreseen.

Day 1:  Arrival Genk
Individual arrival to Genk, check in to hotel located in the delightful Molenvijver Park. 

Preferred accommodation: Hotel Zuid

Day 2:  Genk - Heeze, 47 mi. (75 km) 
On quiet country roads, you cycle to Bocholt, home to Europe’s largest beer brewery museum. Here you will discover the whole procedure leading up to a perfectly poured pint. As you continue, you cycle past Hamont to Beverbeekse Heide nature reserve consisting of wetland, woods, and patches of heath. You will make a  stop at Achelse Kluis, St. Benedict’s Abbey, and adjacent brewery, shop, gallery, and inn. The brewery, closed to the public, is one of the few places in the world where Trappist beer is still brewed, now under the supervision of two remaining monks, Cistercians of the Strict Observance or Trappists. After a well-earned Tripel, in the sunshine outside the inn, proceed through Leenderbossen woods to the villages of Leende and Heeze. In the evening, go for a pleasant walk on the grounds of Heeze Castle.

Preferred accommodation: Kapellerput Hotel

Day 3:  Heeze - Turnhout, 40 mi. (64 km)
On today’s route, you will traverse the Brabant Campine / Kempen region, enjoying woods and fields of heather. If you come in August, you will see the heather flowering. Stop off in the Brabant towns Valkenswaard and Bergeijk. Back in Belgium, the route passes close to Postel Abbey where beer has been brewed since 1611. Have a break in Arendonk and then end the day in Turnhout, a town historically linked to the production of playing cards. Check out the museum!

Preferred accommodation: Best Western Plus Turnhout City

Day 4:  Turnhout - Antwerp, 43 mi. (69 km) 
Your first stop is picturesque Merksplas where you can pop in at the visitors’ center to find out all about former Merksplas-Kolonie, a corrective institution where able-bodied vagrants and beggars were taught farming skills and made to work the fields. Later on, pass Oostmalle and Malle on the way to Westmalle where you may enjoy a well-deserved Trappist beer at the café across the road from the abbey, before continuing on your way to the cosmopolitan city of Antwerp. 

Preferred accommodation: Hampton by Hilton Antwerpen

Day 5:  Antwerp - Leuven, 39 mi. (63 km) 
As you leave Antwerp behind, your surroundings will become progressively quieter and greener. If you are into military heritage, stop off in Mortsel to visit Fort no. 4 of the originally eight Brialmont Forts (1860-1864) that made up the defensive line of Antwerp. It is built in brick with sandstone decorations and stands on an island surrounded by a ditch and glacis. Cycling towards Leuven you will pass the festival grounds of Rock Werchter, an annual four-day festival held at the end of June / beginning of July. The Rock Werchter Experience Center can be found in the village of Rotselaar. As you approach Leuven on your bicycle, you will encounter some gentle slopes. Leuven is a friendly and attractive university town. In the evening, have your taste of the good life alongside the local bon-vivants. Admire the lovely architecture of the Town Hall and library. Go for a walk through the quarter known as Groot Begijnhof, a beguinage.

Preferred accommodation: Park Inn by Radisson Leuven

Day 6:  Leuven - Diest , 27 mi. (45 km)
This wonderful leg of the tour takes you to Diest. In Tielt-Winge you will find Vlooybergtoren, a viewpoint with a difference: a rusty flight of stairs that ends in mid-air and looks like it will topple over at any minute. A little farther on, you will find Haksberg Castle amid 3.6 hectares of vineyards. Their wines are named after birds that can be found in the local Hageland region.  Your next stop is Belgium’s most important pilgrimage site, Scherpenheuvel, which boasts the oldest central-plan domed church in the Low Countries. Crown your day in beautiful Diest, a town that has ties to the Royal House of Orange. As yet undiscovered by mass tourism, it will probably be your biggest surprise on this holiday. Have a look around the courtyard beguinage, one of the oldest, most beautiful, and best preserved in the Low Countries. Amble along the River Demer which flows through town once again, after having been covered up since the 1960s. A boardwalk, a cycling path, steps, and seating invite the townspeople to spend time by the water.

Preferred accommodation: Hotel de Franse Kroon

Day 7:  Diest - Genk, 36 mi.  (58 km)
The last leg of this tour takes you to several special and unique places. Cycling on today’s flat roads won’t leave you breathless, but the landscape surely will. Firstly, you will cycle to Schulermeer lake, which offers an array of water sports. Next, you will cycle to De Weijers, also known as Land of 1001 Ponds. Slalom your way around the manmade fishing ponds, marveling at the colorful vegetation and keeping an eye out for special species of amphibians and birds. Your next stop is in Bokrijk, an open-air museum that covers country life from 1910 to the 1960s, offering workshops in all kinds of historical skills and crafts. Towards the end of the day, get ready for the most bizarre experience of this holiday: Cycle on a path a that runs for 200 meters right through a natural lake. You will be at eye level with the surface of the water, moving in total harmony with the ducks.

Preferred accommodation: Hotel Zuid

Day 8: Departure from Genk
After one last hotel buffet breakfast, your bicycle holiday will come to an end. It is time to make your own way home.

Looking for more?  View all our featured bicycle tours, specials, and news, or look at our full list of bike tours in Europe.

Accommodations

You will be accommodated in 3 and 4-star accommodations such as the Hotel Atlantis in Genk and the Kapellerput Hotel in Heeze. On each day’s details you will find the name of the preferred hotel. If availability is an issue, you will be informed accordingly.

Bicycles

Standard Hybrid Bike

Giant Aero RS2 (or similar)

• Aluminum alloy frame
• Shimano Deore 24 gears
• 28-inch wheels
• Sports saddle
• Flat pedals
• Rear rack
• Front and rear lights

Accessories

• Lock and one extra chain lock per two bikes
• One pannier
• Small repair kit including an extra inner tube, chain rivet extractor, and hand pump

Premium Hybrid Bike

Giant Aero RS1 (or similar)

• Aluminum alloy frame
• Shimano Deore XT 27 gears
• 28-inch wheels
• Selle Royal Saddle
• Flat pedals (SPD or SPD-SL on request)
• Rear rack

Accessories

• Lock and one extra chain lock per two bikes
• One pannier
• Small repair kit including an extra inner tube, chain rivet extractor, and hand pump
• Helmets available (Lazer Compact or Polisport, M, L, & XL)

Electric Bike

Kalkhoff 2.0 Impulse (or similar)

• Pedelec
• Step-through frame
• Shimano Nexus 7-Speed
• Bosch 500 WH PowerPack
• Three levels of support
• Front and rear rights
• Defender lock with plug-in chain

Accessories

• Lock and one extra chain lock per two bikes
• One pannier
• Small repair kit including an extra inner tube, chain rivet extractor, and hand pump
• Helmets available (Lazer Compact or Polisport, M, L, & XL)

Children’s Bikes and Accessories

Giant, Merida, or Golden Lion

• Aluminum Frames
• Shimano 7 gears
• Flat pedals

Accessories

Front child seat (for children up to 30 months, max. 15 kg). Not possible to be used with electric bikes.
Rear child seat (for children older than 30 months, max 22 kg).
Children helmets are available

Road Bike

Carbon Giant TCR, Giant Defy or Merida Reacto

• Advanced-grade composite or carbon frame
• Shimano 105 or Ultegra 20 gearing
• Shimano 105 or Ultegra rim brakes
• Flat, toeclips, SPD, SPD-SL, Look, or Keo pedals (please specify)

Tandem

Multicycle, Sparta, or Gazelle

• Aluminum frame
• Shimano Deore LX or Deore XT gearing
• Shimano Deore rim brakes
• Flat pedals

Accessories

• Lock and one extra chain lock per two bikes
• One pannier
• Small repair kit including an extra inner tube, chain rivet extractor, and hand pump
• Helmets available (Lazer Compact or Polisport, M, L, & XL)