Do you enjoy taking a break from your bike now and then? We have good news in that case: here we have collated 19 iconic stops throughout Flanders.
Do you enjoy taking a break from your bike now and then? Then we have the perfect combination for you, we havegathered together 19 iconic stops throughout Flanders that will have you on the edge of your saddle. Each is unique and they are all cultural attractions which are unforgettable. Trust us, you will be more than happy to stop for them. And best of all? You can spot them from the iconic cycling routes themselves. A cycling holiday worth raving about, don’t you think?
2. Thermae Palace
Found on: Coastal Route, Art Cities Route
This iconic piece of art-deco design has been around since 1933. With a Grand Hotel, a swimming pool which is filled daily, thermal baths and a thermal institute, the complex offered a unique experience. The magnificent drinking hall is home to the Albert I spring, known for its beneficial effects on stomach issues.
The thermal baths lay dormant between 1940 and 1980, while the swimming pool remained the urban swimming pool of Ostend until 1976. In 2002, Thermae Palace became a listed monument. Today it is a 130-room hotel isawaiting a sparkling renovation.
4. Menin Gate
Found on: 14–18 Western Front Route
The Menin Gate is the memorial to the nearly 55,000 British soldiers who died in the First World War andhave not been identified or found. The Menin Gate was designed by Reginald Blomfield and was built in 1927 in the form of a Roman triumphal arch. Since 1928, a group of buglers have played the Last Post here every evening, on the stroke of eight o'clock. More info: www.lastpost.be
6. Observation point Ronse
Found on: Hilly Route
Since December 2022, Ronse has been home to an artistic resting bench that is no less than 8 metres in length. The location was not chosen by chance: from the bench you look out on the Kluisbos, Hotondbos and Muziekbos, which form the green canopy of the ‘mountains’ bearing the same names. To the north-west, you can the Kluisberg, in the north the Hotondberg, and a little further to the northeast you see the contours of the Muziekberg.
8. Gaasbeek Castle
Found on: Hilly Route, Green Belt Route
In 1236, Godfried van Leuven had a castle built here to protect Brabant from invasion. The castle was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, evolving from a medieval defensive fortress into a romantic residence. Today, the castle with its beautifully designed rooms houses a thousand valuable art objects. As well as a park with a 17th-century summer house, an old chapel and a triumphal arch in honour of Napoleon, the domain also has a magnificent museum garden with native fruits and vegetables. More info: https://www.kasteelvangaasbeek.be/en
10. Temse Bridge
Found on: Scheldt Route, Art Cities Route
The Temse Bridge connects not only the left and right banks of the Scheldt, but also Temse in the province of East Flanders with Bornem in the province of Antwerp. The original bridge constructed in 1870 - designed by renowned French engineer Gustave Eiffel - was blown up at the start of World War II. The bridge was renovated in 1955 and, in 2009, a parallel one was added. With a length of 365 metres, the Temse Bridge is the longest bridge in Belgium. From the bridge you can enjoy a beautiful view of ‘the mighty river’.
12. Het Steen
Found on: Scheldt Route, Kempen Route, Art Cities Route
As the oldest preserved building in Antwerp, Het Steen has had many functions over the centuries: from castle to prison and from residence to museum. Today, after a thorough renovation, the building now sparkles as a visitors’ centre for tourists. In this centuries-old castle, you can find the Visitors’ Centre, the cruise terminal and a panoramic roof terrace, as well as the multimedia interactive experience trail The Antwerp Story. For local and international visitors, it is the perfect introduction to the city and the ideal inspiration source for a further visit to Antwerp.
14. Basilica of Our Lady, Tongeren
Found on: Hilly Route
The Basilica of Our Lady in Tongeren is one of the most beautiful gothic structures in Belgium. It was built over 300 years from 1254 onwards. You can see the belfry tower looming up from miles away. The basilica houses a rich arsenal of church treasures, a monumental organ and impressive stained-glass windows. In front of the basilica, Ambiorix points the way to the Gallo-Roman Museum.
16. Tervuren Park
Found on: Green Belt Route, Art Cities Route
Warande Park Tervuren was once the hunting domain of the Dukes of Brabant. You cycle past ponds, neoclassical gardens and some extraordinary buildings, such as the imposing Africa Museum. Leopold II had it built more than a century ago and it recently underwent a thorough renovation in which the outdated colonial world view made way for a contemporary view of a proud continent. The Warande Gate is home to a lively visitors’ centre that introduces you to the Sonian Forest and the region.
18. St. Bavo’s Cathedral
Found on: Art Cities Route
For more than 1,000 years, St. Bavo’s Cathedral in the centre of Ghent has been a house of prayer where everyone is welcome. In the visitors’ centre you can admire the restored panels of The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb and various other authentic art treasures in all their splendour. St. Bavo’s Cathedral is an iconic monument in art city Ghent. More info: https://www.sintbaafskathedraal.be/en
