Today, we continue our journey via the Art Cities Route towards Mechelen. Today’s goal: to relax as much as possible both on and off the bike. We begin the day with freshly brewed coffee in one of the convivial roasting houses right in the historic centre of Leuven. The sun is shining and the blue skies encourage us to hop on our bikes, otherwise we probably would not have been able to leave so quickly...
Outside the city, we once again pass the Stella Artois brewery and we ride on further until we reach the Leuven-Dyle canal. It is here where we notice something for the first time today: there is an enormous tailwind. Well, that fits in perfectly with our plan for an easy day! We head downstream and thus slightly downhill towards Mechelen on the perfectly signposted “Art Cities Route”, which connects the art cities of Brussels, Leuven, Mechelen, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges to each other. Although it is a regular weekday, we see plenty of cyclists out on their bikes. For us, this is a clear sign of the importance of cycling in Belgium.
First, we follow the canal, then we pass pastures with horses, flowering poppy fields and the small family brewery “Hof ten Dormaal”, arguably the most eco-conscious brewery in the world! Here, the Janssens family cultivates six hectares of barley, wheat, oats and spelt, as well as their own hops, while the spent brewing grains are used to feed the farm’s own cattle. The perfect circular economy!
We reach the river Dyle, which meanders through a peaceful, idyllic landscape. The cycle path follows the same winding contours of the river. Here, you can enjoy cycling without a care in the world. We frequently come across large concrete bunkers dating back to the Second World War, constructed in 1939 as the main line of defence against a German tank invasion.
While we still feel like we are surrounded by nature, when we cycle around the next bend, suddenly we find ourselves face to face with the city of Mechelen. The city immediately captivates us with its cosy charm. Everywhere there are small concept stores and convivial culinary spots that beckon you to try their menus. When we stop at the Grote Markt, one of the locals immediately comes up to us and not only suggests the best restaurants in the city where we should eat, but also recounts two intriguing historical tales about his city:
1. The first permanent postal route ran from Mechelen to Innsbruck that dates from 1490
2. The first railway line in continental Europe ran from Mechelen to Brussels
Full of enthusiasm, we make our way to the “fish market”, where we will taste Belgian beer. So our plan for the day worked perfectly - pure enjoyment!
