Cycling in Belgium
Belgium, our homeland has a lot to offer for a short or longer cycling vacation. There is no shortage of mapped out cycling routes and good cycle paths. Are you a beginner cyclist or do you prefer a bit more of a challenge? No problem, cycling in Belgium is possible for every level. In this blog, we give you more information on where you can find inspiration.
Roads to Movement in Belgium
The past two years we made several trips in Belgium. Below you can find an overview of the places where we slept in our tent or at which Warmshowers hosts we could go.
Long distance cycling routes in Belgium
If you'd like to plan a multi-day cycling trip in Belgium, you can certainly find inspiration through the links below:
Iconroutes: Nine different cycling routes, each with its own theme, that take you through beautiful landscapes in Flanders. The routes can be ridden in two directions.
If you prefer to cycle in Wallonia, the Rando Velo cycling routes are great for planning your trip in the Ardennes!
Bicycle highways: The fastest way to get from point A to B. Not immediately the most attractive routes, you often cycle along a railroad or water, but they can be very practical to quickly cover some distance.
Bike junctions: A very handy way of linking beautiful routes in Flanders, we used it very often. There is also an app of it. Initially not super convenient to use, but once you know how it works you will use it a lot in Belgium.
Sleeping in Belgium
Belgium has enough possibilities for always finding a place to sleep. The quality of the campsites is good, although in our opinion the prices are quite high. The offer for affordable hotels and B&B's is not that high. If you like camping then the following certainly offers some options:
Welcome to my Garden is a fun platform for the slow traveler. If you travel by bike or by foot, you can find a place in people's gardens.
In Belgium there are some bivouac zones where you can stay for free. Be careful not to leave any trace, an obvious thing to do after any camping adventure.
Vrienden op de fiets is a Dutch platform but in Flanders you can also find some places to sleep. You pay an annual membership fee of €10 (€8 if you're from the Netherlands) and, once connected, you can book a bed, shower and breakfast with private individuals for €22.50 per person per night. You have to book by phone and you don't get to see pictures of the sleeping place. That makes it extra exciting!
Budget in Belgium
In Belgium, you pay with the EURO.
€1 = 1.10 USD
Average daily budget in Belgium that we spent for two people together:
Food and Drink: €15
Accommodation: €22 (campsites) / we never slept in a hotel in our own country, but on average you can count €75 to €100 for a double room
Road conditions
The network of bike paths is generally very good, a large percentage of which are also good to use for pedestrians. You rarely cycle on, or along busy roads with lots of traffic. The road surface in Wallonia is far from perfect, but the beautiful views make up for this. If we do have one comment, it is about the infrastructure for cyclists in the cities. This is an enormous working point for our country, so always pay some extra attention as a cyclist in the big cities.
Food and drinks in Belgium
In Belgium, you can eat at restaurants in different price ranges. Ranging from a €3.50 sandwich to €25 for an average restaurant visit (and everything in between). We will mainly miss our delicious bread in the coming years! For a visit to the bakery you pay about €5 for a nice loaf of bread, a coffee and possibly a coffee cake.
Climate in Belgium
The period from April to October is perfect for undertaking a bicycle tour in our own country. July and August are usually more expensive and we thought it to be too hot at some moments. We ourselves are huge fans of cycling in Belgium in autumn, as the colours are at their best during those months. Unfortunately, these are also wet, cold months, so make sure you have the right clothes with you (check our packing list here!).
Cycling vacations in Belgium: Our tips and tricks!
Belgians are generally hospitable people, but will rarely take the first step to invite you in (there are exceptions!). Speak to people directly or use the apps discussed earlier such as Welcome to My Garden.
Belgium is not just flat.
The Ardennes will show you some of the most beautiful scenery around. A perfect combination of challenge and diverse nature.
The best fries in the world are eaten in Belgium!
Belgian people, in general, are huge fans of cycling. However, for a daily commute and trips of longer duration we don't share the same passion as our norther neighbours in the Netherlands.
Do you need more inspiration for a cycling vacation in Belgium? Be sure to read our blog about our staycation in Haspengouw.
