Belgio ∣ BRUGES AND FLANDERS FIELDS

After arriving in Roeselare you can make an optional tour to the basilica of Dadizele and discover the
landscape around the city. Or first visit Roeselare, with the National Cycling Museum, the brewery of
Rodenbach, the old cemetary, the city park along the Mandel river, the Castle of Rumbeke with various
exhibitions and the city center known for its vibrating shopping streets.

Our first cycling tour will take us to Ieper, a beautiful medieval town with a stunning
market place and the famous town-gate ‘Menenpoort’. We will also pass the Tyne
Cot cemetery, the largest graveyard for English soldiers of World War I.
In Ieper, you can visit the ‘In Flanders Fields Museum’ (to be paid on the spot).
Cycling around Ieper is a nice experience, especially passing through the charming
hills. You can also walk around the city and follow the ramparts route.

On this tour, we will pass another nice medieval town: Poperinge, popular for the hops cultivated in
this area. The ‘Talbot House’ is a place of interest, it was the only place during WWI where British
soldiers could rest and forget about the war for a while. Definitely worth a visit is the trappist abbey
of Saint Sixtus where the Westvleteren is brewed, voted best beer in the world. We will cycle further
along the banks of the IJzer to Diksmuide, where the IJzertoren, a well-known monument of the great
War can be visited. You can also enjoy the beauty of the historic market place.

It is almost unbelievable how much cultural heritage can be discov-
ered in such a rural region. Indeed, the destination we are all ex-
cited about is of course Bruges, with its historic center and the stun-
ning belfry.

On the fifth day, we will explore the area between Bruges and Knokke, the
most mondain village of the Belgian coast. It will be another unforgettable
trip, through the polder landscapes and the dunes. The main sight of this
tour is the nature reserve ‘Het Zwin’ and the picturesque village of
Damme. Or, when it is warm enough, you can go swimming in the sea!

This day will again be an exciting day as we will visit another nice place on the Belgian coast. De Haan
is a village which has preserved the ‚Belle Epoque‘ style (19th century).

Our last cycling tour will bring us back to Roeselare. This tour passes two nice castles, d’Aertrycke and
Wijnendaele. Both are really worth a visit! After arriving in Roeselare, it is possible to visit the National
Cycling Museum (to be paid on the spot).