Coast, culture and cuisine — a Pioneer Trip to Flanders

At the beginning of your long weekend in Flanders, it is worth taking a short tour of beautiful Bruges, the capital of West Flanders. You will roll past magnificent medieval buildings along idyllic canals that characteristically run through the city. Again and again, you can make stopovers on the way to shoot some photos or stop in one of the many cafes and restaurants.Our tour of Bruges starts near St. Salvator's Cathedral and after a few meters brings you to the Velusso Cycling Café, where you can meet like-minded people over a cup of coffee. Then it goes through Bruges streets to the outskirts, where you cycle along the Buiten Boeverievest. The ring around the city is part of the historic city of Bruges and leads through beautiful parks and along canals.Then you dive back into the medieval backdrop of the old town, where you pass many highlights such as historic buildings and the marketplace. Here in the vicinity you can fortify yourself in Pub De Republiek before rolling back to the starting point.

From Bruges it goes today, on the second day of the long weekend in Flanders, to De Haan on the North Sea coast.After leaving the center of Bruges, you will find yourself on the Damme Canal, which connects the city with the Damme region and finally with the Netherlands. Here you cycle comfortably on flat paths along the water. Passing by lush meadows and shady trees, you continue to Schipdonkkanaal and on through the idyllic countryside of Flanders to the nature reserve Het Zwin on the coast.Here is a break worthwhile, because the wetland is home to many species of birds, especially sea birds and waders, which you can watch with some patience.Then you drive back inland, where you enjoy the shady bike paths along the Leopold Canal. Then it zigzags back to the coast to De Haan. Here you have reached the goal of the tour and can end the day relaxed in a cozy beach café.

Today you cycle from De Haan to Oostduinkerke-Bad. On the way, a varied mix of Belgian hinterland, North Sea coast and art awaits you.From De Haan you drive first into the hinterland. Here you go through idyllic meadows and charming villages and villages. At the height of Bredene you then cycle to the coast, where you can take a break on the seemingly endless sandy beach of Bredene-Bad. You will also find a cozy beach club here.Rested and strengthened, it's right on the coast along to Oostende, where you can indulge in the best ice cream parlor far and wide a few balls of ice. Also, the outdoor street art gallery "The Crystal Ship" is worth a visit.On the promenade of the artists you leave Ostend and continue to cycle along the beach to Westende-Bad. Behind the village you say goodbye for a while from the coast and drive through beautiful hinterland to Nieuwpoort and Oostduinkerke. From here it goes back directly to the North Sea coast, where you reach the daily destination Oostduinkerke-Bad.

On the last day of your long weekend in Flanders, a short but very nice tour from Oostduinkerke-Bad to De Panne awaits you.The first part of the route you know from the day before, because first it goes back to Oostduinkerke and then through an idyllic field and meadow landscape to Veurne. Here it is worth taking a break in the market square, which is framed by magnificent buildings.Continue through beautiful nature and rural idyll to De Panne on the coast. Here you can let the wind blow over your nose on the large beach promenade, before you make a detour to the nature reserve De Westhoek with its unique dune landscape.At the end of the tour you will cycle to Adinkerke De Panne station, from where you can take the train back to Bruges, the starting point of your journey through Flanders.