Turnhout plays with the border

From Turnhout to Baarle
Tourism Turnhout in the very cozy city of Turnhout is the starting point of this route. This city is also known as the'playing card city\\\'. In 1826 Pieter Jozef Brepols put Turnhout on the world map by having the first playing cards printed there. The industry soon took off and Turnhout became one of the most important producers of playing cards in the world. You can learn more about this city's history in the National Playing Card Museum. Other places of interest in Turnhout include the castle of the Dukes of Brabant, St. Peter's Church, the Beguinage and the Taxandria Museum. From the center of Turnhout you cycle through a fen area to the Belgian Baarle-Hertog and the Dutch Baarle-Nassau.

Back across the Belgian border
Then you cycle back into Belgium to the village of Merksplas. At the end of the route you will return to the center of Turnhout. Along the way you cycle through forests and past meadows, fields and fens. From Turnhout you can also follow route 316499 to discover the south side of Turnhout.

Special Baarle
Baarle is a special place that is divided between the Belgian municipality of Baarle-Hertog and the Dutch municipality of Baarle-Nassau. The border of Belgium and the Netherlands runs through the middle of this town. Some buildings are even built right on the border. This crazy construction has been around since the year 1190. This town is located in the middle of the Kempen with its sandy grounds and green nature.