Through Bruges and surroundings

Bruges is often called a giant open-air museum. This isn't surprising, considering that the center of this ancient city covers some 430 hectares and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This tour takes you through historic Bruges and the countryside west of the city.

Bruges offers an unforgettable city break in a beautiful setting of picturesque alleyways, romantic canals, and countless monuments. For shopping enthusiasts, there are numerous markets and shops where you can buy lace and the finest chocolate, among other things. Everywhere you go, you'll experience Belgian hospitality and a warm, friendly atmosphere. You'll cycle around Bruges' city center along the ramparts: the canals and parks that are remnants of the old medieval city walls.

But before you get there, you'll first cycle from the starting point into the countryside of the Bruges Ommeland region. Initially, you'll cycle through the Oudlandpolder, the area in the backyard of the coastal towns of Blankenberge, Bredene, and Ostend. This is the oldest polder in Western Europe: sea defenses were built here as early as the tenth century to protect the area from the devastating forces of the sea. These dikes gave the uneven landscape a characteristic structure that is still visible today. The grasslands, with their canals, ditches, and ponds, form an important breeding and wintering ground for many birds. Along the way, you'll pass through the picturesque polder village of Houtave.

As you approach the village of Jabbeke, the landscape changes. You now drive through the idyllic Houtland, a landscape of stream valleys and gently rolling hills. Houtland owes its name to the many hedgerows, hedgerows, and copses that characterized the agricultural landscape until the mid-twentieth century. These hedgerows provided firewood and timber, and the thorny shrubs also kept livestock within the pasture. Many of these hedgerows have disappeared, but remnants can still be seen here and there in the landscape.

The Houtland region is also known for its beautiful forests. Just before you return to Bruges, you'll cycle through the Tillegembos forest. You'll see coniferous and deciduous forests, alder swamps with beautiful spring flora, heathland, and flower-filled meadows. Tillegem Castle, owned by the Flemish government, is located in the forest.