2025 Art Cities Route
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Cycling nodes: In Belgium and The Netherlands, there is an extensive network of cycling nodes. These nodes are the points where cycling paths intersect. Each node is numbered and you can use them to map out a cycling itinerary. Signposts with directional arrows and numbers of nodes are placed at all points where you can go in different directions.
The map on the right gives you an idea of the density of the network.
You can use several apps to plan your node "Knooppunten" route.
We're using Fietsknoop.nl which is available in 4 languages in a paid and free version.
We cycled part of the "Art Cities route" which is one of the nine Flanders "Iconic Cycle routes".
We did the part Brussels - Leuven - Mechelen - Antwerp and combined cycling in the morning with a museum visit in the afternoon using our Museum pass. This pass costs 65 euro for a 1 year free entry to 270 museums in Belgium.
We've already cycled most of the Flanders Iconic routes and this specific track between Brussels and Antwerp was still on our to do list.
In Leuven, Mechelen and Antwerp, we stayed with a "Vrienden op de fiets" host.
The GPX track of all iconic cycle routes can be downloaded from https://www.flandersbybike.com
Video on DILISTUFF YouTube channel
It's not going to rain the next couple of days and we just need to take warm clothing.
We've mounted Switch multi mounts on our Santos adventure bikes and are using our Restrap Switch panniers in the front in combination with our old Ortlieb panniers on our backrack.
Living in Halle, just 15 km's from Brussels, it's an easy ride along the Brussels-Charleroi canal to Brussels.
Day 1, afternoon - Brussels
First museum in our list is the Comics Art Museum, located in an Art Nouveau building created by Victor Horta in 1906.
It's very close to the Grand Place and the Royal district and collects anything that deals with European comics, from its beginnings to it's latest developments.
Belgium has more than 700 strip authors and it's where the comic strip has grown from a popular medium into an art in its own right.
There are many Belgian strips and the ones with a worldwide audience are certainly The adventures of TinTin (Kuifje) by Hergé and The Smurfs (Smurfen) by Peyo.
In Belgium and the Netherlands, one of the most popular with more than 200 stories over the last 50 years is Luke and Lucy (Suske and Wiske) by Willy Vandersteen
Tip: Walk some of the Comic strip trails, walking tours in different Brussels neighbourhoods passing murals of famous strip characters.
All info on the Visit Brussels site.
When we leave the museum, it's around 4.30pm and the sun is already going down. Golden hour for taking a photo of the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula, the main Catholic church in Belgium, serving as the seat of the Archbishop
Walking towards the Grand Place, you cannot miss the Royal Gallery Saint-Hubert which was build in 1847 connecting the upper and lower parts of the city.
The Brussels Grand Place (French), Grote Markt (Dutch) or Grand Square is the central square of Brussels, surrounded by Baroque Guildhalls, the townhall and the neo gothic King's house, now housing the Brussels Museum.
Tip for dinner: Giulia Trattoria at the Rue de Flandre/Vlaamsesteenweg 103 near the Marché aux Porcs
Be early or make reservation.
Day 2, morning - Brussels to Leuven - 35 km
We stayed the night in Molenbeek, at the co-housing unit where our youngest daughter lives with her friends.
While the official Art Cities route starts at the "Mont des Arts - Kunstberg", we decided that we first wanted to have a last look at the Grand Place.
What a difference with yesterday evening. So quiet now.
The route goes via the Parlement drive towards the Cinquantenaire park.
The Cinquantenaire park was built in 1880 to mark the 50th anniversary of Belgium's independence (Cinquante = 50). It has French style gardens, monuments, sculptures several museums and is dominated by a triumphal arch with a bronze chariot with 4 horses at the top.
After a few km, you're in the southern part of the Sonien Forest, heading towards the new cycle bridge over the Quatre Bras, the four arms junction. This used to be the point where the works of the Brussels ring road started in the 1950's and it got it's name from the Quatre Bras Inn which used to be here.
For years, it used to be a very difficult and dangerous place for cyclists to cross the roads and in 2024, a 67.5 meter wooden cycle bridge entirely made of sustainable European wood was build.
Traversing the Tervuren Park, also called Warande Park, you're getting a beautiful view of the Africa Museum.
The park is around 205 hectares and used to be the hunting grounds of the dukes of Brabant.
Just outside the Park, we're bumping in to Ernesto's coffee truck. No, we do not need a coffee but the pancakes we cannot resist.
The rest of the route today is in plain nature, all part of the National Park of Brabant forests.
We recognise the route as this part of the Art Cities route up to Leuven is also a part of another Iconic route which we did before.
The Hilly route is a 459 km route from the West to East through the South of Flanders.
Around midday, we're arriving at the Old Market in Leuven, just in time for lunch.
Day 2, afternoon - Leuven
Day 3, morning - Leuven to Mechelen
