7 tips for a delightful autumn holiday in Flanders
Beside each tip you will also find a recommended Flanders' Finest cycle route that you can easily combine. For each route, the opportunities to rent an (electric) bike are listed.
Tribute to the brown shrimp
If perfection exists, it's in a shrimp croquette. Golden and crispy on the outside, velvety smooth and creamy on the inside, packed with North Sea shrimps. This autumn, there is a new edition of the Shrimp Croquette Festival in Ostend, which celebrates this cornerstone in Flanders' culinary culture. But of course, you can also enjoy these salty delights elsewhere. You will find them as subtle explosions of flavour in tatjespap, a dish of creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes. They are just as delicious in tomaat-garnaal (shrimp stuffed tomatoes), which is both simple and sensational. And for sure, when you discover shrimp croquettes, you'll be back for more. Sample them in just about every restaurant at the Flemish coast. Bon Appétit!
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Burn off those croquette calories right away on the Green Ribbon Ostend cycle route. It guides you through this lovely gem on the Flemish North Sea coast.
Belgian endive, the white gold
Our culinary autumn adventure does not stop at the North Sea shrimp. After all, in October the Belgian endive season kicks in. Flanders welcomes the new harvest of this white gold with open arms (and open mouth). Also known as chicory, Belgian endive from the ground is a delightful regional product. In and around Brussels, these golden clumps develop in the dark and deep in the ground. Not in heated cells in water, like in the rest of the world. This unique tradition makes a difference and you can taste it. Raw in a salad, simply stewed, or in the all-time classic: Belgian endive wrapped in ham. This is then generously covered in a rich cheese sauce and completed 'au gratin' in the oven. A heavenly autumn dish that is as comforting as a warm blanket.
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The Green Belt route does an impressive circle around Brussels. It goes up hill and down again through the land of chicory and Pieter Bruegel.
Flanders Fields, a place of remembrance
From iconic delicacies we move to a very different kind of heritage: Flanders Fields, one of the most important battlefields in the First World War. The countryside and region still recall those dark days. On 11 November, we remember the Armistice below the iconic Menin Gate in Ypres. Here, you will also hear the echoing sounds of the bugle in The Last Post. In the recently renovated Passchendaele Museum, you hear the story of the Battle of Passchendaele.
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The Peace cycle route guides you through the tales of the ‘Great War’, past cemeteries, memorial sites, monuments and relaxing nature.
Women's business/Businesswomen in Museum Plantin-Moretus
In Museum Plantin-Moretus you go back 400 years in time. Here, Christophe Plantin and his son-in-law wrote (or rather printed) history. They were the world's first printers on an industrial scale. Their city mansion in Antwerp is now a museum. There, you can admire the family's home and workshop, along with some works by Peter Paul Rubens. The Flemish Master was a regular visitor here. This autumn, Plantin-Moretus shares the exciting stories of the women in this influential family of printers. Women's business/Businesswomen shows that, rather than being behind the scenes, they stood alongside their men.
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The Antwerp highlights route has been especially designed for heritage lovers. This excursion is limited in length, but serves an abundance of cultural and historical highlights.
Tapestry museum MOU in Oudenaarde
When you think of the Flemish Ardennes, you naturally think of cycling. Yet this magnificent hilly region has so much more to offer. This is also clear in the tapestry museum MOU, within the town hall in Oudenaarde. There, you are immersed in the tapestry activities that caused the town to flourish in the 16th century. It talks about Oudenaarde in Medieval times, the special craftsmanship and the stories you see on those tapestries. Beginning in the spring of this year, the museum now boasts an impressive collection. The experience is topped off with videos, plus interactive and fun hands-on elements.
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The challenging Hilly Route takes you along the iconic slopes of the Flemish Ardennes and the rest of Flanders.
The Belgian beer culture, savouring heritage
Did you know that you can choose from no less than 3,000 unique beers here? This unrivalled Belgian beer culture has even made it to the UNESCO list of cultural intangible heritage. Why is that? Find out for yourself at the bar or one of the thrilling autumn festivals, such as Billie’s Craft Beer Fest. Can't get enough of it? Then be sure to visit Belgian Beer World. This experience centre at La Bourse (the former stock exchange) in Brussels tells you all about our special legacy. In the green perimeter around the capital, you will also discover the typical lambic and geuze beers.
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The Lambic-Geuze route guides you along the green slopes around Brussels. An adventure that includes magnificent castles and impressive lambic and geuze makers.
Cycling paradise Flanders
Flanders is the birthplace of cycling, that's clear. Throughout the world, enthusiasts always eagerly look forward to the iconic spring classics. But there is lots going on in the autumn as well. When the days draw in, riders seek other battlefields. Sometimes the muddy fields or sand dunes, and sometimes a high-speed cycling track. The Six Days of Ghent is a classic of the latter kind. Between 18 and 23 November in the Kuipke, the covered velodrome, you will experience a unique mix of top-class sports and folklore. Prefer to push your own limits? The Flandrien Challenge is a unique challenge: tackling 59 iconic climbs and cobblestones in under 72 hours. If you succeed, you are certainly ready for cycling next spring.
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The Icon cycle routes offer plenty of adventures in the most beautiful parts of Flanders. Flanders’ Finest cycle routes are shorter, but just as lovely. Enjoy your own adventure, on your own bike or one you rent here; bet you have a great time.
