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Between the orchards, you’ll find a surprising landscape that looks like a work of art.

Cycling holiday Tongeren

In the land of cheerful people, you shift down a gear. Both the city walk and the cycling tours in the peaceful surroundings are very relaxed. There’s plenty of time to stop along the winding Jeker or at a water castle, castle, vineyard, or landscape artwork. Everything is enjoyed at a leisurely pace, even the experience at the boutique hotel 't Huys van Steyns. » read more about Cycling holiday Tongeren

Boutiquehotel 't Huys van Steyns
2000 years of history in Tongeren
Cycling through the Jeker Valley in Flemish Limburg

GPS APP E-bike Zwaarte zwaarte_1

Cycling holiday
Centre based tour
5 days
Individual

from 430 p.p.
excl. additional costs

Prices and dates

from 430 p.p.
excl. additional costs

Prices and dates

Relaxed Walking and Cycling

“Can you tell me the way to Kanne?” Despite the good route description, you’ve still lost your way. “Allez, turn right here, at the kruske droitte, and then go straight into the village…” The answer sounds like a mix of Dutch, Flemish, Limburgish, and French. Not surprising, as you are right on the language border. And while cycling along the winding Jeker towards Maastricht, you even pass through three countries. A “Guten Tag” might also come your way. On this tour, you can also visit Maastricht with its French flair. Afterwards, you cycle back to ancient Tongeren over a gently rolling marl plateau with wide views, passing mushroom caves, large square farms, and a vineyard.

Fascinating City Walk

The history of Tongeren goes back to the Romans. Just before the beginning of our era, Julius Caesar set up his military camps here. Later, the Germanic Tungri tribe founded Atuatuca Tungrorum, which eventually became Tongeren. On the day of arrival, a city walk is planned along the main Roman and medieval sites of Tongeren. A town that, unlike Ghent or Bruges, is not overrun by hordes of tourists. A wonderfully relaxed start and stay.

Tongeren

Descending into the Past

Standing right in front of the imposing church doors of the 13th-century Gothic basilica on Tongeren’s Grote Markt, you don’t immediately realize that there is much more to discover behind those doors. Or rather: beneath those doors. During excavations, archaeologists found the remains of no fewer than seven churches stacked on top of each other. The oldest example, a Roman basilica, dates back to the 4th century. These excavations also uncovered numerous frescoes, hundreds of graves, and many remains of Roman bathhouses and private homes. You can now experience the archaeologists’ amazement yourself by descending several meters underground with an audio guide. Closed on Mondays. See teseum.be for more information.

The Only Wine Castle in Belgium

The wines from the wine castle (the only one in Belgium) in Riemst regularly win awards at international fairs. Around the castle, rows of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines stand neatly in line. A piece of France and Belgium together. The owner once discovered that wine had already been produced here centuries ago. “Out with the beets and potatoes then” he thought. “From now on, it will be grapes.” And what grapes! During a tour, you can taste the results.

Wine Castle

Four Beautiful Routes

The area features an extensive network of cycle paths and low-traffic roads, guiding you through the rolling hills past fields and orchards. In addition to the city walk, four beautiful routes have been laid out, ranging from 15 to 60 km. For example, the route to Maastricht and the path past numerous castles. Sometimes you’ll need to climb a hill, but then it’s back to ultimate relaxed cycling and enjoying stunning views. The route passes through picturesque villages and past castle-like farmhouses, a fairytale-like medieval water castle, and Belgium’s only wine castle.

Fruit and Art

Another route takes you along the track of a former fruit railway past numerous orchards. That fruit brought prosperity to the area is evident from the many castles and square farmsteads you encounter along the way. Between the orchards, you’ll find surprising landscape artworks, such as the steel “see-through” chapel near Borgloon. If you choose the longer variant, you can also make a detour to Sint-Truiden. On the last day, a short route is planned south of Tongeren. Here and there, the landscape has hardly changed since Roman times. It’s quite special to experience that Julius Caesar would have seen this landscape in much the same way.

Borgloon

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Cycling holiday Tongeren

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2000 Years of History in Tongeren
Not Antwerp, Bruges, or Ghent, but Tongeren is the oldest city in Belgium. In the first century BC, the Romans founded the settlement Atuatuca Tungrorum, which would grow into one of the largest cities in northern Gaul. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city fell into decline, but from the 11th century onward it flourished again and was surrounded by medieval city walls.

Since 1830, Tongeren has been part of the Kingdom of Belgium and has developed into a vibrant city that still breathes the spirit of the Romans and the Burgundians. A city worth exploring, on foot and especially by bike, as the surrounding area offers an extensive network of cycle paths and car-free roads, leading you through gently rolling hills, past fields and orchards.