Motorhome route: discover Flanders

Discover Belgian Flanders on your next motorhome trip! In this part of Belgium you will find many historical buildings, beautiful nature and of course delicious Belgian waffles. In about 8 days you can visit all these locations, but you can always take more time for your motorhome journey through Flanders!

Anyone who has been to Antwerp will know: the station is a wonderful sight here, even if you do not travel by train! Antwerp Central is right in the centre, so it is easy to combine with other attractions. For example, Antwerp Zoo is literally next to the station, which is also great when you are travelling with children in a camper van in Flanders. In addition, the cosy Grote Markt is within easy reach. Around it are plenty of streets with beautiful houses and numerous shops and restaurants. If you are curious about a lesser-known but very special attraction of the city, you should definitely visit the district 't Eilandje. Here you will find the MAS - the Museum aan de Stroom. Apart from learning everything there is to know about Antwerp, you have a wonderful view of the city from the roof! There are also several monumental buildings where today you can find restaurants and shops. Are you visiting around Christmas time? Then don't forget to visit the Christmas market, because everywhere in the city it is bursting with nativity scenes where you can enjoy a delicious mulled wine during your motorhome trip through Flanders! In the surrounding area you will find the Fort Steendorp, a fort that was used to protect the city in 1800. Now you will find bats here, especially in winter, and you can go for a lovely walk in the surrounding area!

Spend the night in Antwerp between the greenery at Camperpark Vogelzang.

During your motorhome trip through Flanders, Mechelen with its beautiful guild houses must not be missed. You will constantly encounter the guild houses during a nice city walk. We recommend the Dijlepad, which takes you along the water and allows you to admire the sights along the water. You can also opt for a boat trip on the water. If, after your walk or boat trip, you feel like a refreshing drink, visit one of the oldest breweries in Belgium. In brewery Het Anker, you can taste various special beers of the Gouden Carolus beer. Of course, you can also take a guided tour. Would you like to visit more breweries during your motorhome trip to Belgium? Then here is a list of the best breweries in the country for you. Also visit one of the museums in Mechelen during your motorhome journey, for example the Toy Museum, with a large collection of toys from the past and present. Kazerne Dossin is another special museum, because Jews and gypsies were deported from here during the Second World War. Besides being a place of remembrance, you will find impressive stories about the Second World War here.

Just outside Mechelen is the camperstop of Mechelen.

The Hoge Kempen National Park is a beautiful nature reserve close to the Dutch province of Limburg. A wonderful next stop with the motorhome! Especially walking is a fine activity here, because there are more than 220 kilometres of hiking trails in the area! During your walk you will encounter beautiful pine forests and shifting dunes. There are walks for everyone, as the routes vary from 3 to 14 kilometres. A beautiful walking area is Connecterra, where you will encounter many hills and lakes. Because of the mining past, there are several mining stone mountains here so you have a great view of the surroundings! Don't forget to bring your bicycle, because there are also plenty of cycle paths in the national park.

To reach the national park quickly, it is best to spend the night in Genk at Parking Kattevennen.

Visiting the neigbouring country of Belgium, the Netherlands? The province Friesland is a real must see! Read all about the highlights.  

In the vicinity of Leuven you will find Hageland. This area is also perfect for hikers with its 300 kilometres of footpaths! A special point during your walk is the Wijngaardmuur, which stands on the Wijngaardberg. This wall of iron sandstone was built to protect the vines from the wind. Today, the grapes in this vineyard are still grown as they were in the Middle Ages, so be sure to visit! The Walenbos is also highly recommended, because apart from the fact that you can walk for hours in this 500-hectare forest, it is also home to the largest alder wood in Flanders. This type of forest is known for having a wet surface practically the whole year round, so you will find plenty of vegetation here! Near Haacht you can also find parts of the KW-stelling, which was a line of defence against the Germans during the Second World War. Today, you can still visit various structures from this line and the area is great for hiking!

Although Brussels is not officially situated in Flanders, it is an indispensable stopover during your motorhome trip! You probably know Brussels from Manneken Pis, the city's beautiful Grand Place and of course delicious fresh waffles. But besides these sights, the Belgian capital has a lot more to offer! For example, visit the impressive Atomium, which was designed for the World Expo in Brussels in 1958. Of course, Belgium is also known for its various comic books such as Suske en Wiske, and Brussels is the place to be! Here you can follow the comic strip route. The Comic Strip Route takes you along some 31 walls throughout the city where the comic strip characters are depicted on a mural. A nice walking route for young and old, where you see a great part of the city! In addition, the Royal Palace is a must, especially to admire from the outside. In the summer the palace can also be visited on the inside, and in the spring the Royal Greenhouses can be admired. The rest of the time, the palace is used as the working palace of the king. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can take a walk or cycle ride in the Green Belt around Brussels and relax!

In Brussels, you can spend the night at Auberge de Jeunesse Génération Europe.

In Ghent, you will find beautiful historical buildings spread throughout the city centre. The most striking building is perhaps the Belfry. If you climb to the top, you will have a wonderful view of Ghent! Another highlight is the Lamb's God, an impressive polyptych dating from the 15th century and created by the brothers Jan van Eyck and Hubert van Eyck. This masterpiece can be admired in St Bavo's Cathedral. Although the centre of Ghent is not very big, you can sit outside on a terrace and enjoy a delicious Belgian beer. When you go back to your motorhome, don't forget to take a bag of Neuzekes (also known as Cuberdons) with you. This typical Ghent candy looks like a nose and tastes, if you have the traditional ones, like raspberry.

Just outside Ghent, you can spend the night in the village of Melle.

Kortrijk is a fine stop for half a day or a day during your motorhome trip through Flanders. Here, you will find the brewery towers, which were part of the old fortifications. These fortifications were destroyed by Louis XIV at the end of the 17th century, but fortunately these towers have survived and can still be admired! With a guide, you can also see them from the inside. In addition, the Unesco listed Beguinage is a must see, here are about 40 houses that already date back to the 17th century! Restoration work was completed a few years ago and you can now admire the courtyard in all its splendour. Beguinages used to be inhabited by mostly single or poor people. The Beguinage is not the only place of interest on the World Heritage List, the Belfry of Kortrijk is also on it! Two golden figures on the belfry tell you what time it is. In addition, the Belfry has a carillon with 48 bells! Enough reasons to pay a visit to this place. Throughout the rest of the centre you will find several beautiful churches and for some relaxation you can go to the Groeninge Park. In this park there was a lot of fighting during the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302, which gives the park a historical edge. There are also several forests in the vicinity of Kortrijk where you can go for a nice walk or bike ride! Just outside the centre you will find the Rotersmeers nature reserve, a lovely quiet walking area.

Spend the night in Kortijk at Camping Autoterrein Broeltorens.

In Bruges, you will find several historical sights. One of them is the Sint-Janshospitaal, the oldest hospital in Europe. Today, it houses a museum where you can learn everything about the history of medicine, but you can also walk around in a real old hospital! There is also a pharmacy in the neighbourhood that is still fully equipped as it was in the past. After your visit to the pharmacy, you can go to the Belfry Tower, because Bruges also has one on the Market Square! After a steep climb, you will be treated to a beautiful view. You will also find a Beguinage here, just like in Kortrijk, with many beautiful houses, one of which you can also visit from the inside. In addition, you can also admire Bruges from the water (the Brugse Reien) while the historic buildings pass you by, which gives a wonderful view! You can board at five locations, so there is always a boarding point nearby!

Near Bruges, you will find the nature reserve Gulke Putten, which is a particularly good stop when you are driving from Kortrijk to Bruges. This area is known for its presence of various rare animals, including the strawberry butterfly and the viviparous lizard. In the area, you will find various short and long walks.

From Bruges you can also easily reach the Belgian coast with your motorhome, which is a fine final stop for your motorhome trip. Visit for example the beach of Ostend, one of the larger beaches of Belgium, or the beach of Knokke-Heist with the beautiful nature reserve Zwin. Get a breath of fresh air during a beach walk and relax afterwards in one of the many beach bars. Het Zwin is also a perfect nature reserve for birdwatchers, because thousands of different species of bird live here!

In Bruges, you spend the night just outside the centre at camperstop Bruges.