Travelling by bike is one of the best ways to do it without being heavy on the environment. And no other country like Belgium takes its cycling very seriously.
Rules of riding a bicycle in Belgium
As we said, Belgium takes cycling very seriously. They have strict rules regarding using and travelling by bike, breaking which can result in high fines. While most of them cover only riding through cities, they apply pretty much all bike paths in Belgium, so you should watch out everywhere — even in the most rural areas!
While the rules by themselves may sound arbitrary and very straightforward, most people break them regularly while riding a bike, so we may take a minute or two to remind them:
- If a bike path is present, a cyclist must use it.
- Both feet should be on the pedals.
- Both hands should be on the handlebar.
- Pedestrians always have priority, especially on shared paths.
- Riding while drunk is not allowed under any circumstances.
By following these rules, you can ensure the safety of yourself and others on the road.
Bike rental service
Like many European countries, Belgium offers bike rental services in most major cities. Brussels itself has around seven different companies handling the service alone. The most widespread one is Villo, having 345 stations around the city and offering the rental service of both regular and electronic bikes.
They offer to rent a bike for a day or several hours, but you can also keep it for a week, month or even a year if the services offer that option — and don’t worry, most of them do.
Famous routes in Belgium
There are many cycling routes within the Belgium borders, too many to count. However, some are more famous than others, so we’ll focus on those more known because they are for a reason.
Probably the most famous is the Promenade Verte, sometimes also called a Green Walk — a cycling and walking path dedicated to showcasing the best the nature of Brussels has to offer. The signs are placed carefully through the trail — you can start anyplace you want.
Other famous routes include; The Castle Triangle (going through the three most known castles in Belgium), The Culinary Route (allowing you to try everything culinary Belgium has to offer) and the Peace Cycle Route.
