Bike Tour: Three Countries Tour between Meuse and Rhine - 8 days

The tour begins in the village of Vlodrop, Netherlands near the town of Roermond. Upon arrival you will be welcomed with coffee and “vlaai”, a Limburgian fruit tart. Your rental bike will be waiting at the hotel and if you arrive early, you may still have time for a short bike ride to the friendly town of Roermond.

After enjoying a wonderful breakfast buffet, set off through Roer and Meuse valleys to the town of Maaseik, Belgium, birth place of the Van Eyck painters. The route continues on a well-maintained cycle path through Hoge Kempen National Park to the town of Genk, Belgium.

From nature to culture, it is a leafy ride to the town of Bilzen, Belgium and neighboring Alden Biezen castle. Subsequently, quiet country lanes will take you up and down to Kanne, Belgium, a pretty Flemish village with white and marlstone houses. Your destination is the elegant city of Maastricht, Netherlands. Here, there is something from all tastes including shops, museums, city walks, and outdoor cafes in Vrijthof square.

As you leave the city, follow the River Meuse south to the picturesque village of Eijsden, Netherlands. After crossing the border you will enter the Flemish Voer region, a paradise of unspoiled pastoral splendor. You will climb to 300 meters N.A.P. enjoying great vistas of the beautiful landscape. The Abbey of Val Dieu is today’s cultural highlight. Stay the night in the German speaking small town of Eupen.

Today's route contains some hills, however today will have less kilometers and the High Fens offer beautiful natural scenery. The gradual climb to 650 m N.A.P. is rewarded with gorgeous sweeping views. From here you’ll have a descend to the exquisite German town of Monschau (400 m N.A.P.), historically a center of wool, cloth production, and trade. After a visit to this town you follow the river Ruhr to your destination of today. 

In the morning you will continue to enjoy the wealth of natural beauty that the Eifel region has to offer. The River Rur will be your guide today, winding down to the ‘Flachland’ below. The German cycle paths are well-maintained and mostly far removed from road traffic. On the route to Düren you will encounter a series of friendly villages. Along the way you can choose to take part of the route by boat with a beautiful boat trip on the Rursee.

You will enjoy more beautiful scenery on your last cycling day. The journey down the River Rur continues until just before the Netherlands border when you turn off to visit De Meinweg National Park. One of the highlights of today is the Dalheimer mill which is still functioning today.

End of tour after breakfast