Bike Across Belgium. Bikes and beer BIKE ACROSS BELGIUM 2018 ITINERARY OUTLINE CLASSICO. Trip Essence / Page 3. Daily Itinerary / Page 3-5

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1 Bike Across Belgium Bikes and beer Belgium s own history with cycling is almost as long as the history of cycling itself. Before the turn of the twentieth century, Belgium had already established the Royal Belgian Cycling Association. Cycling became the national sport not long after. For pedaling aficionados, Belgium is a bicycling mecca to include on your bike vacation bucket list. There are more than 1,130 beers brewed in Belgium. In addition to six Trappist ales and other abbey beers, it churns out lagers such as Stella Artois and Jupiler. Tipplers can also choose from an array of wheat beers, brown ales, red beers, golden ales, saison beers based on old farmhouse recipes, and any number of regional brews. Our Belgium bike tour gives you access to more boutique breweries than ANY other European bicycle tour. For travelers who love to bike and beer, this is a dream tour! ITINERARY OUTLINE Trip Essence / Page 3 Daily Itinerary / Page 3-5 Arrival & Departure / Page 6 Bike Information / Page 6 Terms & Conditions / Page 7 Reserve Your Space! / Page 7 Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 1

2 TRIP ESSENCE Visit Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands Ride through renowed brewing sites, such as Achouffe and Hoegaarden Visit the old historical brewery De Halve Maan, complete with a tasting Explore Mechelen, a town of Roman origin that has stunning gothic buildings, like the S. Rubald Cathedral and the town hall Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Leuven and Bruges Pedal some of the muren (walls) featured on the Tour of Flanders, one of the most charming pro-cycling races in the world Visit Bruges, often compared to Venice for its canals and Florentine touch Visit Leuven and its stunning gothic city hall WHAT S INCLUDED Use of a carbon road bike (see page 6 for details) Service of local, professional guides throughout the program Ciclismo jersey and water bottle All accommodations Guided tour of the oldest brewery still active in Bruges, complete with a tasting Trappist beer and cheese tasting TRIP DETAILS 2018 Trip Dates Jun 24 - Jul 2 Jul 29 - Aug 6 Aug 12 - Aug 20 Aug 26 - Sep 3 Check website for departure dates Ability Level Intermediate Summary of Daily Distances Day 1: 12 miles Day 2: 48/61 miles Day 3: 53 miles Day 4: 36 miles Day 5: 24/46 miles Day 6: 60/68 miles Day 7: 50/57 miles Day 8: 43 miles Day 9: Tot Ziens! Optional extra loops available Trip Price $5,395 Single Supplement: $900 Have something else in mind? Itinerary available as a private tour or... Create a custom itinerary with help from our experienced travel consultants! Contact Us info@ciclismoclassico.com Guided visits in Leuven and Bruges Entrance to the Family of Man Photography Museum and the Tour of Flanders Museum in Oudenaarde All breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 6 dinners Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 2

3 DAY 1 CLERVAUX, LUXEMBOURG Daily Mileage - 12 miles Riding Terrain - Hilly Hotel - Hotel Le Clervaux Location: Clervaux Website: com/ Meals - L, D DAY 2 CLERVAUX TO MARCOURT Daily Mileage - 48/61 miles Riding Terrain - Hilly, several climbs shorter than half a mile Hotel - Hotel La Grande Cure Location: Marcourt Website: be/ DAY 3 MARCOURT TO MAILLEN Daily Mileage - 53 miles Riding Terrain - Hilly, several climbs shorter than half a mile Hotel - Chateau de la Poste Location: Maillen Website: www. chateaudelaposte.be/accueil Welcome! Today we meet at 12:30 pm for a welcome toast and a quick ride in the town of Clervaux, Luxembourg. You will then have the opportunity to visit The Family of Man. This exhibition, housed in the Clervaux Chateau, comprises 503 photographs by 273 artists from 68 countries, and was created by Edward Steichen for the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Hotel Le Clervaux is a 5-star hotel located in the heart of the Luxembourg Ardennes. It features individually-decorated suites, an exquisite restaurant, spacious spa, indoor pool, and a wide range of cultural events that are sure to create an unforgettable experience for you. After breakfast we begin our first ride across the border into Belgium. We ride across the Ardennes where the landscape alternates between forests and lush farmlands see several WWII memorials and tiny villages, such as Achouffe, the site of the renowned La Chouffe brewery. La Roche en Ardenne is a nice tiny village with an impressive medieval fortress, war museum, and many shops and bars for a tasty libation. Lunch is on your own and dinner is at the hotel. La Grande Cure in Marcourt is a very nice and cozy 4-star hotel set in a quiet countryside location and known for its excellent cuisine. Today we ride further into the Belgian countryside. The mountains become more round and the creeks become smaller. The roads are quiet as we pass through many historical WWII sites. The village of Celles is considered to be one of the most charming villages of Wallonie, with its massive Romanesque church and ancient stone buildings. A highlight of the day is Dinant, a town between the river Meuse and cliffs that features a magnificent overhanging citadel and is the home to the Leffe Abbey. Lunch is on your own we suggest Maison Leffe or Café Leffe and dinner is at the hotel. Chateau de la Poste is a 4-star hotel set in a 14 th -century castle. It s a charming country hotel with a huge park, comfortable rooms, modern decorations, and a great bar terrace, which is a perfect spot to cool down after a long ride. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 3

4 DAY 4 MAILLEN TO LEUVEN Daily Mileage - 36 miles nice bike path Hotel - Martin s Klooster Hotel Location: Leuven Website: com/en/hotel/klooster-hotel Meals - B DAY 5 LEUVEN TO MECHELEN Daily Mileage - 24/46 miles nice bike path Hotel - Martin s Patershof Hotel Location: Mechelen Website: com/en/hotel/martinspatershof DAY 6 MECHELEN TO OUDENAARDE Daily Mileage - 60/68 miles climbs on extra loop Hotel - Hotel Leopold Location: Oudenaarde Website: leopoldhoteloudenaarde. com/ Today you ll notice the road signs change from French to Flemish as we cross into Flanders, the Flemish part of Belgium. You ll also notice that the landscape becomes flatter. More than half of today s ride is on a bike path built on an ancient railway. Namur, with its Citadel and historic town center, is a must-see along the way. Hoegaarden is a small village that has always been an important brewing center, famous for its wit beer. Here, we stop for a tasting and lunch. After lunch, we end our ride in the center of Leuven, a prominent historical and cultural Flemish center. We have a visit to its amazing gothic city hall. Lunch is on your own at the Hoegaarden brewery and dinner is also on your own in Leuven. A DOYO map will be available. The 4-star Martin s Klooster is a charming hotel with plenty of outdoor cafes and beautifully laid-out gardens, perfect for a relaxing evening after another long ride. This is a mostly flat ride on a bike path along channels and riversides, a relaxing ride after challenging days. We ride along the Dijle River and to the charming Mechelen, a gem of a city that blends Flemish character and unique architecture represented by a stunning bell tower that s open to visitors. An optional extra loop adds 22 miles to the Flemish town of Lier, which is known for its clock tower and gothic buildings. Lunch is on your own in Mechelen or at a square in Lier, and dinner is either at Lamot Restaurant or at Het Anker brewery. Martin s Patershof is a 4-star hotel built inside a 19 th -century gothic church. Blending fantasy and creativity, this hotel is set right in the town center, making it a really unique place to stay. Today s ride once again makes use of beautiful bike paths. The short extra loop starts from the Flemish market square in Geraardsbergen to the most iconic muren (walls) Kapelmuur and Bosberg which were made famous by the Tour of Flanders. The loop ends in our destination town of Oudenaarde. Oudenaarde has an amazing main square with several monumental buildings and one of the most important cycling museums in Belgium, which we visit. Lunch is on your own in Geraardsbergen and dinner will be at Priorij van Elsegem Restaurant in Oudenaarde. The 4-star Hotel Leopold is a modern hotel set by the River Scheldt. The stylish rooms have a relaxed, contemporary feel and feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and tea and coffee making facilities. They also come with mini-fridges and room service. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 4

5 DAY 7 OUDENAARDE TO BRUGES Daily Mileage - 50/57 miles climbs on extra loop Hotel - Hotel De Tuilerieen Location: Bruges Duration: 2 Nights Website: com/ Meals - B, L DAY 8 BRUGES LOOP Daily Mileage - 43 miles Riding Terrain - Flat Hotel - See Day 7 DAY 9 TOT ZIENS The first part of our ride today offers an optional loop on the final circuit of Tour of Flanders, featuring more iconic cobblestone climbs such as Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont. The rest of the day is a quiet ride along channels, bike paths and Flemish countryside, ending in Belgium s most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site, the historic center of Bruges, where we meet a local guide for a tour. Lunch is a Ciclismo Classico picnic at Café De Brug in St. Joris, and dinner is on your own in Bruges. A DOYO map will be available. There will be a special toast tonight in one of the best-kept secrets in Bruges! Hotel De Tuilerieen is an elegant patrician house from the 15 th century that has been transformed into a luxurious, contemporary hotel. All rooms combine modern comfort with authentic charm. On our final day of riding we cycle along the ancient canals that connect Bruges with the North Sea. Around midway through, we enter the Netherlands through the town of Sluis in an area known for its dunes, windmills and polders, riding along the sea. We visit the historical village of Damme (with an optional lunch) and ride along the picturesque channels surrounding Bruges. Faster riders can opt to ride back to Bruges and have a late lunch there. Later in the afternoon, we meet again for a visit to the oldest active brewery still in town! Dinner will either be at De Bocarme or Bagientje in Bruges. After breakfast around 9 am we part ways. Taxis are available to the Bruges train station or you can stay in Bruges for another night. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 5

6 ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE GETTING TO CLERVAUX Fly to Brussels (BRU). From the airport, take the train (Brussel-Nationaal- Luchthaven) to Clervaux train station ( aspx). It should take approximately three hours. Take a taxi from the Clervaux train station to Hotel Le Clervaux (a little less than a half a mile away). DEPARTING FROM BRUGES Take a taxi from Hotel De Tuilerieen to Bruges train station (approximately five minutes and 10 euro). From the station, take the train from the Bruges train station to Brussels Airport (BRU) train station (Brussel-Nationaal-Luchthaven). This train takes around 1.5 hours and you change in Bruxelles-Midi. BIKE INFORMATION Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Bianchi carbon fork, Shimano 105 triple groupset, an adjustable stem, and a wheel set laced with 32 spokes and 25mm tires. Included on all tours. Aluminum Hybrid More relaxed riding at a look-around-you pace, this is our custom-built, high-performance aluminum hybrid bicycles with straight handlebars. We also have a woman-specific frame. Included on all tours. Bianchi Intenso and Vertigo The carbon frame guarantees maximum performance with minimum stress for the riders, thanks to Bianchi s special C2C (Coast to Coast) frame design/ geometry and different material combination. Carbon bikes are equipped with compact crank and 11/32 cassette. Available for $250. Bianchi Intenso or Vertigo with Shimano included on all intermediate and advanced tours at no extra charge. Tandems Cannondale road or hybrid: racing posture with 700c wheels, or a more straight up position and 26 inch wheels. Available for $400. Co-motion Periscope: accommodates smaller team or even children. Available for $400. Honey tandem: light and responsive and perfect for experienced tandem riders. Available for $400. ebikes Available on all easy and athletic beginner tours, some intermediate and advanced tours. Please contact us for more information. Available for $400. Bike type outside of Europe may vary; please contact us at for more information. OTHER INFORMATION For Flight Reservations Valerie Wilson Travel Call: or ciclismoair@vwti.com Travel Insurance MH Ross Call: Transportation Rome2rio ON THE BIKE Included Ciclismo Classico water bottle Two water bottle holders Map holder on handlebars (or Garmin Edge GPS) Handlebar bag Tire pump Combination bike lock Gel-padded saddle Choice of pedals Card with your tour leaders mobile phone numbers Garmin Edge GPS Included on all carbon bikes and premium tandems (Comotion and Honey) Pedal Options Flat pedals Half-toe pedals (without straps) Toe cage pedals Things to Bring Helmet Optional: clipless pedals with shoes Optional: your own saddle Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 6

7 INSURANCE, TERMS & CONDITIONS Insurance Ciclismo Classico will not assume responsibility or liability for any loss or damage of personal effects or for any injury or loss during the duration of the tour. Therefore, we highly recommend that you obtain travel insurance. Information on travel insurance will be sent to you via once trip deposit is received. We recommend MH Ross, but travelers may choose the insurance carrier of their choice. Cancellations and Refunds All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing as soon as possible to Ciclismo Classico. Exceptions to their cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather or personal emergencies. There is no refund for unexpectedly leaving a trip early or arriving late. The purchase of short-term travel insurance policy is strongly recommended. Cancellation fees are determined as follows: Days before departure Cancellation fee 121+ days - 50% of the deposit* days - 100% of the deposit* days - 30% of the trip price days - 60% of the trip price days - 100% of the trip price *You may transfer your trip deposit to another departure in the same tour season up to 90 days before your original departure with payment of a $100 per person transfer fee. Prices quoted are subject to adjustment without prior notification. OR your deposit (currently $600) may be carried forward to the following year as a credit toward the final balance of a tour. At the time of booking, we will ask for another $600 deposit to secure your spot. Carried-forward credits expire at the end of the year to which they are applied. Alterations to the tour itinerary Sometimes modifications may be made to the itinerary. We will notify you of any changes that may affect your arrival, departure or lodging. Any changes to the program are made in the best interest and safety of the group. To review our policies, please visit RESERVE YOUR SPACE! To reserve a space, call Ciclismo Classico at Or, mail your deposit and contact information to: Ciclismo Classico attn: Rosa 30 Marathon St Arlington, MA At the time of registration, a deposit of $600 per person is due, payable by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or check, made payable to Ciclismo Classico, along with your full name, mailing address, phone number(s) and address. We cannot confirm reservations without a deposit. Final payment is due 90 days before departure payable by check, credit card, wire transfer or money order. All travelers must review and sign a terms and conditions statement and a waiver form. Ciclismo Classico info@ciclismoclassico.com 7