Plan your journey using a map or app. You can create your own route or connect A to B by passing through the points of interest of your choice. Or, easier still, discover Brussels by following one of our 8 themed routes that cross the region's cycling node network.
Make a note of the series of numbers, get on your bike and follow the signs!
The 8 proposed walks allow the inhabitants of Brussels as well as cycling tourists who are visiting for one day or longer to discover the whole of the Brussels region based on this network of nodes. From the must-sees in the city centre or the Atomium to the more unusual and lesser-known gems, these walks are suitable for families as well as for sports enthusiasts.
Route #1 > Best of Brussels
This walk takes you through the key districts of Brussels: the Flemish district of place Sainte Catherine, the tourist district in the city centre, the royal district, the bourgeois district of Ixelles, the European Quarter and finally the trendy district of Saint-Gilles.
Route #2 > Industrial Brussels: south to north
This route takes you along the Charleroi-Willebroeck canal in Brussels. This part of the city still bears witness to its industrial past and over time, it has been converted into an area teeming with creative, innovative projects based on sustainable development and art: the urban farm at the Abattoirs, indoor gardens, working-class and middle-class housing, restaurants with a Bel Mundo vegetable garden and the Belvue passive hotel just to name a few.
Route #3 > The unusual and secret gems of Brussels
Do you think you know Brussels inside-out? Get ready to be surprised! This walk takes you to lesser-known municipalities such as Molenbeek, Ganshoren and Jette to discover their secrets and unusual locations as well as the history of eastern Brussels. Accessible to all, it takes you through the green areas of the three municipalities.
Route #4 > Brussels, the green city
Brussels is not only the capital of Belgium and Europe, it is also a very green city. This walk, which is ideal for families, will take you through one of the most rural and peaceful parts of the city.
Route #5 > Explore Maelbeek
Brussels has always been full of small rivers and streams. That is why many place names end in ‘beek’, which is Dutch for ‘stream’. On this walk, you will follow the Maelbeek stream from its source to its confluence.
Route #6 > The expo route: west to east
Brussels has a rich history of major exhibitions, particularly from the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. International exhibitions, national exhibitions, major international competitions and, of course, the World Expos, have left their mark on the city with striking architectural heritage.
Route #7 > Brussels up- and downhill
This sporty tour invites you to explore the capital city’s uphill and downhill roads! Brussels is a city at the junction between the great Flemish plain and the Brabant plateaus. As a result, some parts of the city, to the south, are at a higher altitude and offer unexpected views.
Route #8 > Rural Brussels
Pajottenland, or ‘Land of straw’, a reference to the straw roofs in the region, was one of Breughel’s favourite areas. Its landscapes are typical of the area, with small valleys, often interspersed with small rivers, all of which have a rural, agricultural and idyllic feel.
The "Brussels by Bike" map shows all the cycling nodes and the 80 routes that criss-cross them. Available at Pro Velo offices (EN, FR, NL).
There are many websites and apps that allow you to discover routes that use the cycling node network or create your own route, export it for your GPS device or navigate using your smartphone. The cycling node concept comes from Flanders and these platforms are often in Dutch and can take you outside Brussels' borders.
We suggest two platforms: the application 'Fietsknoop' (IOS & Android) and the responsive mobile site 'RouteYou'.
In addition to the green signs, you'll come across the signposts and markers of other cycling networks in the Brussels region. These belong to the ICR - Itinéraires Cyclables Régionaux (Regional Cycle Routes) and EuroVelo.
This network was set up by Brussels Mobility to encourage people to use bicycles for their daily or occasional trips. Unlike the nodes network, its primary purpose is not recreational. You can plot your route (and export the .gpx) using the Bike For Brussels tool.
