Cycling route: Buzzing along beer and water

Cycle along the canal and the green outskirts around Leuven and discover Leuven’s breweries. Take a break on the way with your Taste Ticket and enjoy a beer tasting.

This is one of the three Leuven Beer Adventure cycling routes.

Distance: 31 km
Starting point: Martelarenplein, Leuven (view on map)
Signage: This route is not physically signposted. Download the GPX file or view the route in Google Maps.

Discover the cycling route

This 31 km loop takes you along the canal to the green surroundings of Leuven. Along the way, you will come across not only Leuven’s best-known brewery Stella Artois, but also microbrewery Adept with food bar De Smederij, and farm brewery Hof Ten Dormaal, where the Janssens family brews with 100% home-grown ingredients.

On the map

View the route in Google Maps.
Navigate with the GPX file:

Download the GPX file of the Leuven Beer Adventure cycle route 1 (gpx, 86.86 KB)

Get your Taste Ticket

Pause mid-tour at Smederij for a tasting of 4 local Adept beers and extra snacks. The Taste Ticket is valid for 7 days. When you do the tastings included in the Taste Ticket is up to you. Before you leave, check the opening hours below.

Price: €15
Opening hours Smederij:
- Wednesday-Sunday starting from 11:30
- Saturday starting from 14:00

More info and tickets

Hightlights on the route

Brewery Stella Artois
The world’s largest beer company, AB InBev, and its famous Stella Artois beer still have their roots in their home city of Leuven. At weekends, you can join an interactive tour.
Leuven-Mechelen Canal
Two hundred and fifty years ago, fifty workers dug a 30 km canal, from which we are still reaping the benefits today. How impressive!
Brewery Adept - De Smederij
Two hundred and fifty years ago, fifty workers dug a 30 km canal, from which we are still reaping the benefits today. How impressive!
Brewery Hof Ten Dormaal
Cycle past grain and hop fields to reach this farm brewery. The beers of the Janssens family are made with 100% home-grown ingredients.
Turning bassin
This turning basin not only serves as a turning point for ships that cannot make the bend within the regular navigation channel, but also as a pleasant spot for anglers and passers-by.
Boortmalt
This company is a world leader in malting, with 27 sites across five continents and a production capacity of 3 million tonnes. Boortmalt supplies brewers, distillers and the food sector.