By bicycle from Bruges to Damme
Of all the tips we give our guests, this is the one that comes back most often in the conversations at check out. Damme lies about 5 kilometres away along the Damme Canal, on a flat and quiet towpath that starts almost at our front door. No hills, hardly any cars, water on one side the whole way.
Straight from the front door
You do not need to find the route first, which is half the pleasure. Step outside, turn onto the towpath along the Damme Canal and keep the water on your side.
There are no junctions to puzzle over and no busy roads to cross. Children who are used to cycling can do this ride without any trouble, and so can anyone who has not been on a bike for a while.
The towpath
The path runs dead straight between two rows of tall poplars. In summer they close over your head and you ride through a green tunnel with the light flickering through. In autumn the leaves come down and the view opens up across the polders.
Along the way you pass the odd bench, a fisherman or two and the occasional farm on the far bank. It is the kind of stretch where people stop talking for a while.
Arriving in Damme
Damme announces itself with its church tower long before you get there. The village was a harbour town in the Middle Ages, when ships still reached it from the sea, and the wide streets and the town hall still show that old importance.
It is small. You can walk the centre in half an hour, which leaves plenty of time for the terraces on the main street. Sitting there with something cold after the ride is the whole point of the trip.
A village of books
Damme calls itself a book village and you notice it as soon as you look around. There are secondhand bookshops in the centre and on set days there is a book market in the village.
Even if you do not read Dutch, the boxes are worth a rummage. Old maps, illustrated books and prints turn up regularly. Check the current dates and opening hours before you count on the market being on.
Further on to Sluis
If you still have energy, keep following the canal. The path continues past Damme, crosses the Dutch border and brings you to Sluis, a town known for its shops and terraces.
That makes for a longer day out. Take the weather into account, because the polders have no shelter and the wind on the way back can be noticeable.
Renting a bike here
We have bike rental at the building, so you do not have to arrange anything in the city centre first. An adult bike is 12 euro a day and a child's bike is 6 euro a day. A rental day runs from 9 in the morning to 9 the next morning, which gives you a full day out.
Baby seats are available too. You will find all the details and the other rates on our bike rental page.
Practical, from the apartment
- Damme is about 5 km along the towpath, flat and quiet, roughly 20 minutes by bike or a good hour on foot
- Bike rental at the building: adult bike 12 euro a day, child's bike 6 euro a day, rental day from 9 to 9
- The towpath starts at the canal in front of the building, no navigation needed
- Free parking is a two minute walk away, so you can leave the car behind for the day
- The route works just as well as a walk if you prefer to take it slowly