Gavere: Culture, Brewing and Routes in the Scheldt Valley

Gavere combines historic sights, brewing culture and varied routes in the Scheldt Valley. The relatively flat landscape provides a setting for a family bike ride, while hiking and cycling routes offer different ways to explore the area. The “Battle of Gavere” walking route has its own signposting. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Gavere can therefore decide in advance which type of trip they prefer: cultural and historical discoveries, a cycling tour, a longer walk or a family outing.

Historic impressions around the market square and Sint-Amandus Church

The “Fontein” stands on the market square, a protected monument of historical and artistic value. It was built in 1780–1781 to a design by Louis-Joseph Montoyer. The market square itself is the village centre of Gavere and, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, was home to numerous inns, including “Het Landhuis”. This makes the location not only a starting point for routes, but also an illustrative setting for local history.

Another historic building is the Gemeentehuis van Gavere, a villa built in 1926 in the cottage style. It includes former stables and coach houses belonging to the former manor house, which were built around 1880. The Parish Church of Sint-Amandus also contains the painting “Adoration of the Kings” by the Flemish School from the second half of the 15th century. A war memorial by Ghent sculptor Aloïs De Beule on the west façade commemorates the past. The restored mechanism of the old tower clock is displayed in the transept.

Hiking and cycling with routes of different lengths

For hikers, “Op stap met Valeir” offers six circular routes ranging from 9 to 16 km. The “Battle of Gavere” walking route creates a historical and scenic connection. It leads to important sites of the 15th-century Battle of Gavere and through scenic areas with viewpoints. The route starts at the De Poort tourist information point on the market square and has its own signposting. Free printed route maps are available at the De Poort information point in Gavere.

There are also specific options for cycling tours. The Valeirroute is 42 km long and passes through Gavere and various places of interest. The mountain bike route starts at Sporthal Scaldis on Sportdreef and consists of three loops. When planning your accommodation, you can therefore take into account whether you mainly want to take a longer cycling tour or use the three loops of the mountain bike route. For a family bike ride, the relatively flat location in the Scheldt Valley provides a distinctive landscape setting.

Brewery visits and experiences for different days of travel

Brouwerij Contreras offers brewery visits for groups of 20 to 50 people. A visit lasts two hours and includes a one-hour guided tour and a one-hour tasting. You can learn about the entire brewing process, from barley grain to beer, and taste all the brewery’s beers. This offer provides a different focus from a hike or cycling tour and can be an interesting addition when planning your days away.

The Veerkrachtpad at Domein Borgwal is a 2.5 km signposted experience trail. The animal park at Borgwalhoeve is home to chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep and donkeys. Egmontpark is located between the market square, Onderstraat and Molenstraat in Gavere.

Gavere as a starting point for your accommodation search

When looking for a holiday apartment in Gavere, it is worth first organising the activities you have planned. Those interested in culture can focus on the market square, Gemeentehuis van Gavere and Sint-Amandus Church. For active days, there are six circular routes, the signposted “Battle of Gavere” route, the 42 km Valeirroute and the mountain bike loops. Families can combine the Veerkrachtpad, the animal park and a ride through the relatively flat Scheldt Valley. This allows you to choose accommodation suited to your preferred pace of travel while keeping your planning close to the experiences that are actually available.

For further orientation, you can also look at Zingem and Semmerzake. Other destinations in the same navigation area are Wetteren, Ronse, Lierde, Ninove, Ursel and Zomergem.

To the higher-level travel overview: East Flanders.