The so-called Master Tours let visitors discover some of the key works of the Flemish Masters in their original locations, as they were intended to be seen when they were created. The tours were inaugurated on Wednesday 2 April 2025 and are part of the Flemish Masters in Situ project.
Since 2023, the Flemish Masters in Situ project has been striving to represent works of the Flemish Masters (the most influential artists having lived in Flanders) in their original surroundings, allowing visitors to see the pieces as they were intended to by their creators. So far, the network includes 106 locations throughout Flanders, including castles, cathedrals, abbeys, and individual houses. Amongst the artists on show are Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, and James Ensor.
Even though most of those individual locations have been open to visitors for a while now, according to Peter De Wilde, CEO of Visit Flanders, mapping the locations wasn’t enough. In order to give visitors the more complete experience they have been looking for, nine Master Tours have now been created.
“The places where Flemish Masters can be found are not islands in themselves. On the contrary, a wonderful connecting thread hangs between numerous destinations. The Golden River, for example, the nickname of the River Lys. Or a sea of mother-of-pearl, as James Ensor once described the North Sea,” the Masters in Situ website reads.
All of the nine tours connect several of the previously existing locations, more specifically in Bruges, Ghent, Kortrijk, Mechelen, Antwerp, the Diest region, the Leie region around Sint-Martens-Latem, the coastal area, and Leuven. Many of the routes can be done on foot while others are perfect to go through by bike.
In order to make the tours as user-friendly as possible, existing walking trails and cycling routes have been integrated into their designs. A selection of restaurants and cafés have also been included in the tours, providing the perfect break in between visits. All tours, including a short explanation per object and a map, can be found online.
A 10th route is under consideration at the moment and would be located in southwest Flanders. Three alternative routes were already available before, concentrating on Anthony van Dyck, reliquaries, and artists’ homes.
