Oudenaarde is a compact town whose main sights can be covered in half a day, but cyclists and tapestry enthusiasts will want to linger. The Markt, with its Gothic town hall, is the natural starting point. The cycling museum and MOU tapestry museum share the town hall building, making it the single most rewarding stop in town. Beyond the centre, the hills of the Flemish Ardennes are best explored on two wheels — the same cobbled climbs the professionals race on in April are open to anyone fit enough to tackle them.
Beyond cycling, the town has real depth: the Ename Abbey archaeological site three kilometres north, the Liefmans Brewery a short walk east, and the woodland pilgrimage chapel at Kerselare for those willing to venture a little further. The Sint-Walburgakerk, the large collegiate church just off the Markt, is often overlooked but rewards a visit for its Flemish Baroque paintings and historic carillon.