Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Bruges, Brussels: 9-day Netherlands - Belgium route

Netherlands and Belgium are the routes with the lowest road costs in Europe. The total surface area of ​​the two countries is small, the cities are connected to each other by high-speed trains, and even the two furthest stops are not more than three hours away. This means spending almost the entire trip in cities.

This route is based on 9 days and goes in one direction: you land in Amsterdam, go south and return from Brussels. Since you are not returning to the same city, you do not make an unnecessary train journey on the last day.

Day distribution: how many nights where?

three days in Amsterdam

• Rijksmuseum Main collection of the Dutch golden age; Rembrandt's The Night Watch has been on public display for years in a glass restoration cabinet, meaning you get to watch the painting as it is restored. The building houses a bicycle tunnel that runs over the Museumplein, one of the most photographed passages in the city. Set aside three hours.
• Van Gogh Museum presents more than 200 paintings and 500 drawings by the artist in chronological order; Since the collection comes from family inheritance, there is no Van Gogh selection of this integrity anywhere in the world. It's in the same square as the Rijksmuseum, so you can put them both in the same day, but take a real break in between.
• Anne Frank House the secret annex itself; You can climb the narrow stairs behind the revolving library and the rooms are left empty. The visit lasts an hour, but its impact is long-lasting. Tickets are sold online and date-based only; Evening sessions usually fill up later.
• Canal tour The 17th-century canal loop is UNESCO-listed and shows the city in one sitting. The best option at the end of a tiring day or on a rainy afternoon; The bridges are illuminated during evening tours.
• Zaanse Schans 20 minutes by train from the center: working windmills, wooden house architecture and cheese workshops all together. If you go early in the morning, you can visit before the tour buses arrive; Half a day is enough.

Rotterdam and The Hague

Rotterdam is a city whose center was completely destroyed in the Second World War and which consciously chose modernity when rebuilding. It creates a complete contrast to the historical texture of Amsterdam and is 40 minutes away by train.

• Rotterdam Modern Architecture the identity of the city: cube houses, giant artwork along the ceiling of the Markthal and the Erasmus Bridge fit into a single walk. The center can be walked from end to end, two to three hours is enough.
• Mauritshuis It's in The Hague and it's a small but busy museum: Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring is here. The collection can be visited in an hour and a half, so it can easily be added to a Rotterdam day; The train between the two cities is 25 minutes.
• Kinderdijk Windmills 20 kilometers from Rotterdam; 19 windmills from the 18th century form the same water management system and are on the UNESCO list. It can be visited by bike or boat, and is at its best in the spring months.
• Utrecht Dom Tower The tallest church tower in the Netherlands and its top can be reached only with a guided tour, with 465 steps. Ideal as a half-day break on the way between Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Bruges and Brussels

Bruges offers a center that has remained virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages; Although it may seem tempting to come here for the day because it is small, its real character emerges in the evening, after the day trippers have left. That's why staying one night makes a difference.

• Bruges Canals travels throughout the city and the boat tour takes 30 minutes; When viewed from the water level, the scale of the medieval facades is seen much more clearly. Tours operate from March to November.
• Bruges Bell Tower rises 83 meters above the square and can be climbed by 366 steps; The stairs are narrow, one-way and there is a wait during peak hours. The caryon with 47 bells above rings every 15 minutes, it's really loud when you're in the tower.
• Gravensteen Castle In Ghent, on the way between Bruges and Brussels: a medieval castle with a moat right in the middle of the city centre. Ghent is much less touristy than Bruges and is a good stop for a lunch break.
• Grand Place is the center of Brussels and one of the most complete baroque squares in Europe; The facades of the guild buildings are gilded. Every two years in August, the square is completely covered with a begonia carpet.
• Atomium 165 billion times magnified version of iron crystal, made for the 1958 world exhibition; there are exhibits inside the spheres and the top one is panoramic. 20 minutes by metro to the center, Mini-Europe next door shows the landmarks of Europe on a small scale.

Trains and bicycles

• In the Netherlands, train tickets are purchased with a contact OV-chipkaart or contactless debit card; Do not forget to scan the turnstile at the entrance and exit. If you do not, the full fee will be deducted.
• International high speed train (Amsterdam-Brussels) reservations are mandatory and are half price if booked early; There is no reservation on local trains, tickets can be purchased on the day.
• In Amsterdam, cycling is a real means of transport, not a tourist activity: bike lanes move fast and a hesitant driver creates danger. Walk on the first day, rent after figuring out the city.
• Train prices in Belgium are fixed and cheap depending on distance; Check out the discounted ticket option on the weekend.

When to go?

Mid-April to early May is the peak of this route: tulip season is clear, the weather is walkable and the days are long. Keukenhof is only open for about eight weeks in the spring, and Amsterdam accommodation becomes expensive during that period. September to October is the second best option; The crowd is decreasing, the price is decreasing. It's rainy and dark between November and February, but it's not a problem for a museum-oriented route, and it's also the cheapest period. Christmas markets are held in both countries in December.