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Belgium and Netherlands itinerary

Posted by on

Hi, all. I'm so confused with my itinerary and I need anyone's help.

Thanks so much in advance!!

I'm visiting Belgium & Netherlands for 10 days in May. Currently, my schedule is as the below but I have some questions.

Day 1 (Thu) We're already in Brussels. We move to Ghent for daytime sightseeing & illumination at night. Stay in Ghent

Day 2 (Fri) AM: Ghent, PM: Move to Bruges

Day 3 (Sat) A whole day in Bruges

Day 4 (Sun) AM: Bruges, PM: Move to The Hague

Day 5 (Mon) A whole day in Hague

Day 6 (Tue) Have a day trip to Kinderdijk from Hague

Day 7 (Wed) AM: Move to Amsterdam

Day 8 (Thu) A whole day in Amsterdam

Day 9 (Fri) AM: Amsterdam, PM: moving to Brussels

Day 10 (Sat) Taking flight back home from Brussels

Q1) Which one is cheaper/ easier transportation? Bruges - The Hagues or Brussels - Amsterdam

Q2) Is it more fun to visit Ghent/ Bruges in a weekend? Or weekday is the same?

Q3) Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh museum, which one is better? (not sufficient time to visit both)

Q4) Amsterdam stay seems to be too short. Should I skip any of city?

Posted by
2487 posts

1) For the trip from Belgium to the Netherlands you have the choice between the high-speed Thalys and the international Intercity. Both leave from Brussel and Antwerpen. The Thalys calls in Rotterdam (change for The Hague), Schiphol airport and Amsterdam. The Intercity has a slightly different route and also calls at The Hague. If you're on time, you can have cheap tickets for the Thalys; otherwise the somewhat slower Intercity is cheaper. Check the website of the Belgian railways.
2) No need to change hotels from Gent to Brugge. It's a 30 min journey on very frequent trains. Personally I prefer Gent over Brugge, being a more lively city. Brugge has more the atmosphere of an open-air museum: a beauty, but a little bit artificial.
3) The Rijksmuseum is better if you love 17th-century Dutch painting. The Van Gogh is better if you like Van Gogh.
4) It's less than one hour from The Hague to Amsterdam. If you leave for Brussels late afternoon, you've got almost three days.
5) Read this conversation for a nice way to visit Kinderdijk (and Dordrecht).

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you for your prompt comment!

One more question, would it be ok (traveling time wise) to stay in The Hague for the whole time? Or, should I move to a hotel in Amsterdam after a couple of nights in The Hague?

Posted by
2487 posts

Distances are short and trains are frequent (every 15 mins). Changing hotels is not necessary.
Having said that, The Hague isn't the best city to stay. Try to find something in Leiden or Haarlem. Even closer to Amsterdam (Leiden 40 mins, Haarlem 15 mins) and both pleasant provincial cities with loads of history.

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