Hey, all. First-time visit to BeNeLux coming up in October. We're taking a red-eye, landing a Schiphol at 8:00 AM on a Monday, with three nights booked in Haarlem, then on to Luxembourg City, Ghent, Bruges and back to Haarlem for two nights. Since it's our first visit, we obviously need to hit up the Anne Frank House (and yes, we are plannnig our 4:00 AM EST wake-up call to purchase tix six weeks out), Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt Museum House, Holocaust Museum and and the Dutch Resistance Museum. This all around time for our priority: plenty of time for leisurely strolling and looky-looing around the Dam, Jordaan and Haarlem. So, three days/nights in Amsterdam/Haarlem; Lux/Belgium; then two days/nights in Amsterdam/Haarlem. With that schedule, how would you schedule the museums in order to A: take advantage of proximity B: avoid burnout C: most important, avoid emotional overload? Also, pick a day trip around all of the above: Utrecht or Delft? Thanks!
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
7683 posts
When setting an itinerary, much depends on your interests. But often overlooked is a realistic knowledge of each person's energy and endurance levels. Some people can cram 4 or 5 attractions per day, for days on end and have a ball. Others are tired out with only 2/day. A reasonable compromise can be one museum and one priority non museum attraction per day. Then a separate list of "if there's time and we feel like it" secondary sights . This leaves room for a bit of serendipity. And it allows for a rest period or an unplanned disruption if needed.
It looks like your arrival will be after a red eye flight. I wouldn't recommend any sights that require an advance reservation that day, just in case your arrival is delayed, or you suffer from a wracking dose of jet lag.
Posted by
USA
685 posts
Daughter and I visited Van Gogh museum and Anne Frank house the same day. I don't always want 2 art museums in one day. We were staying in the museum quarter (sorry, my Dutch is severely limited) so it wasn't a hardship to see the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum on different days.
We really appreciated the Dutch resistance museum too and ate lunch just next door.
Not on your list but Our Lord in the Attic church was very interesting.
Posted by
San Diego, California
7304 posts
If in Haarlem, see if Corrie ten Boom House tickets are still available. They go quickly, like months in advance. They are free, 15 folks in a tour, with a guide. We thought this experience was more personal than the Anne Frank House.
Also, the evening tickets for Anne Frank can work out nicely, and are usually the last to be reserved.
Our Lord in the Attic is a great tour, but be ready for steps.
Have a great trip.
Posted by
Wisconsin, USA
218 posts
We scheduled the Anne Frank House in the evening partly for emotional overload so that we wouldn't be trying to go to another sight after it. We had some time between the Dutch Resistance Museum and the Van Gogh Museum and it didnt seem like too much for the day, but they aren't that close to each other. We spent many hours at the Rijksmuseum on a different day; although the Van Gogh museum is nearby, I think it would have been too much for us to go to both on the same day.
Posted by
Haarlem, Netherlands
239 posts
Museums in Haarlem are closed on Mondays so something to consider when planning. You may want to check out the Teylers Museum and Huis Barnaart (https://www.hendrickdekeyser.nl/museumbezoek/huis-barnaart-Haarlem) in Haarlem as well.
The St Bavo church on the Grote Markt is closed on Sundays.
Posted by
Sydney, Australia
428 posts
How much time are you allowing for the Luxembourg / Ghent / Bruges portion? This information seems to be missing here. Bruges is worth at least 2 days by itself. Luxembourg is a long jaunt from either Bruges or Ghent (probably about 3.5 hours from Ghent and at least a good 4 hours from Bruges by train), so factor that into your thinking, that's half a day gone just in travel. If you are looking to add in a day trip to Utrecht or Delft, add an extra day to your plans as the rest of the time will be taken up with seeing Amsterdam (worth 4 days) and Haarlem (another 2 days).
Lavandula