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's-Hertogenbosch

This spring, my wife and I are starting our annual (fingers crossed) tour of europe in Amsterdam, and have reservations for 7 nights in the Nederlands with the last two in Delft. From there we'll go on to Belgium for 6 nights and ultimately to Paris. I'm planning the itinerary from Delft to Brugge, and driving from Delft to 's-Hertogenbosch is an option. We'd drop off the car there or somewhere nearby with better access to trains to Brugge. In 's-Hertogenbosch, I'm mostly interested in touring the Binnen-Dieze, but also in walking by Sint Jan to see the gargoyles and buttresses and experiencing another Dutch city with canals. I'd appreciate any comments from those of you that have been to 's-Hertogenbosch, taken the canal tour, had a meal at a good restaurant, and what you think is a must see site. We also enjoy art museums, especially modern, and interesting museums in general. I still haven't explored all the train options so input from those of you with experience would be helpful.

Is 's-Hertogenbosch worth the diversion? If we skipped it we'd arrive in Brugge much earlier. Would it be better to arrive in Brugge later after most of the tourists have left? We'll be there there two nights which gives us one full day.

Posted by
795 posts

It is well worth a visit. We visited there when living in Amsterdam and have visited few times since. The food is good at Ristorante Bellagio (Italian) and FF Swanjee (steaks, etc) among others. St. John's Cathedral (Sint Jan) is awe-inspiring inside and out. It soars! Ask about the inexpensive bell tower tour inside! The canal tour is fun. Three of our favorite museums there are the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center, the Noordbrabants Museum (you'll see Brosch and van Gogh here), and the unique carnival museum Oeteldonks Gemintemuzejum. There are plenty more things to see and do.

Posted by
2106 posts

To my opinion you can add the following museums to your list: Gemeente Museum Den Haag with it´s Mondriaan collection and Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam with it´s extensive collection of art of different styles and periods, both close to Delft.
Rotterdam is a big name now about modern architecture, you will see it anyway going to Boijmans from the railway station. A bit out of the way there is the UNESCO listed Van Nelle Fabriek, have no idea you can go inside for a tour as it is more a business center.

More close to ´s Hertogenbosch is the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven. The latter city has developed itself more and more as a center of design and innovation, likely you can find more to your likings there.

In Utrecht is the Rietveld-Schröderhuis of interest for modern architecture. A bit out of the way from the two bases, but still to consider is the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, where there is more than only Van Gogh.

From Bruges you can think about the SMAK and Design Museum in Ghent.