Bruges / Amsterdam - suggestions for 1 extra overnight?

Personally, I wouldn't bother with staying in either Ghent or Haarlem if I'm already staying in Bruges and Amsterdam. They would make better day trips. Delft, maybe; I've never been. How many days each are you spending in Bruges and Amsterdam? For just one night, would you consider simply adding a night onto either Bruges or Amsterdam (and maybe take a day trip)? Or, to go another way...visit Cologne (spend the night)? It's about 3 hours for each leg...and fairly cheap, too!

If you get bored with Bruges, Gent is not far away for a day or afternoon. Haarlem and even Delft are too close to Amsterdam. Depending on your train routing, Antwerp might be perfect. You can't run out of things in Antwerp on a one-night stay. Delft has slightly more charm than Gent, but both are very attractive. The Gent Altarpiece is a reason for many to go there, but the painting (and porcelain) history of Delft makes it very important in Art History too. If you insist on a smaller city (like Delft), consider Mechelen or Leuven or Lier. But it sounds from your OP like you may already have this list. I would use the search box (top right) to see how many posts there are on each of the cities on your list, and what people thought. It does not count as a city, but have you considered the Delta Works in SW Netherlands, very timely with the last hurricane in the Eastern USA?

Of all the places mentioned (that I've been to), I liked Antwerp by far the most. I also liked Leiden, which is smaller.

Delft is a decent choice. I wouldn't give it more than one night, but of course, that's what you had planned. It's a nice place to walk around for a few hours, but don't expect much in the way of museums. I would recommend one of the beach towns in Zeeland (Domburg is the nicest, in my opinion), but these can be hard to reach via public transportation.

I agree that Leiden and Utrecht fit your description. Even less touristed is Amersfoort, but it doesn't have as many museums as the first two. But it's a charming place where real people live. Again, they are all close to Amsterdam, not halfway to Bruges. I think you understand that Antwerp is a major destination. But many people, myself included, really like it. A more ambitious choice would be Lille, France. If (check ... ) the mansion museum with a big Rik Wouters collection is open, I'll settle on Mechelen, where market day is Saturday. I have never managed to find the Jewish museum there open!

If you wind up in Delft (I live there!) it is a small, compact city easily walked from one end to the other (perfect for 1 night), and from the train station. (Note- no elevators at the train station currently because of construction. Only stairs.) It is a historically important city in Holland because of the Nieuwe Kerk being the burial site of the royal family from the 1500s to the present, and as the city where Willem of Orange was assassinated (today the Prinsenhof museum). It is a university town with a lot of young people and a gorgeous market square. Atmospherically, I do think it is similar to Bruges, and it is smaller than Ghent. In Delft we find that the quality of restaurants does not always scale with the price. A favorite place of ours is called Rossio, on Oude Delft Straat. Another nice restaurant is called Vlaanderen, on the Beestenmarkt. And if you rent bikes (it's a little ride out from the center, in the farmland), there is a great place called Cafe du Midi. Good Dutch pancakes at Stads Koffyhuis. I saw that someone else mentioned Amersfoort, and agree that that is a cute town, less visited by tourists. Deventer is also similar I have only been for a day trip, but found it very nice. Hope this helps!

Deventer is an excellent addition to the list. Unlike Amersfoort, it has a waterfront as well as a superb old town center. And it has less modern construction near the old town than does Amersfoort. But Amersfoort has a wonderful wall, moat, and canal. FYI, Mike, Deventer is a "Hanseatic" town.