TRAVEL IN NETHERLANDS/BELGIUM IN MAY 2008

With more time, I could recommend an infinite number of interesting towns in Belgium. But with 8 days, I would perhaps spend a little less time in Brussels and make time for a sidetrip to Brugge.

I second the above comment. Brugges and Haarlem make wonderful side trips.

I agree also. Bruges is a lovely small town. Haarlem is nice if you don't go on Sunday when everything is closed.

I stayed in Amsterdam, Brussels, and Brugge last summer (2007) and really enjoyed returning to Amsterdam. First time in Brussels and Brugge. I would return to Brugge in a minute. I may never go back to Brussels - 2 days 1 night there was plenty if not too much!

I agree with Charles. I think Brugges actually makes a better place to stay overnight than Brussels. As it is only about 1 hour to get to Brugges via train from Brussels, you may want to book your hotel there and take the day trip to Brussels instead.

Any suggestions for budget places to stay in Haarlem? The ones mentioned in Rick's book do not book online or have hefty cancellations charges. Is it easy to base from Haarlem & head to Amsterdam or it is easier to be in 'dam?

Thanks for the info. When I posted my question, I forgot to include that we had Bruges on our itinerary already. So, restated, "Besides Brussels, Bruges, and Amsterdam, what other towns/cities might be interesting (besides the ones already recommended in the replies already posted)?"

Other interesting cities include Antwerpen, Leuven and Ghent. Hasselt is a personal favorite of mine, but that's mainly for sentimental reasons. Leuven itself doesn't have much in the way of sites to visit (other than some of the medieval university buildings), but it offers the best university social environment I have ever experienced. In the evenings, you could sit at a cafe on the market square for hours, people-watching or striking up a conversation about almost anything.

The open air museum in Arnhem ( Netherlands) is one of my all time favorite spots in the world there is a world class art museum attached to open air museum . Arnhem is on the main train route from Amsterdam to Germany about an hour from Amsterdam as I recall

I second (or third) the above comments. Brugge is a far better base than Brussels. The main thing to see in Brussels was the gorgeous town square. I spent two days there and it was too long, and two days in Brugge--too short! If you haven't buy Rick's Amsterdam/Brussels/Brugge city guide. Lots of great do-it-yourself walking tours in there. You will have a great time. Kristen

Do NOT miss Bruges! You'd be much better off cutting your time in Brussels and taking a couple of days in Bruges. It is charming and beautiful and OLD. Oh, and be SURE to look in the RS guide and DO NOT MISS the chocolate shop he recommends. Chocolate isn't my favourite but OH the chocolates in this shop are little pieces of heaven!

Amsterdam is AWESOME, too! Do the RS walks and check out the Van Gogh museum and Rijksmuseum. Do not be afraid of the Red Light District...I travelled alone and never felt unsafe there. But absolutely, positively, DO NOT MISS the Anne Frank house. There is nothing, I mean, NOTHING to compare with climbing through that bookcase into the area of the house where they lived. One thing I wish I had done that I heard was really fun was the Heineken brewery tour. Oh, and when in Amsterdam, be sure to rent a bike. EVERYBODY rides bikes there and it's a GREAT way to get around and see the city! Have fun!

The Hague (including Scheviningen) and Delft; one overnite in either and you can see both while enroute between NL and Belgium -they're a great double header. A repeat response but consider Antwerp rather than Brussels for an overnite while 'doing' Brugge. Just remember, it's mayonaise on the fries; not ketchup/vinegar; arghhhh.

Dear Robert. As a Belgian, I would definitely recommend my own town, Charleroi, also the largest city in Wallonia (the French-speaking part of Belgium). If Bruges is clean, romantic, and charming, Charleroi is just the opposite, a kind of "anti-Bruges": Huge boulevards, industrial architecture, and skyscrapers. It is not your typically European city: No old churches, no old bridges, no souvenir shops, but a Museum of Photography, a fair number of department stores, pubs (excellent beer!), and exotic restaurants (we are lucky to have a large population of immigrants mainly from Italy, Poland, Turkey, and North Africa). We also have one of the highest unemployment rates in Belgium (in other words, we need your business!). Charleroi can be easily reached by train from Brussels (the journey takes about 40 minutes).

I think the museum in Arnheim John is talking about is the Kröller-Müller Museum located in the National Park the Hoge Veluwe (great for cycling!).

www.kmm.nl

It houses the second largest collection of van Gogh paintings (after the museum in Amsterdam) and many other intersting exhibits, mostly contemporary. In the park outside the museum you find the most important sculpure collection in Europe.

I've been there on a school trip in grade 12 and 15 years later with dh and my small children. Every time we found something for everyone to truly enjoy.

Brussels has a musical instruments museum that sort of gets short shrift in Rick's book. I was there with 2 teenages (who are sort of musical) and they loved it. It was great to hear a piano actully owned my Beethovan! Some of the best food, beer and chocolates on our last trip were in Brugges. Don't forget to pack for wet weather. A good day is Belgium is when it doesn't start raining until 4:00.

We just returned from our second trip to Amsterdam, and this time we spent a day each in Haarlem and Bruges. Haarlem has the Frans Hals Museum, and the Corrie tenBoom Museum ("The Hiding Place"). Read her book, and/or rent the movie before you go, it will mean a lot more.
Bruges is wonderful! Wish we'd had more time there. The lace-making place is amazing. You get to actually watch some of the ladies make that bobbin lace. Their lace is sold only at the shop there where they work. Most of the lace in town is machine-made in Europe.

You will not believe the chocolate there. It makes Hershey's taste like cardboard.

My huscand and I enjoyed the tour of the flower market in Allsmer. It is where they sell the flowers to customers all over the world. It is just so interesting and it smells really good.