Ñetherlands & Belgium - 2026 Trip Report - Needed the Sunscreen, not the Rain Pants -DONE!

HAARLEM cont
Saturday Market Day is always fun, with cheeses, sweets, gifts.

Flower Parade The Parade came into Haarlem late on Saturday night, after 10pm, and just a few feet from our hotel! I knew the floats would be parked in Haarlem on Sunday, but we had no idea we were on the route. Already in our pj's, we threw on our coats & went out. Even tho the floats have lights & music, the colors & flowers are best appreciated on Sunday.

AMSTERDAM
Houseboat Museum I wouldn't walk miles for this, but if you pass by, it's interesting, especially the construction, utilities, & mode of living.
Damn Boat Guys 90 min, €44, not as "adult" as advertised, but at least no screaming kids. The boat holds about 12 folks, no recorded narrative, personable captain, &you can bring drinks/snacks. I find boat tours relaxing, a rest for the feet. Ask to see Ted Lasso scene bridge, if you're a fan.
The Paris cafe across from the above office has great food, & offers carry out.

STRAAT Museum of urban street art was a fun diversion, if you've already done the big art museums. We were able to ride the free ferry, F4, NDSM, behind the Centraal Train station, & experience another side of the city.

Our Lord in the Attic Museum This is very close to the train station, & quite worthwhile, altho the steps are steep and jungle-gym like. Not only was a church built into a residence, but the entire structure was fascinating.

Anne Frank Museum tickets are the challenge. Because of the Tuesday release, your dates may be released 6.5 weeks in advance, for weekends. We secured evening tickets easily, & it worked well having the whole day free. As it was daylight until after 9pm in April, we felt quite safe walking back to the train. As mentioned, it's more of a museum now, as Otto Frank insisted the rooms be bare, as the Nazis stripped the house. We felt it was too crowded to linger; there are steep steps.

BRUGES, BELGIUM
After 5 nights, it was time for Bruges. The trains were on time, about 4 hours, & 2 connections.
At the Bruges station, look for the green minibus, the Centrum shuttle green sign, bus platforms C6. It used to be on the street, but now there's construction. Formerly free, but now €3.50, or free if the driver considers one a senior. It has a figure 8 loop thru the old town, always goes the same way, every 25 min., dependable, 7 days week, 7am-7pm. Your hotel can communicate the designated stop.

Legends Dark Side of Bruges Evening Walking Tour pay by tipping. This isn't an introductory tour, nor is it a "haunted" tour. The guide worked hard, but for newbies, access the morning tours.

Canal Deluxe B&B, cash, under €200 nite, great breakfast, bedding excellent, a living room & a bedroom, wood burning fireplace, new bathroom, on a canal, garden sitting area, sweet treat every afternoon, quiet, strong hot water/pressure. Can I use more superlatives? We each had are our own "cottage", with a connecting door. I had been here before, & couldn't wait for this return visit. Some of the units have stairs, but I believe 1 or 2 are flat. Mine was on three floors, which made middle of the night bathroom trips an adventure. The pix on their website are accurate; book directly, cash only. This was our "vacation from the vacation" spot.

Blankenberge Windfarm Tour - my friend was excited to take this zodiac boat tour, & spent quite awhile figuring out the transportation. No locals had ever heard of it. The tour was canceled the night before due to expected rough seas.

Food on the Square -best for pizza & drinks, other menu items not noteworthy, several establishments.

Canal Cruise - no reservations, just beautiful, 30 min.

Atm Ugh! The only available atm's charge huge fees. I know about DCC, & couldn't escape it. I declined it, & the machine declined me cash. Even with consulting the locals, we couldn't find cheaper atms. Get your cash elsewhere.

Chocolate in Bruges
My favorite chocolate store is Dumons with dreamy creamy milk chocolate, a RS recommendation. They also have a dark chocolate orange bar which is exceptional. There's an old-time candy store, in business for 90+ years, Confiserie De Clerk with great black licorice.

Bikes
With the Windfarm canceled, we made lemonade, and decided to rent bikes from Bruges Bikes. The employee could have been more helpful, so we were adamant about getting bikes fitted to our heights. We were a bit intimidated about no practice area, and the cobblestones, and the cars. So we walked the bikes about 3blocks out of the busy area, then found bike lanes, and just followed the canal. The day was spectacular , blue skies, mild winds, and we became comfortable on the bikes. We passed Damme, and just biked on for about 1.5 hours. On the way back we found a "shortcut" bike lanes thru farmlands and smaller cànals. This was our "Ah-ha" moment. Needing more frequent breaks, since we never bike at home, we just sat cànal side and marveled at the beauty. Lunch was in Damme, and we returned to Bruges in one piece, but a fairly sore piece.

Beer I'm not a beer drinker, but I mentioned breweries in my 2024 TR. The 2Be is canal side and has 300+ options.

ROTTERDAM
The TI is very visible by the train station exit, was very helpful in planning, &promptly returned emails.
The train trip from Bruges to Rotterdam was about 3hours. I'd had only been in Rotterdam briefly, but enough to wet my curiosity, because of the unique architecture.

Motel One under €200 a nite, small rooms, modern, breakfast, bustling location. Very close to Market Hall. We really liked this motel, & the large rooftop bar, with both indoor/ outdoor spaces, where one could view the Pencil, Cube Houses, and Public Library building. My only con was that it wasn't directly on a transit line, especially to the train station. The train station was 18 min. walk, but by this time, one must save the feet!

Evening Architectural Walking Tour €55, chosen because the time worked best. Would recommend a daytime tour.
A walking tour of this vibrant city is a must to appreciate the history and architecture. When the Nazis firebombed the city, it burned for 5days, resulting in the Dutch surrender. Instead of restoring the prewar buildings, the city rebuilt with great freedom. The Market Hall is a huge dome (NFL stadium scale) offering weather-protected shopping, with 200+ apartments built over the shell, located in the heart of the city. The Depot, an art storage facility, has a mirror fascade, similar to the Chicago Bean, but 5-6 stories high, with rooftop access (€20), reflecting the skyline. Just a few of many highlites.

Kinderdijk
The transportation has been reorganized, the boat is now termed a water shuttle, not ferry, & isn't labeled #21. The boat docks at the same place under the Erasmus Bridge, look for the white gangplank and water shuttle pix. Tickets are now purchased on the website, combi tickets €33, are available for both the shuttle and museums. The tickets are not timed, but purchased by date. The boat was far from full, as folks did purchase tickets once aboard. (Bathrooms onboard) The scenic trip is an interesting 30 min, and the boat sails every 70 min on the spring schedule, running on time. Check dates for the spring schedule, as the winter schedule is weekends. We spent an unrushed 3.5 hours, with picnic lunch, which we brought. Be aware of the return times, since they are 70 min apart. Folks brought bikes on the boat, &bikes and leashed dogs are throughout. I did not see any bike rentals at Kinderdijk.
I'm not sure one needs the combi ticket. Without the two windmill museums and small canal boat access, the park is free and wonderful. On our gorgeous day, we just walked, took pix, relaxed, &enjoyed being IN the moment. The only crowding was at the entrance Visitor Center.

Uber downtown Rotterdam
Another Ugh! We were at The Depot, after a lot of walking, and didn't want to walk back. We called for an Uber. The car took 15 minutes to arrive, & about 25 minutes to get thru 5pm city traffic to our Motel One. The cost was about €11, & the driver was on his phone the entire journey. Yes, we rested our feet. This was just an example of having a hotel without direct tram/metro access. The 9292 app suggested six min walk to public transportation, about 6 minutes on the transportation, & six min walk to the hotel.

Rotterdam > Utrecht > Leiden
At this point, my friend and I split up. She wanted a weekend in Berlin- quirky, remember. I was on my own for the first time ever. By this time I was well-experienced using the NL app, tap pay, & riding Dutch trains.

Utrecht
The Rotterdam to Utrecht train ran every half hour, and took about 40 minutes. The station is large, and typically me, I couldn't find the luggage lockers. I knew they were upstairs. I'd follow the signs, then saw nothing. I realize this is a personal problem. Finally, opposite side of the station from the Victoria Secrets Store, I found the elevator. The lockers were all credit card, easy directions, a large was €16. And typically me, I was lost again when I returned for my carry-on.

RS warned about the very large shopping mall one passed thru to get to the old town. Was this the only pathway? The mall was very crowded, and frankly, a turn off. Once I exited, I followed the crowds, I think to the town square, but all I found was construction.
It was a very warm Saturday, the old town was very crowded, and filled with commercial stores that are located everywhere. The restaurants were packed, again Dutch loving their drinking in cafes in the sun, wearing orange garments in prep for King's Day.
I did like the two-tired canals, and watching the open boats, decided that was my best course. I bought a ticket, assuming all the boats were open. But, no, I purchased a ticket to a covered boat, which was not ideal. The canals were narrow, and a closed boat really obstructed the view. The canals were packed, with many novices attempting rowing their own little boats. The captain spend a lot of time avoiding them, which added excitement. I wanted to have lunch, but the restaurants were too busy, so I moved on to Leiden.
My experience here is not what most folks report, so I obviously missed something. The old town area seemed overall very small, with modern commercial areas surrounding.

Utrecht to Leiden trains every 15 min, takes under 40 minutes.

LEIDEN
I was really looking forward to a return, same hotel, knew the buses (#1 or #4) to use. The King's Day excitement and preparations were evident!

Hotel Steenhof Suites
No lift, Dutch stairs, breakfast, large suites, great beds/linens, on canal, new bath with good hot water/pressure, about €300 nites with taxes, very quiet, even on King's Day. Close to bus top, grocery, & atm.

Annie's on the triangle point of two canals, central location, large outdoor eating area, a great place to eat or drink, & just BE. There are no railings between the tables and the canals. Just wondering....

Molen de Valk Windmill is an original, & one of the best to tour. There are no glassed in areas, one can see the gears in operation, & climb the narrow stairs to the outdoor deck. The guide mentioned that Windmills were also used in sawing lumber for the Dutch ship-building industry, which at one time, was the largest fleet in Europe.

Saturday Market Day all day until about 5pm, always fun!

My last Sunday was approaching, & I was torn between a repeat Delft visit (20 min train ride), or Hoorn, the beautiful harbor & home to the Dutch East India Co. ( One hour train, opposite direction.) I messaged frequent Forum contributor Carrie, and she sent me her beautiful pix of each town. This was going to be a difficult decision...

Woke up without a decision yet. Hmmmm.... Then I asked myself, "What if by some unforeseen circumstance, this became my last ever trip to Europe?"
I looked at the train schedules, and decided to go to both destinations! Delft would be a 20 minute train ride south, and Hoorn a 90 minute ride north. I could use these 90 minutes for "constructive sitting", as in much-needed resting the feet! I couldn't come up with any reason not to do both.

DELFT
I love the blue & white Delftware, and had previously done the canal and Factory tour. I strolled thru the shops on the square, as I had yet to find a Xmas reindeer ornament for my growing collection. Reindeers are hard to come by in the Netherlands &Belgium. A favorite shop is De Candelaer Delftware , where original items are made on site, signed, & reasonably priced. The owner had proudly framed his RS recommendation & was very friendly. No reindeer in sight, but something did manage to come home. Next door is the Blue Tulip, also owner-operated-designed. No reindeers there either. Both stores are open on Sundays during tulip season. Finally, in a shop I just happened in, House of Vermeer , a lone Delftware reindeer was on a back shelf, handmade in NL, and signed. Victory! I do like to shop here. HeinenDelfts Blauw is a fun store for inexpensive gifts, mass-produced, but a cut above the junky touristy wares.
The square wasn't very attractive this day, as bandstands consumed the space, set up for weekend King's Day concerts.
The TI, next to the train station, also has interesting inexpensive souvenirs.

To HOORN
Fueled by gelato, I returned to the Delft Blue train station. The relaxing 90 min journey passes flower fields and beautiful farmland, as I engaged in "constructive sitting". However, the connection in Sloterdijk was a bit unusual, as the tracks aren't in numerical order, and on different levels. The schedule allows extra time, with clear signage.

HOORN
The walk to the harbor was under 20 minutes. The weather was just too beautiful not to visit an historic harbor, sit and soak up the sun, and decide a return visit was warranted. No matter how much we tried to pace ourselves, our step counts were often 17,000-19,000, & one does grow weary. However, Hoorn was not crowded, looked like an ideal place to bike, & was so peaceful. I was so glad I made the journey.

King's Day in Leiden
The evening before, one can feel the anticipation, the orange waves increase, the bars were hopping, & folks are gathering outside, some on steps, grassy areas, and on any available benches. Adult beverages seem to be a crucial element. The warm temperatures really encouraged a street party atmosphere, and Leiden is a college town.
My travel partner returned by noon, and we wore our orange shirts! As I spoke to many folks before the actual day, one thing was quite apparent: everyone, no matter the age, would smile at the mention of King's Day, & all were enthusiastically looking forward to celebrating. There were no cynics, no negative comments.

Children's Flea Market - this main street, a block from the canals, was jammed in the morning. Families laid out blankets as kids were selling old toys, books, & clothes. Children were also playing instruments as entertainment.

Annie's We were lucky to get a great table here for lunch, & had a view of all the canal boats. A guy on a jet ski performed, but disappeared quickly after he splashed some unhappy customers. I don't think this was an approved event, as the skier disappeared when the police appeared.

Canal Cruise seemed to be required, so we took a one hour tour. It just seemed appropriate to join the folks decked in orange, partying in boats. In some areas, there were actual boat traffic jams, but everyone was in good humor.

Crowds Leiden's celebration was not as raucous as Amsterdam's, but the city was busy & the main streets full of people.

LEIDEN, cont'd
Horiculture Botanical Gardens were open on King's Day, & we really wanted to go, but the bodies were just too tired.
Finding dinner on King's Day was a challenge, so I have no good recommendations. I should have done some research.

Leiden to AMS
For the departure, we took a taxi to the train station, €17.50 set up by the hotel. Trains leave for the airport every 10 minutes, with the journey taking 20 minutes. At AMS, don't forget to tap out, the yellow poles are on top of the escalators, and one needs to look for them. There are no turnstiles.

Having reservations for Time SLOTS for the security line worked well. We were through security and Passport Control in under 30 minutes. This airport is huge! Signs are frequent, but there's acreage! The British Airways business class lounge was quiet, and our connections were all on time.
https://www.schiphol.nl/en/timeslots/

CONCLUSIONS and Stuff that I couldn't squeeze in above
In NL, Tap Pay works so well. One can put other family members on the same credit card, just use different modes (eg the actual card, Apple Watch, phone.) One must tap out in the same mode as tapping in.

In Hoorn, I couldn't find any info on the RS recommended HOPO bus.

The Bruges atm charges really upset me, especially as I attempted to find cheaper alternatives. €700 costing $900 USD is outrageous! But my travel partner advised me to let it go, and if that's the worst of the trip, we did well. A guide mentioned something about new atm regulations and consolidations. I'm unsure if that was a Bruges, or Belgium, issue. Perhaps some valued locals can offer insights.

I chose Bruges to stay, over Ghent, just because Bruges seemed to speak to me more from 2024. And- I loved the charming cottages in which we stayed.

Rotterdam, I forget to mention the beautiful Old Harbor, which survived the bombings, and still includes historical ships and cranes, located very close to Market Hall.

EDIT: TP on trains- or lack thereof. Beware and be prepared! It's usually recommended to use the train toilets, as they are free. The ones in the station have a fee, and usually a line. Hard choices...

The People are a huge reason this trip was so enjoyable. Folks working seemingly monotonous service jobs were all personable and helpful. Young people on trains jumped in quickly if we looked confused. And the command of English was remarkable.

Regarding reaction to Americans, due to the Iran war, folks were aware, but didn't display any strong feelings. My personal opinion is that these folks weren't as affected by the war's impact on fuel prices: most didn't own cars, relying on public transportation, and the weather had been mild, so home heating costs weren't an issue.

As experienced travelers, we were remarkably worn out by the end, but then we both came down with respiratory infections on our first day home, so perhaps that explains it. However, since I'm so prone to these, I masked up on trains and crowded situation, yet still became ill. Whatever....being sick at home is much better than being sick before or during a trip. The trip was a success, and happened, after all the planning and months of anticipation! And-I have my Aussie to cuddle, who really missed me. Not sure where 2027 will find me?

This TR is really too long. Thanks to all who persevered to the conclusion, have already left positive comments, and I'll try to answer questions soon. Thanks to all who helped with recommendations and input that was invaluable!

THE END!

Looking forward to this, Pat !!

And yes I remember well the "packed the rain pants, needed the rain pants" report !!

Looking forward to the report! Coming home still friends is no small accomplishment. :)

Definitely looking forward to this especially since I'll be in Amsterdam and Haarlem soon.

I’ve read your 2024 report multiple times, and look forward to the rest of this report. I’ll be back with questions, I’m sure.

I enjoyed reading the first part of your trip report and look forward to hearing about Kinderdijk. I adore Belgium and the Netherlands.

So glad you enjoyed Malts! I’m definitely getting the itch to go back to the Netherlands. Must be all the fun trip reports…and all then Keukenhof pictures popping up on social media. Thanks for sharing…can’t wait to hear the rest!

Eagerly awaiting more.

Congratulations on both the better weather and still being friends, quirks and all!

Thanks Pat for the wonderful trip report. I am glad you had such a good time. We are leaving Monday for Amsterdam, won't have your sunny weather. Appreciated all the insights about touring Amsterdam, Haarlem, and Keukenhof gardens.

Very helpful, Pat, as we will be in Bruges in ~5 weeks, and we are staying at B&B Canal Deluxe, too!

Re: the ATM situation. Since Belgium is our only European stop this trip, do you think we should get Euros before we leave home, or is it just Bruges, specifically, that is challenging? (We could get them at the Brussels Airport, but airport ATMs aren't usually my first choice.)

Great report and great to see you enjoyed Haarlem! As a 6th generation Haarlemmer, I am only a little bit biased ;-).

Thanks Pat, I remembered the 'Took the Rain Pants, Needed the Rain Pants' TR, so immediately recognized this one! In Sweden I'm always so surprised by people getting burned in springtime, no one can stand to wear sunscreen after slogging through winter.

Altho she admittedly has more quirks than I do. I can write this as she doesn't read The Forum. Absolutely hilarious. Glad you're still friends! Lots to absorb here, will bookmark to re-read. Do you mind if I ask why you chose Bruges over Ghent for your stay?

Pat, I looooooove the premise of "constructive sitting"!!!! A necessary restorative therapy !!! And especially when one has nice views !!

Love your enthusiasm for Kings Day, it really comes out here.

And I forgot to mention, but your "hold" language sentences are hilarious !!

I see from your posts too how we could have made better use of our time in Haarlem last year. Wish we had done a canal boat tour there as well.

Pat, I was right behind you. I arrived in Haarlem for my three-night stay on the afternoon of Sunday of the flower parade. I went to Keukenhof on Monday, the 21st. Beautiful (if cold) weather in the morning, but about 2 pm it started to rain. I was pretty tired by then anyway, so just went for the bus line. The gardens were so beautiful. A well-traveled friend had told me years ago that Keukenhof was the most beautiful place she’d ever been and that I must go. I’m so happy that I finally did.

Not too long at all! Lots of good detail and entertaining narrative! I’m sorry you got sick - but yes, better at home AFTER the trip. Thanks for writing it up!

Pat, thanks for your detailed report. Sounds like you had a great time. Hope your feeling better.

Aside from your B&B in Bruges, did you find most places in the Netherlands and Belgium wanted actual cash instead of credit card? Thanks.

Jean, most places wanted tap pay, including the toilets. Some places wouldn't take cash. Of course, folks at the Saturday markets preferred cash.

Your trip report was so fun to read. And SLOT sounds like a good thing to know about. Thank you!

Great trip report! Thank you Pat, and I always think the longer the better, so no need for apology.

We are arriving in Amsterdam in June, but have never heard of SLOT. Is it explained further here on the travel forum? I guess I’ll do some searching.

Pat, thanks for a wonderful trip report! I really enjoyed reading through it, and it just brings back so many memories of the Netherlands. I really do love that country, and you've made me want to get back there sooner than I had anticipated. And King's Day in Leiden sounds like so much fun! You know how much I love Leiden, and I'm glad you got there, but going on King's Day sounds really wonderful!

I'm also glad that you got to Hoorn. I really enjoyed my visit there. And next time I will follow your example and bring a bike along! That's also a good idea about using two different modes to tap and pay. I'm going to be traveling to Scandinavia and Iceland in July with my daughter. Since I'm paying for the trip, I will probably use my credit cards for the tap and pay, but I forgot about my daughter, so I could use my phone or watch to tap in, and she can have the actual credit card.

https://www.schiphol.nl/en/timeslots/

Luv2travel, it's easy getting a time slot at AMS. Have a great trip !

Mardee, Kings Day partying starts the night before, and I assumed went late, but my hotel was quiet. On the actual King's Day evening, I opened the hotel windows, and could hear the thumping music, about 9:45 pm. Then, right at 10:00pm, all music ceased, and all was quiet!

Sandancisco, thanks, Bruges just spoke to me more- no objective criterion!

Thanks, Pat, for a great trip report--it's not too long!

I have two questions:
--Who did you use for the architectural walking tour in Rotterdam? How long was the tour?
--I'm a little concerned about the steep steps in the Anne Frank House, Corrie Ten Boom House, Lord in the Attic , and other locations now that my knees have started acting up fairly often. Are there railings? (I'm guessing probably not.) If there are, then I'm fine.

I'm glad you had such a great return trip and am grateful for all of the details you have provided.

Barbara, for the walking tour, I would definitely try a day time tour, for several reasons-
The evening tour ran long, and even tho we ended around Market Hall, a great area, businesses were closing. Market Hall closed at 8pm, so instead of going in and shopping/eating, we only had a quick glance.
We were tired by the evening, so an additional 2.5 hours on our feet just too much.
Hopefully a different guide- even tho the route was great, I felt our tour guide wasn't the best, due to a heavy accent, and street noise. I believe she was an architect, so the tour was expensive, and I'm not sure we needed such expertise. I don't want to write a negative review, so I'll just suggest Googling Rodderdam Walking Tours, and choose a daytime option. The impressive sites should be included in any walking tour.

In many cases, the steps are ladder like. So there might not be railings, but you can hang on to the rails above your body. The Corrie the Boom and Anne Frank houses are small, so I don't remember excessive sets of stairs, but my memory is fading.
Lord in the Attic was like a jungle gym, however.

Hope this helps !

I rather enjoyed your trip report. Thanks for sharing!