nicolf

Hi,
I'm hoping to get some suggestions for my trip to Netherlands and Belgium. I arrive at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol by 3 pm on 13th May, 2016 and will leave on the night of 30th May, 2016 from Brussels to Bombay, India. I'll be travelling ALONE and this is my first trip to Netherlands and Belgium.

Tentative schedule:

13th - Amsterdam (late afternoon)
14th - Amsterdam
15th - Amsterdam
16th - Amsterdam
17th - Amsterdam
18th - Amsterdam
19th - Amsterdam
20th - Train to Antwerp
21st - Antwerp
22nd - Train to Ghent
23rd - Ghent
24th - Train to Bruges
25th - Bruges
26th - Train to Luxembourg city
27th - Luxembourg city
28th - Train to Brussels
29th - Brussels
30th - Brussels

Is the list doable for a 17 day trip? Should I spend 2 days exploring Luxembourg or is 1 day enough? Because, it'll give me another day to explore Netherlands. Also, 13th-19th May I've mentioned only Amsterdam because I'm confused if I should stay there and use it as a base to take day trips to Delft, Utrecht, Hague, Rotterdam, Haarlem, and Groningen or stay in other cities as well?

Interest levels as far as historical sites are concerned - SUPER HIGH
Interest levels as far as food is concerned - SUPER HIGH
Interest levels as far as shopping is concerned - AVERAGE

I plan to walk around a lot and use public transport - metro, train and buses. Want to experience the "must try"/"must visit" dishes/restaurants.

I'd appreciate any suggestions with regards to an itinerary, accommodation, travel, food and any other tips that you see fit.

Tulips

Amsterdam is an easy base for visiting the other cities - except for Groningen, which is a long daytrip from Amsterdam.

I would skip Luxemburg and add those days to Belgium or the Netherlands, but that's just my opinion. I don't find Luxemburg that interesting. You could add some of the smaller towns in Belgium, such as Leuven or Mechelen.

dfourh

If it were me, and the plan was to visit Delft, Hague, Rotterdam, and Haarlem, I would cut the Amsterdam nights and base further south. Leiden is a nice university town (also worth a visit) and if you wanted something super convenient there are a couple hotels directly by the station. Or stay in Haarlem - - a different, calmer, cleaner experience than Amsterdam (the comings and goings from Amsterdam Centraal can be a bit of a hassle if you are doing it repeatedly). Delft might be an easy transit point too. Whether Haarlem, Leiden, Delft or even the Hague, I would look for someplace pleasant, and easy to get to from a train station.

Whathello

Hi
Sounds good to me.
Luxembourg doens't need 2 days. Just visit it as either a daytrip or sleep there and go in the morning to Brussels.
Trips in trains in Belgium are short : Antwerpen - Bruxelles is one hour max for example, so you will have nearly the full day at destination.

tonfromleiden

Haarlem is a perfect alternative to Amsterdam as a base, if not better for the reasons dfourh mentions. The frequent train to Amsterdam takes 15 to 20 mins.
Likewise Ghent (Gent) is a good base for Belgium. Antwerp is one hour away, and Brugge and Brussels half an hour.
Luxemburg would be a long (and possibly costly) daytrip. Better invest your time in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Whathello

I don't like Luxemburg that much but the sight of the city from the other side of the valley is quite nice.

tower

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...Pg8r6L6QE#Here are some pix that may guide you or a least give you some ideas. Brugge, Brussels and Antwerp will follow below.

Unless you are interested in WW II sites, Luxemburg is scenic but not a must IMO.

tower

Likewise, these will give you a good feel for Belgium
https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...russelsAntwerp

Antwerp is a short day trip and its Rubenshuis is certainly worth an educational visit. You'll see evidence that Rubens was the Henry Ford of painting...using Henry's "assembly line method" of production by hiring several painters to follow his instructions, each working on a specific segment in producing a work of Rubens' art. Found this fascinating.
The massive studio (see ad) is a short walking distance from the station. To the left as you leave the station is a street called Pelikanstraat, home of numerous kiosks housing diamond dealers..in that area you'll also find a diamond museum which has an informative tour. If you see a diamond drop to the floor, simply step on it and when safe, transfer it to your pocket. I did $22,000 worth on my visit. Oh, yes, if you're caught it's 10 years in a lockup!

If you're doing Brugge on a day trip, take the earliest train from Brussels and a late one back to give you plenty of time in the town. One full day could be worthwhile, although two would be better, IMO. Take the small boat up the Grand Canal to nearby Damme..stroll, have lunch and sail back. Alternatively, you can rent a bike or hike it.

There are a few excellent museums in Brugge, also, and green-painted wagons in the Gros Markt featuring the famed Belgian fries with assorted sauces. My wife enjoyed one of the the knitting schools where you can observe and try your hand at it.

Just by strolling through the town you can come across some outstanding restaurants. Near the Minnewater, a most colorful part of the town there are quite a few dining choices in pleasant surroundings.

Amsterdam daytrips can include Keukenhof Gardens (month of May should be blossom-time including Tulips, Kinderdijk's windmills, do not short change Rotterdam, a metropolis completely rebuilt since the WW II bombings....and one of the world's largest ports. If there is a train from Am'dam to little canal town, Giethoorn, it's quite scenic (see pix)...Short day trip to Volendam and Edam on the inland sea, and we liked Delft and it's porcelain factories.

Have a great trip, Nicolf

dfourh

Maybe 4 nights Amsterdam (to get the full megacity tourist phantasmagoria experience) then 3 nights elsewhere used as a base for side-trips would be a nice balance (to experience more purely Dutch Holland; and to recover from Amsterdam!). Amsterdam has the advantage and disadvantage of being exciting (but always packed to the gills with excitement-seekers) and a cosmopolitan world destination (sometimes overrun by non-natives).

PalenQ

About trains - check the Benelux Railpass to hop on nearly all trains in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg - fully flexible do nothing but show up at the station - and IME of riding domestic trains ad nauseum around Benelux 2nd class can always be quite full- especially at rush hours where first class will usually be half or more empty IME - the pass is a good deal for your wide-ranging plans and in first class is is even a better deal - great sources of info on Benelux trains www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com.

There are no seat reservations possible on regular trains I believe so finding empty seats can be hard at times in 2nd class.

I would do day trips from Amsterdam to Dutch regional towns and come back to a vibrant city at night - some regional towns tend to be dead as door nails when stores close but not Amsterdam.

PalenQ

Should I spend 2 days exploring Luxembourg or is 1 day enough?>
For the city one day would be IME more than enough - the city is physically gorgeous as it sits atop a deep gorge.

Now the Grandy Duchy of Luxembourg though tiny has some real gems in it - old castles and towns like Clervaux and a neat little train and bus system to get around - it is a bucolic area few people take time to explore but I'd do a whole day in the Grand Duchy and a day in Luxembourg City.

Check out some of the smaller towns here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=luxe...HT_qAYIQsAQIGw

nicolf

@Tulips; @tonfromleiden; @Whathello; and @ tower, thanks a lot for your help. Skipping Luxembourg for this trip looks like the sensible option.

@dfourh, I’m definitely going with Leiden/Delft as a base apart from Amsterdam.

@tower, many thanks for the detailed list of “things to do” and the links to those gorgeous pictures!

@PalenQ, that’s great train travel advice!

dfourh

>>>>>>>I’m definitely going with Leiden/Delft as a base apart from Amsterdam.

Delft is smaller and more singularly touristy, but very pleasant. Leiden has more life to it, with the university, and with a central canal area brimming with outdoor cafes and shops. The question on Leiden would be to get a hotel that is super convenient for training around, right by the station (very nice hotels; fairly reasonable prices) - - though there is no atmosphere there - - you have to walk about 10 minutes into town to get the real pulse of the city. And there are lovely places to stay around the center with more charm, though then it means a walk or short bus ride to the station.

PalenQ

I'll echo dfourth on his/her take of Leiden over Delft but again you can't go wrong.