Benelux countries
 

We are frequent, and I suppose, experienced European travelers. We're thinking about going to Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg in late May for perhaps 12 days. Flying into either Brussels, Amsersdam or Luxembourg City - renting a car and winging it from there. Just looking for suggestions - interesting things to see and do. We like Old Towns, Castles and fortresses and mingling with the local folk. Had briefly been to Brussels and Amsterdam before but want to really get a much "stronger dose" of what the Benelux countries are all about. Many sincere thanks in advance.

It's been a few years since I've done it, but I always thought the drive down the Meuse valley was extraordinarily pretty, with lots of lovely towns to stop in (and lots of fresh trout dishes to try along the way).

Also, Utrecht, Delft, Appeldoorn, the Het Loo museum.

If you have a car you are in a very good position to visit the Ardennes and the Eifel (the little town of Prüm is very pretty). Best to see these with a car as the train service here doesn't do the area justice. La Roche-en-Ardenne is nice. I would also think about Maastricht, Valkenburg and the rest of South Limburg as that's an easy drive from this area. Luxembourg is also charming but if you want to get a better sense of the old town be prepared to walk down into the valley (the casemates and the new town are on top of the hill, the old town is down below).

Lavandula

You might also visit the little town of Bouillon, on the River Semois, on your way through the Ardennes (It's pretty much on the French border). Pretty scenery, and there is a castle, Château de Bouillon, on the hilltop above the town.

Lavandula

Be prepared for high petrol prices. Though lower in Belgium and Luxembourg they are still very high.

If you fly into Amsterdam then with a car you could initially head north and go over the Afsluitdijk into Friesland, work your way back around the Ijsselmeer, visit Apeldoorn, maybe Hoge Veluwe, hen Utrecht and head down the A2 to Maastricht (maybe the US military cemetery and Margraten too) and on to Belgium, or take the A27 from Utrecht to Antwerp, maybe calling in on Breda or the Vincent van Goghhuis in Zundert ( www.vangoghhuis.com )on your way.

If you do go over the Afsluitdijk take time to visit the Kazematten Museum near the Friesian end of it, if you are there on a Wednesday or Saturday.
Be aware that you will pay extra for leaving a Dutch car in one of the other countries (just as you will for a Belgian or Luxemboug car) so you will probably want to make a round trip out of it rather than open-jaw.

We really enjoyed visiting the Kröller-Müller Museum in the National Park De Hoge Veluwe near Arnhem.

http://www.kmm.nl/?lang=en

See my trip report from last fall for information about this museum and some places you might like to visit in Belgium.