john127

We will be driving from Bruges to Amsterdam in July (I know it's REALLY early for this question but we're in excited trip-planning mode) and we were wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a quiet, authentic, scenic town for a lunch stop and stroll.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated as we will be driving back to Brussels and would like to see a different town on the way back as well. Thanks!

John

ira

Hi J,

>I know it's REALLY early for this question but we're in excited trip-planning mode.<

Early?

I'm planning a trip for May, 2007.

Have you booked your airfare?

john127

Oh, we're all booked (hotels, airfare). Staying in Paris for a week with a four day sidetrip through Belgium and Amsterdam. I say it's "really early" because I'm asking about where to have lunch on July 10th! I thought I might sound crazy.

BTilke

It's just outside Bruges, so it's probably too close, but Sluis/Oud Sluis is nice.
Another possibility is Middelburg. There are a few ways of getting there, The more leisurely route is the N376 (which goes right by Sluis) to N58 to N61 to N62 then through the Westerscheldetunnel then continuing on to Middelburg. Attractive town (and off the usual tourist path) with a nice central square with several restaurants/cafes. From there, we would head up along the Zeeland coast then picking up the highway (A15) to Rotterdam area and from there up to Amsterdam (we would turn at Rotterdam and take the freeway back to Brussels).
In mid July, the Zeeland beaches are full of Dutch (and German, I guess) families on holiday. You could pull over for a short beach stroll and some ice cream.
This route would take the better part of the day.

john127

Thanks for the suggestions. We had thought about a drive along the shore, but I guess it depends on how the day is going and how quickly we want to get to Amsterdam. I understand it's about a 2 hour drive from Bruges, yes?

BTilke

I would have guessed longer than that, but we've never done the drive "straight", that is without stops and meanderings along the way on back roads.
A lot of it depends on the traffic/road work situation around Antwerp and on the main highways up to Amsterdam (and around Amsterdam itself).
But if you want to do any stops or scenic road detours, then it will definitely take significantly longer than two hours

john127

Well, just checked, it's more like 2 and 1/2 hours straight through. We were thinking like a stop of 1 to 2 hours in a small, not-so-busy town would be nice and break up the drive.

I'm going to check out your suggestions, thanks again. Any others are appreciated as well!

Tulips

It would be about 2 1/2 hours if you're lucky, with not too much traffic. The fastest route is not really scenic. The only way to make it so, would be BTilke's suggestion of driving through Zeeland and the Westerschelde tunnel. Zeeland is pretty, but also very busy with tourists in July. Middelburg is nice, and also Zierikzee.
Sluis is just over the border, not so far from Brugge, and has the best restaurant in the Netherlands (Oud Sluis) with 3 Michelin stars.

Otherwise, if you take the motorway, you could stop in Breda, which you pass on the motorway. There's a very nice restaurant, right behind the beautiful church on the central market square (Markt), called Chocolat (if you look up Bliss Hotel; it's their restaurant).
Or Wolfslaar, on the outskirts of the city. Highly rated.

Or what would also be nice is to stop at Danieli il Divino, a wonderful Italian restaurant on the outskirts of Antwerp (you wouldn't have to drive into town which is a hassle); great place, especially if you can sit outside for lunch. Let me know if you need more info.

Tulips

Or, just thinking about this, what you could also do is, if you drive to Amsterdam via Utrecht (which is what I normally do), get off the motorway after Utrecht, and follow the Vecht river, through towns like Breukelen, Loenen. Very scenic. You'll find lots of restaurants, as well as beautiful houses, along the river Vecht. This was were wealthy merchants from Amsterdam had their country houses in the past.

Tulips

Here's a route, unfortunately in Dutch; http://www.waterlinieroute.nl/

john127

Great stuff Tulips! Now that I'm thinking about it, I HAVE to stop in Breukelen and Utrecht since I live in Brooklyn, NY only a few blocks from New Utrecht Avenue.

Tulips

Breukelen has a castle, with a moat and bridge, that is now a business school (Nijenrode). Don't know if you can visit (say you're thinking of doing their MBA perhaps?). Can't miss it; it's on the Straatweg along the Vecht.
Between Breukelen and Maarssen, on the Vecht, used to be a restaurant called Slangevecht. Haven't been for years, but it was a wonderful setting, with a terrace on the river.
A bit further on from Breukelen are the Loosdrechtse Plassen; a small lake, very popular in summer with lots of cafes and restaurants along the water.
Have fun!

TamaraEden

Hi John, can I ask how much the rental is costing you? I will be in Amsterdam in march, going straight to Bruges from there. We were thinking of renting a car too, but the price of gas alone is daunting. Thanks in advance for the info.

john127

Hi Tamara,

I have a reservation with Avis (compact car) for $270(US) for the week but I'm renting in Paris and driving up to Belgium and Amsterdam. Mind you, that is for a car with manual transmission, the cheapest automatic I found was $550 (economy car).
Gas is expensive, but remember, the distances aren't all that great.

drempel

With gas prices approaching $3 a gallon here on the west coast, gas really isn't that much more expensive in Europe. (It was about $5 a gallon or €1,24/liter last summer.) If you rent a diesel, you get amazing mileage. If you rent a regular manual transmission, your gas mileage will also be impressive.

MyriamC

3$ a gallon is only half of what we pay in Belgium for gas.
Today's price is 1.31€ or 1.57$ per liter which equals 5.95$ per USgallon.