tripplanner001

I'm still hoping for an April trip to Europe, conditions permitting. I am looking at a few options at the moment and don't plan on putting money down for another three or four weeks, with the final determination based on entry and on-the-ground restrictions, COVID infection rates, and infection trends. I would be flying from the United States to Europe on April 14th and returning on April 27th, giving us 12 nights on the ground.

One of the options I am actively considering is a combination of the Netherlands and Belgium. I've been to Amsterdam, Delft, Bruges, and Brussels, but this was 15 years ago. Drawing us to the area is tulip season in the Netherlands. I also enjoyed wandering the medieval towns, its art, as well as its markets (cheese!).

I'm thinking of 7 nights in the Netherlands split between 4 in Amsterdam and 3 in Leiden. In looking at a map, Leiden seems a good base for day trips to Keukenhof (hopefully, it is open this year), Kinderdijk, Gouda, and / or the Hague. I also intend to take one day trip from Amsterdam, perhaps to one of the harbor village or a medieval town.

For Belgium, I'm debating between basing in Antwerp or Brussels and from there visiting Ghent, possibly Bruges, and perhaps some lesser visited towns.

I assume my EU vaccination certificate from France is valid in Belgium and the Netherlands. If you have this experience, it would be good to know.

I'm interested in your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you for your help.

starrs

"I'm thinking of 7 nights in the Netherlands split between 4 in Amsterdam and 3 in Leiden. In looking at a map, Leiden seems a good base for day trips to Keukenhof (hopefully, it is open this year), Kinderdijk, Gouda, and / or the Hague. I also intend to take one day trip from Amsterdam, perhaps to one of the harbor village or a medieval town"

I think Leiden is a good plan. I actually had hotel reservations there (on points) and decided to stay in Amsterdam instead. I do think I would have enjoyed the Leiden stay.

I took a day trip, renting a car at the airport and drove to the north to visit heti. That was a great trip!

hetismij2

If things remain as they are you won't need to show your Covid pass to get in anywhere in the Netherlands. Restrictions are largely being lifted at the end of this month.

I would choose Antwerp over Brussels, but I know others would disagree.

lavandula

If you had Brussels last time, then Antwerp would make a good choice of base this time. You need not go back through Brussels if you go anywhere to the east, which is the most important thing. Ghent is also a good destination.

For lesser-visited but interesting cities in Belgium, I would factor in a selection from Ieper (Ypres), Dinant, Namur, and then perhaps less interesting or smaller, Leuven, Lier, Mechelen. If you have a car for any of your journey, a day trip out to the Ardennes could be interesting. I like La-Roche-en-Ardenne and Han-sur-Lesse (caves), you may care to visit Battle of the Bulge sites if that is part of your history.

Lavandula

tripplanner001

@starrs, @hetismij2, and @lavandula, thank you for your feedback. @lavandula, I will take a look at your suggestions. Not much into war history.

lavandula

Oh, well, Ieper is all about WWI and Bastogne is all about WWII (Battle of the Bulge), so if you don't visit Ieper (which I would place after Ghent in importance) then that will open up some of the other possibilities, perhaps in the east of the country. Or if you are visiting Bruges, you might extend the visit to the Belgian coast: Knokke-Heist for example is near Bruges (posh seaside resort with a casino), or venture out to Damme or Sluis (NL).

Lavandula

Tulips

Easter holidays in Belgium end 18/4, so your dates are good to avoid this. Plan a day in Knokke, hiring electric bicycles to cycle through the Zwin to the Netherlands; Cadzand, Retranchement. Have a good lunch somewhere. Or to Damme and Lissewege (tiny village with some good restaurants, google it). But have a plan B in case of bad weather.

Near Amsterdam, also look at the area between Amsterdam and Utrecht, along the Vecht river. Loenen, Breukelen, Loosdrecht. It is a really lovely area, especially if the weather is good.

tripplanner001

@lavandula and @Tulips, thank you for your suggestions. I have some research to do.

Debbielynn

Outside of Amsterdam is a little village of windmills. You can get there by train. It is just a part day excursion.

https://www.amsterdamtips.com/zaanse-schans

if you are in Brugge, you must eat the French fries from the truck under the town hall in the main square. With mayo, of course! There are no better fries than in Belgium. We also rented bicycles and rode to a neighboring town, Damme, along paths next to the canal. I don’t know what possessed me to ride since I hadn’t ridden in years. My husband, in his 60s at the time, was doing tricks and I was afraid he would fall but it was me, the klutz, who took a spill and almost ended up in the canal!

tripplanner001

@Debbielynn, thank you. I visited Zaanse Schans the last time I was in Amsterdam and enjoyed it. Agree on the fries - and the chocolate!

laura_meyers

I think the easiest is to base yourself in Brussels, as this is in the middle of Belgium and you can easily get anywhere from there. If you're there around late April, you might see the hyacinths in bloom at the Blue Forest!

lavandula

This is called Hallerbos and is to the north of Brussels, near Halle. You will just miss the Royal Greenhouses in Laeken, which open for some weeks in early May.

Lavandula

Southam

https://keukenhof.nl/en/