Seven Days in Amsterdam and Belgium

This vacation was just my husband and I, so we had a chance to do our own thing, which was really nice. We don’t get to do that very often. I visited Belgium when I was fifteen, and some parts were exactly like I remember, but it was interesting revisiting the old places. I think that Americans should dedicate a bit more time to Belgium. Don’t sleep on it. It seems to be underrated for some reason. Also, if you can get to Amsterdam to see the tulips in bloom, it’s so worth the visit.

Day 1

I realized it was peak tulip season in Amsterdam after we booked our trip, so we made the last-minute decision to switch our flights, spend the night, and visit Keukenhof Gardens. It was beautiful, and I’m glad we made the detour. I couldn’t believe how big the gardens were. There were other huge tulip fields outside the city, too. Seeing them took up our entire first day, and we capped it off with a delicious dinner before getting ready to go to Antwerp the following morning.

Day 2

We took the train from Amsterdam to Antwerp and hit the ground running, with a visit to the Rubenshuis, which is where the artist Peter Paul Rubens lived. I loved it. There are spectacular gardens and a comprehensive exhibit about his life. We also visited the Cathedral of Our Lady, which had several Rubens’ paintings, including a gigantic triptych, which is a three-paneled work of art. Then we strolled through the Grote Markt in the older part of town. The architecture is stunning, and we were able to get some truly great photos. Of course, there are plenty of cafes there too, so we grabbed some beers and people-watched.

We didn’t have a lot of time in Antwerp; just one night. I’m glad I went, but I also wish we’d had more time. There are so many charming aspects of it, like the train station, which is often cited as one of the most beautiful in Europe; the architecture in general; and the cathedral.  

Day 3

On the third day we hopped on the train again, this time traveling to Bruges. I haven’t been there in quite a while, but once I arrived, I remembered why I always adored it. It was so cool to be back. I loved being there, and we stayed for two nights. We got to Bruges quite early and started our day by climbing the 83-meter-high Belfort tower in the main square, which I also did when I was fifteen. Then we visited the Church of Our Lady, which has the only Michelangelo sculpture outside Italy: the Madonna and Child.

On my first trip to Bruges, we were supposed to take a canal ride through the city, but it was canceled because of the rain, so I was really excited to do it this time. It’s an excellent way to see the whole city. We grabbed waffles and went to De Halve Maan for a brewery tour. They make their beer right in the city center, and the brewery is an important part of Bruges’ culture. One fascinating aspect of De Halve Maan is their new pipeline, which connects it to a modern bottling facility outside the city. You can actually see the pipeline through a manhole-sized window in the ground. It’s so cool.

Day 4

The next day we took a trip to Ghent, which was extremely easy and just a twenty-minute train ride away. The main reason I wanted to visit was to check out St. Bavo’s Cathedral and Jan van Eyck’s Ghent Altarpiece. If you’ve read “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History,” you’ll know the history. It was taken by Hitler during World War II and returned to its rightful place. It’s a triptych, with paintings on the inside and outside, and the condition and colors were splendid.

We also stopped at De Dulle Griet, mostly to escape an impromptu rainstorm. Their claim to fame is that they take your shoe when you order a beer, then give it back when you bring them the glass. I’m not sure why they do this, but maybe they don’t want people stealing glasses, and who’s going to leave without their shoes? It was a fun spot, and I’m glad that my husband suggested it. We finished up our Ghent adventure at the Castle of the Counts. The tour came with an excellent audio guide that fully explains the history and how life was in the castle. Afterward, we took the quick trip back to Bruges. 

Day 5

The fifth day we traveled from Bruges to Brussels by train and checked into the Hotel Amigo. There’s no better location in the city; it’s close to the train station, and the hotel itself was phenomenal. It’s one block from the Grand-Place, Brussels’ main square. Again, we got there nice and early and started sightseeing right away. We saw the trio of famous statues, Manneken Pis, Jeanneke Pis, and Het Zinneke, then wandered through the Grand-Place.

We went to Belgium Beer World, which had a really fascinating, interactive exhibit. I felt like they did an impressive job of appealing to everyone and walked you through the whole beer-making process. We got tasting there too, and they had a fantastic rooftop patio with panoramic views of the city where you can watch the sunset. I have to talk about Belgian food, too. We ate frites literally every day, and there were so many mayo-based dipping sauces with basil, truffles, and a Spanish-seasoned one. We had mussels, carbonade, vol-au-vent, and lots of tartare. There were phenomenal restaurants everywhere. Belgium is a food-lovers’ destination, and the chocolate is just spectacular.

Day 6

Dinant was on the agenda for the next day. I’ve had clients go there, but it was my first time visiting, and it’s quite pretty. Dinant’s claim to fame is that Adolphe Sax, the guy who invented the saxophone, was born there. There’s a small bridge lined with saxophone sculptures with different cities painted on them and a lovely church. The best thing for me was the Citadel of Dinant, a fortress that looks over the town with a recreated World War I bunker. You can also explore different rooms and learn about Belgian military history. We absolutely wanted to go. Plus, there’s a grassy area on top of the bunker with amazing views of the town and valley.

Getting to the Citadel of Dinant was a trek, literally. There are 408 steps, and the funicular wasn’t running, so we climbed all the way to the top! Back in Brussels we had a wonderful dinner of Filet Américain, a Belgian version of tartare with mayonnaise, and then went to Delirium Cafe. This pub is famous in Brussels and even in the Guinness World Records for having thousands of bottled and draft beers. I had the Delirium Nocturnum, which is a delicious dark brew that you can get back in the states at speciality beer shops.

Day 7

On our last full day, we took the morning and early afternoon to explore Brussels before setting off for Paris. We got up early and walked everywhere, to the Royal Palace, Galeries Royale Saint-Hubert, and the Seblon neighborhood. We also stopped by the Cantillon Brewery, which makes some outstanding lambic (fruit) beers. You don’t see a lot of lambic beers in the United States, so I was excited to taste some. We got to try three, and I was not disappointed.

Next, we took the train to Paris and paid a visit to Notre Dame. It was so good to see it again; I haven’t been inside since I was a teenager, and the last several times I was in Paris, it was being refurbished, especially after the fire. I was almost disarmed by how clean and bright it is inside. They were able to save the rose window and a few other stained glass pieces from the original cathedral. We finished off our whirlwind trip to Paris at Benoit, a charming little bistro we’ve been to before and completely love. 

It’s so easy to get around Belgium by train. Traveling this way is convenient and easy, and you can go from A to Z quickly. The trains are nice, comfortable, and many times you can get tickets on the spot. Don’t miss Belgium. It’s worth booking a week there, and you’ll have the vacation of a lifetime.