Belgium


Brussels — Brugges — Ghent — Dinat — Luxembourg

My trip to Belgium was full of peculiar structures and snacks, delicious wine, and lush vegetation! If you’re looking to getaway to a destination where everything is central, Belgium is not the spot for you! Although each city has lots of beauty, I felt like there was only so much you could do in each before wanting to hop on a train to the next.
• • • • •
When we arrived in Belgium it occurred to me that I had left my drivers license at home, putting a dent in the plans that we had made based on having a vehicle. We decided to get a good sleep and book some day trips in the morning at breakfast. Despite this hiccup it was nice to be guided by a local for the week and not have stress to worry about enjoying one too many Belgium beverages, while also getting to catch up on snoozing if we needed to on the bus!
• • • • •
Note: avoid using taxi’s at all cost (to save you a hefty cost) and only use Uber if you can!


Brussels

On this tour of the country side we were able to explore Zaanse Schans, a quaint windmill village with a glimpse of the inside of a working windmill along with a short tour of how it works. Edam, a small village with lot of history and beautiful cobblestone streets! Volendam, the home of the famous cheese factory where you will get to see how cheese is made as well as take a visit to the stroopwafel shop with a demonstration of how that is made as well, both having lots of opportunities to sample the tastiness! And last but not least Marken, a short 30 minute boat ride from Volendam where you will get to take a tour of a clog factory which was one of my favourite stops because you actually get to see the woodworker make a clog right in front of you!

If you do decide to do this tour make sure you pay the few extra bucks to get the full package so you’re able to see inside the windmill, cheese factory, stroopwafel shop, and take the boat over to Marken where you get to experience the clog making factory!

Ghent

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Brugges

Did you know… Amsterdam is 6.6ft or 2m below sea level and is super flat making biking and walking anywhere a breeze! While you stay in this city you will constantly be finding new and exciting things you want to see and explore. The Anne Frank House is definitely a must, make sure you buy your tickets in advance! If you’re also looking to fill up a day, the Rijks Museum is an enormous art museum with lots of history and is surrounded by smaller art museums such as the Banksy Museum. NEMO is the science centre with plenty of interactive exhibits and access to an outdoor stairway to the rooftop with a beautiful view of the city! From art museums, shopping strips and book stores, theres definitely something for everybody here!

While you’re busy admiring what Amsterdam has to offer, you’ll definitely get hungry; luckily the Netherlands is known for their spice trading so they have a little bit of everything and like to show it off! Whether you’re looking for a fresh bakery, a bar, or a somewhere to get dressed up for, Amsterdam has it all!


Tips & Fun Facts!

Coffeeshops DO NOT serve coffee! Well some of them may, but primarily these are for buying and smoking marijuana products!

Amsterdam has a very strong sterilization program meaning you won’t see any stray dogs or cats in fact you will rarely see any dogs anywhere! Cats are the dominant pet of choice by far for cuddling but also to help keep the mice / rat population down.

Dinat

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Luxembourg

25% of Amsterdam is canal so it just makes sense to take a tour of the city via boat! During the boat tour you’ll be able to see the city from a whole different angle and learn some great history along the way. While you’re walking the streets there are boat tours everywhere you look for pretty cheap, but as per a friends recommendation we decided to spend a few extra bucks and book a tour with ‘Those Dam Boat Guys’! Due to it being a slow day we ended up getting a boat all to ourselves and got to explore the canals in whatever fashion we wanted while learning all kinds of things about the city!

Where to Stay

We ended up staying at 2 different places this trip! Our first stay was at the Albus Hotel which was central to everything from good eats to activities to entertainment with super friendly staff! Our second stay was at the Pension Homeland, a former navy base which was super homey, on the water (perfect for watching sunsets!), and felt less touristy being out of the hustle and bustle. Pension Homeland wasn’t as central but still within a 15min walk from everything we would want to do/see!

I would definitely stay at either accommodation again!

For Next Time…

Dinat — outskirts of Walzin Castle, Foundry des Chiens yellow hiking trail (start at Church of Nismes)
Ypres — sanctuary wood museum, Yorkshire trench & dugout
Brussels & Area — “reading between the lines” for sunset, Hallerbos forest, Waterloo battlefield, Poet Aert (transparent elevator)
Antwerp — De Schorres (hidden trails), Borrekens Castle, Fijthout (nature walk), tulip fields

Previous
Previous

Italy

Next
Next

Amsterdam