In the previous two trips we had a great time exploring Nepal and Sri Lanka. This time around, visiting Netherlands and Belgium, we wanted a relatively “easy” family travel destination. Somewhere that doesn’t require us to get vaccinated and bringing in every kind of medication known to mankind (LOL).
For our seventh family travel adventure we chose Netherlands and Belgium because:
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- The flight tickets were $1100 return with Emirates (great value for summer time)
- Berlin is now a seasoned long haul traveller
- Easy getting around – good public transport and train network between cities
- Attractions there are generally kids friendly and Berlin is still free of charge
- Perfect weather – Berlin’s first European summer
During the trip we based ourselves in 5 cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Ghent, Bruges and Brussels.
Covering 5 cities in 2.5 weeks may sound exhausting, BUT these towns are only within short train ride away from of each other. Getting around was super easy – with frequent trains and intercity tickets purchased on the same day of travel. In between, we also did a number of day trips to smaller towns.
Amsterdam
We spent 4 nights in this “Venice of the North”. We must say the city itself is pretty – although prettier in photos than in real life. The narrow footpaths and excessive number of bicycles traveling on the road was a bit of a shock so it wasn’t the most stroller friendly cities. The biggest highlight in this city is none other than the kids friendly museums. We visited the National Maritime Museum, Anne Frank Huis, Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum (all tickets booked online before we arrived).
We did a day trip to Haarlem to escape the crowd. And another side trip to Zaanse Schans to see the windmills. We loved seeing the windmills in action, clog making demonstrations and cheese sampling. Although touristy it remains a must visit place in the Netherlands.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam was heavily bombed during the war, hence all the new and modern buildings. We loved visiting the Markthal, not just for eating the yummy foods but also admiring the colourful artwork. And the Rotterdam zoo deserved a special mention too as we got to see polar bears for the first time ever!
We also did a day trip to Delft where we both tried the famous raw herring (Tara wasn’t a big fan). Another side trip was to visit The Hauge to see the beautiful Binnenhof and the amazing Louwman museum. The latter houses impressive private car collections – from antique cars to formula 1 racing cars.
Ghent
We loved it here. We stayed for 2 nights and just loved walking around the old town, admiring the beautiful architecture; St Bavo’s cathedral, Belfry and of course the houses along the canals of Graslei & Korenlei. One can never get bored of that view!
On our way to Ghent we also stopped by Antwerp for a day trip. Antwerp’s central train station was a sight to behold. We came on a Sunday so the grote markt (market square) was buzzing with stalls selling arts & crafts and clothing. Unfortunately the city hall was undergoing a massive renovation work, so it was covered with scaffolding,
Bruges
This is our favourite town during the trip. While the first day we arrived in Bruges, the weather was so dark and gloomy. So glad we stayed 2 nights here as the second day, weather was picture perfect. Bruges is very popular amongst day trippers (mainly senior group tours) – so once they left around 5 pm, the town is empty! And that’s when one can really appreciate the beauty of this place.
Our hotel (Novotel) is 15 minutes walk to the historic market centre, but the walk never gets old.
Brussels
Our last stop, Brussels was by far the busiest city out of all of them and where we saw the most group tours from all over the world. We had mixed feelings about this place. The city as a whole was just alright – lots of construction work when we visited. But the Grand place iconic square is simply stunning. We came here every single day during our 4 nights stay, just to admire the opulent buildings.
We also did a lot of the usual touristy stuff here; like visiting Mini-Europe (Berlin actually had heaps of fun there), visiting the Manneken Pis (the most overrated attraction ever). And ate expensive waffles at Maison Dandoy (but it was worth every single bite).
So would we go back to Netherlands & Belgium?
Of course!! But maybe not in the next 10 years. The towns were absolutely beautiful but we feel majority of the attractions are based on historical sites. So even if we don’t revisit for another decade, the sights and attractions won’t change much.
How much was the flight and how long?
Earlier this year, we received a very exciting email from Emirates for their early bird Europe sale. They promoted flying return to Amsterdam for only $1219. Since we are not a big fan of flying return (we prefer to not waste time on transit getting back to the original city), we decided to play around with the search button. Found out if we exited through Brussels, we only had to pay $50 more. We then used additional 5% off discount code through Entertainment Book. We also accumulated $100 each in skyward miles points from our last Emirates trip to England. So we snagged a really great bargain of paying $1100 return.
There’s no direct flight from Perth to Amsterdam. The flight to Dubai was around 11 hours. We had a 3 hours transit at Dubai airport, which gave us enough time to have a meal, stretch our legs and go through security before heading on to the second leg. Dubai to Amsterdam took another 7 hours. Long haul flights actually excite us! Partly because we know how well behaved Berlin was in our previous long haul flights. We prepared ourselves well by bringing his favourite snacks and toys. Alfred & Tara were able to watch movies back to back, had our meals and wine in peace.
How was the jet lag?
Perth is 6 hours ahead of Netherlands so there was a slight element of jet lag in the first two days. But we were too excited with sightseeing hence didn’t really affect us.
The jet lag hit us harder when we came back to Perth (aka reality).
What was the weather like?
PERFECT! Not a single day of rain, and 10.30pm sunsets! Days in June are super long and you get to be out and about that much longer.
Day time temperature in Netherlands was in the mid 20s degrees Celsius. Belgium was slightly colder with average daytime temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. Light jacket was sufficient for early morning and evening walks.
How many luggages did we bring?
As always we tried to travel as light as possible. For the three of us, we had 1 big 80cm luggage, 1 medium 68cm luggage and a backpack. Alfred was in charge of the luggages and Tara was in charge of Berlin and the stroller. We had multiple city changes via the train, so it was crucial we kept our belongings to the minimum.
Was it easy getting around?
Public transportation is easy and straight to the point. Tickets are purchased through the vending machines and all have English option. You can pay via cash or credit card. Almost all stations have escalator or elevator. This came in real handy as we took the stroller out every single day.
Was Netherlands & Belgium cheap?
Sadly – NO! We found both to be more expensive then Germany and England. Choosing a budget friendly accommodation was quite tricky since we did go in high season. Our accommodation cost on average $180 per night for a standard room with an extra bed. We stayed at mixture of Ibis Hotel, a 3 star boutique hotel, a service apartment and at Novotel. All centrally located, within walking distance to the city centre or the main train station.
How about food and drinks?
Food prices were comparable to our hometown. Most restaurants have lunch specials at really reasonable prices. As for drinks, water is like liquid gold! We are so used to drinking free tap water in cafes and restaurants in Australia – so we are NOT used to paying exorbitant prices for water. Save money by bringing your own water bottle.
1 litre of water cost around 7 euros. And coffees around 4 euros. Berlin’s apple juice and hot chocolate surprisingly always cost more than our beers!
And how about the people?
We didn’t get a lot of local interactions over there. We found the locals to be helpful but not overly friendly. Everyone spoke really good English, so language barrier wasn’t an issue at all. Every time we dine at restaurants, the waiters would straight away hand us the English menu.
Is Europe safe?
YES! Both in Netherlands and Belgium. Obviously the same rule applies everywhere – be vigilant wherever you are and don’t attract too much attention by wearing valuable items.
The only city where we felt a bit uneasy was Brussels. There were quite a number of homeless people and beggars around. We also saw policemen and armed forces patrolling the main streets and in train stations on daily basis.
Despite the fear the media has portrayed regarding Europe, it still proves to be a very popular destination. If you are considering whether or not to go, just book your tickets and GO!!
