Amsterdam’s canals and the Grand-Place

Who it is for

For a long weekend, with a painting museum, beer and city walks.

Not for anyone who wants nature.

The strategy

Amsterdam comes first, with three days as a starting point. Then take your chosen train to Brussels, allowing for transfers and a hotel change. The remaining day and a half offers a selection of outings, rather than a promise to see the entire city; choose museums and visits around available opening hours.

What you will see

• Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. National museum opened in 1885 in Pierre Cuypers's building and reopened in 2013 after a ten-year renovation.
• Grand-Place, Brussels. A square of about 68 by 110 m surrounded by guild houses rebuilt between 1696 and 1700, after the French bombardment.

Day by day

Amsterdam

1. 1
   Day 1: The old center and the canal ring

   1. 6BegijnhofUp to half an hourWorth a visit
   2. 5Anne Frank HouseWorth a visit
   3. 3Canal ring (Grachtengordel)Essential
2. 2
   Day 2: Museums, De Pijp and the park

   1. 1RijksmuseumEssential
   2. 2Van Gogh MuseumEssential
   3. 8Vondelpark and MuseumpleinUp to half an hourWorth a visit
3. 3
   Day 3: The Plantage, the docks and the north of the IJ

   1. 7National Holocaust Museum and Portuguese SynagogueWorth a visit
   2. 4NDSM and Eye FilmmuseumUp to half an hourEssential

Brussels

1. 4
   Day 4: The center (the Pentagon), from the Grand-Place to the Mont des Arts

   1. 8Manneken PisUp to half an hourIf there is time
   2. 7Galeries Royales Saint-HubertWorth a visit
   3. 2Royal Museums of Fine Arts and Magritte MuseumEssential
2. 5
   Day 5: Marolles, the hill, and art nouveau · if you have more time

   1. 9Palais de JusticeUp to half an hourIf there is time