Whether you’re a fan of Herge’s Tintin or Rembrandt’s portraits, of moules frites or Edam, of giant city-centre squares or towns crisscrossed by canals, the three Benelux countries have so much to offer visitors that you’ll put on your newly-bought clogs and kick yourself for not having made the trip sooner!
Arguably the three biggest jewels in the Benelux crown are the region’s three most famous cities: Amsterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg. Amsterdam remains one of the continent’s cultural hubs, with its overflowing art museums reflecting the city’s wealthy mercantile past. The cityscape itself remains worthy of portraiture, with canal-side cafés and picture-perfect bridges creating a world away from the bustle of 21st century life.
What Brussels and Luxembourg lack in canals, they more than make up for in other attractions. For fans of the distinctive and delicious Belgian ales, Brussels offers you an almost overwhelming choice of charismatic bars where you can relax after enjoying the city’s markets, squares and churches. Luxembourg, situated amidst dramatic river gorges, provides visitors the chance to explore dungeons and medieval ruins as well as world-renowned art galleries and celebrated restaurants.
Both Brussels and Amsterdam are now served by direct trains from London’s St Pancras station, making either city the perfect place from which to start a trip through the region. Public transport throughout Benelux is excellent, making it easy for you to explore further afield, including the beautiful city of Ghent, the vast, colourful tulip fields in the Netherlands, and the many lovingly preserved battlegrounds and cemeteries of the First World War.