The Best Attractions of Benelux in 7 Days

We spent 7 days road-tripping through the Benelux as a detour from our longer trip around France: 3 days in Belgium (Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp), 3 in the Netherlands (Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht) and 1 in Luxembourg City. It cost our family of four 1,501 EUR (about 1,755 USD at 2018 rates), or 214 EUR (251 USD) a day. Ghent and Utrecht turned out to be our two favorite stops, and the Netherlands left the deepest impression of the three countries.

Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are three distinct countries, and a single article can only scratch the surface of each — but with just a week to spend in the Benelux, that’s exactly what we did.

The Best Attractions of Benelux

Belgium

In Belgium, we focused on the Flemish region, where Dutch is spoken. Its rich architectural heritage charmed us: rows of gabled buildings, colored brick and wooden shutters. We also had our first uneasy moment since starting our world tour, a sense of insecurity in a few central, touristy parts of Brussels. Our clear favorite was the city of Ghent.

Netherlands

Belgium had left us with an impression of near-chaos on Brussels’ streets, so the efficiency of Dutch infrastructure left us speechless by comparison. Much of the country sits below sea level, and an ingenious system of dikes and canals keeps it from disappearing. In the Netherlands, everything seems designed for the smooth flow of people getting around: we admired how even a single roundabout is engineered to slow traffic as little as possible, and how a vast network of cycle paths weaves seamlessly through roads and sidewalks. A resident of Utrecht can park a bike at the train station, ride to Amsterdam in 18 minutes flat, and hop on a second bike waiting at the other end — which explains the sheer size of the bike parking lots we saw.

2026 update: The Anne Frank House sells tickets online only, released every Tuesday for the slot six weeks ahead — there’s no box office, so book before you go (official site).

Luxembourg

Luxembourg holds an excellent strategic position at the heart of Western Europe and ranks among the top 3 countries for GDP per capita. Its high quality of life is easy to feel while wandering the streets of the capital, where fortifications, towers, stairs and bridges shape the landscape. From its heights, Luxembourg City opens onto breathtaking panoramic views.

How to Plan a 7-Day Trip to Benelux

Itinerary

This 7-day Benelux detour was part of our longer tour of France. We spent three days in Belgium (Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp), three in the Netherlands (Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht) and one in Luxembourg City.

1. Grande place, Bruxelles
2. Manneken pis
3. Bruges
4. Atomium
5. Luxembourg
6. Amsterdam
7. Kinderdijk
8. Markthal, Rotterdam
9. Ghent
10. Antwerpen
11. Utrecht, Netherlands
12. Reading between the lines

Getting Around and Where We Stayed

We got around in the same Renault Grand Scenic we had rented for our trip through France.

In Belgium, we found a great Airbnb for 3 nights right in the center of Brussels, parking included, which we used as a base for day trips to the other Belgian cities.

In the Netherlands, we would have liked to stay in Amsterdam, but the prices there were extortionate, so we stayed a little further out, in an apartment-hotel in Utrecht, for 3 nights. It turned out to be the right call: we might never have discovered this wonderful city otherwise, and it’s now our favorite in the Netherlands.

In Luxembourg, to save money, we stayed across the border in Thionville, France, for one night.

What to Eat in Benelux

We didn’t know a waffle could be this good. In Belgium, they’re thick, soft and sweet — a real treat.

Mussels and fries are Belgium’s claim to fame. We first tried them in Brussels 20 years ago and weren’t especially impressed; 20 years later, nothing had changed. They’re fine, but nothing more.

One tip: in Belgium, don’t make the mistake of ordering “French fries” at a local fry stand, or you’ll be treated like a criminal. Belgian fries are on a different level from McDonald’s, thanks to a two-stage frying method in beef fat that gives them their distinctive flavor.

In the Netherlands, herring is eaten fresh, held by the tail and lowered into your mouth. It’s sweet and full of flavor!

How Much Does a Week in Benelux Cost?

Housing made up the largest share of our costs. We were traveling with my parents and sister, so — as we did for our France trip — we subtracted 3/7 of our accommodation and food costs, their share of the group. We didn’t subtract anything from transport, since traveling without them wouldn’t have saved us on gas, tolls or parking.

In the end, our family of four’s real cost for the Benelux was:

• 1,501.00 EUR (1,755.33 USD);
• 214.42 EUR (250.75 USD) per day;
• 53.60 EUR (62.68 USD) per person per day.

Amounts were paid in euros. US-dollar equivalents use the average exchange rate during our trip (July 2 – July 9, 2018): 1 EUR = 1.17 USD.

In detail:

Expense Category	Amount Spent
Accomodation	873,00 EUR / 1,020.92 USD
Transport (including gas and parking)	320,00 EUR / 374.22 USD
Eating out	182,00 EUR / 212.84 USD
Groceries	126,00 EUR / 147.35 USD
Total	1.501,00 EUR / 1,755.33 USD

Conclusion

Our trip to the Benelux was brief but intense. Three countries, one region, and real differences between them — the Netherlands, in particular, left a lasting impression with its way of life and its outlook.

Next stop: Austria.