The largest indoor miniature world of the Netherlands is located in Rotterdam, and aptly named Miniworld Rotterdam. It’s located a few minutes by foot from Rotterdam Central and from the outside of the venue one would not expect such tiny/great world to exist inside and probably many of you have walked past it before.
Now we can’t resist such a heavily detailed Dutch world where the days take 24 minutes for it’s 27.000 little inhabitants – here are 5 reasons why you probably also can’t resist visiting the mesmerizing Miniworld Rotterdam.
Tiny and Great: Rotterdam like you’ve never seen it before
There’s so much more to Rotterdam than just the Markthal, and that goes for the Netherlands as well. Miniworld Rotterdam has the best of both worlds on display. Of course there are famous modern Rotterdam landmarks such as the Erasmusbrug and the stylish Central Station present, but even better (especially for a Rotterdam-born boy like me) are old classics such as ‘The Hef’ bridge and the White Tower, which was one of the first skyscrapers of Europe.
We miss those stairs from last yearBlijdorp!
Besides Rotterdam there are plenty of other scenes from Dutch landscapes to be seen. Other gems that stood out were the beach and the windmill site of Kinderdijk.
Besides those real life places, they also had some generic Dutch places, intending to show you life in the Netherlands outside the big cities. (This way you can tell your friends you did more than just eat cheese and visit coffeeshops 😉
Day and Night
One of the features of Miniworld Rotterdam that I liked the most was the difference between night and day. This is something you just don’t have in outdoor miniature worlds and you don’t know that you’re missing it until the sun sets (in a minute or something) and all those magical little lights start flickering.
Many of the displays have a button to push that starts little light- and animation shows (as a grown-up, you’ll find yourself pushing these buttons like a little kid) I also found the ’24-minute day’ of Miniworld Rotterdam to be the perfect length for a visit.
History: see pre-war Rotterdam
It’s not just gazing at all the tiny details there (but to honest, that was certainly extremely entertaining). Miniworld Rotterdam also aims to entertain and inform (just like DutchReview!), where you’ll see this at it’s best is when it comes to pre-war Rotterdam. As most of you know, Rotterdam thanks its modern spirit to a German blitz at the beginning of the second World War.
Only a few buildings remained in the city center and it’s almost something from another world to see how Rotterdam was before the war. Pictures can only tell you a little bit, so the intricate models of the pre-war city really hammer it home how much the city has changed since then. And also, what a beautiful city is lost…
Rotterdam had its own ‘achterhuis’ with the Breepleinkerk. It’s stories like this you also pick up at Miniworld
Besides pre-war Rotterdam there’s also plenty to pick up on other themes such as other historical themes, such as the port and all that infrastructure surrounding Rotterdam. So no worries if you’re going to accompany your kids for a visit, plenty of adult fun as well.
Trains-galore!
Not really a non-biased reporter here since I love model-trains like Sheldon Cooper loves regular trains. If you’re a sucker for these just like me then you’ve come to the right address. Miniworld Rotterdam has seemingly countless little trains running throughout their displays.
It’s also interesting to see how they set this whole thing up – easy to get lost in that puzzle as you can see:
Miniworld Rotterdam: The amazing craftmanship
It’s one of these things you don’t think about before visiting Miniworld Rotterdam. But every little car, building or person on display is handmade by a hardworking team which for the most is made up by volunteers. When you’re visiting you can also see their workplace, only makes you appreciate the great detail of all of it!
The Workplace – where all the magic/hard work happens
In all this craftsmanship you’ll also see how this miniworld actually came to be. The founder had mini-made the farm of his grandparents because he missed it so much, just for nostalgic reason – like so many other people do.
The Farm
Fast forward 10 years later and he’s heading this miniworld, and combining the good work by all these volunteers to show it to the world.
And oh boy the details:
If you’re visiting Miniworld Rotterdam and you’re on instagram then don’t forget to tag your pics with #miniworldrotterdam
Starting tomorrow, the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 will begin, hosted right here in Holland! Hosted in 7 different venues around the country, 16 teams will be fighting it out across 31 matches for the title. This year’s EURO is bigger than ever, having been expanded to 16 teams (from 12 in 2009 and 2013) and it’s sure to be one of the most exciting ones yet.
The past has seen absolute dominance from Germany, but this year is likely to see staunch opposition against the 8-time victors. But to help you prepare for the next weeks’ upcoming excitement, we at DutchReview have put together a quick little guide to help you make the most of your EURO viewing.
The Groups
Group A: Netherlands (hosts), Norway, Denmark, Belgium
Group B: Germany (holders), Sweden, Italy, Russia
Group C: France, Iceland, Austria, Switzerland
Group D: England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal
The group draw has resulted in some lovely regional derbies, making this EURO even more exciting. Netherlands-Belgium, Denmark-Norway, France-Switzerland, Switzerland-Austria, England-Scotland, Spain-Portugal. We’re in for a treat! It’s even difficult to pick out a group of death among them, and they’re all likely to exceptionally competitive.
Teams to Watch
It’s extremely difficult to pick out a handful of teams to watch because this year’s EURO will see a lot of well-matched teams. Nevertheless, we’ve pick out two teams from each group that we think are more likely to make the quarterfinals and could use that extra attention.
Group A
Norway
Norway’s Ada Hegerberg is definitely a big threat to the Dutch
The biggest competition for the Netherlands for the title of Group A will most likely be Norway. Other than Germany, Norway has the most UEFA Women’s EURO titles with two, even though the last one was back in 1993.
While many like to write off Norway, focusing instead on countries like Sweden, Germany, and France, the Norwegians have performed very well in the past several EUROs. In 2009 they reached the semi-finals (knocked out in penalties), and even made the finals in 2005 and most recently, in 2013. Both of their final appearances resulted in German victories, though, and Norway will be raring for revenge.
The 2013 final even saw Norway lost 1-0 with two missed penalties, resulting in a bitter loss. Make sure to keep an eye on the Norwegian women, because they’re sure to come up with another big performance.
The Netherlands
Having automatically qualified as hosts, the Dutch women have had an easier route into this tournament, but that certainly doesn’t mean they should be written off as contenders. The team finished 3rd in 2009’s UEFA Women’s EURO, although the 2013 tournament saw the Dutch fall short in the group stage. The more recent 2015 World Cup ended in the round of 16 for the Dutch, where they lost 2-1 to Japan, who went on to finish 2nd.
Now playing on their home turf with the Dutch fans behind them, the Dutch lionesses will be looking to make a big splash. Nevertheless, it will be a trying journey along the way, facing a tough group in Denmark, Norway, and Belgium. If they do make it through, there’s a high chance of coming face-to-face with Germany or Sweden, both of whom are sure to push the Dutch to their upper limit.
Nevertheless, expectations are exceptionally high as the Dutch form seems to be strong coming into the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017. With 8 wins in their last 11 matches, the Netherlands will be looking to continue their hot streak. Group stage matches for the Dutch are already sold out, but make sure to catch the Leeuwinnen on TV, NOS will be showing all their games.
Group B
Germany
It’s no question who are the favorites in this tournament: It’s Germany. Currently 2nd on the FIFA’s Women’s World Rankings list (just a scratch behind USA), the German squad has dominated the UEFA Women’s EURO since their debut to the tournament in 1989. Germany has won the last 6 EUROs, and has won the tournament a total of 8 times, miles ahead of Norway who are second with two EURO victories.
Coming off last year’s Olympic victory in Brazil, they’ve continued international domination, qualifying for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 with a perfect 8 wins. Along with France, they are also one of only two teams to qualify without a single goal conceded, having a positive qualifying goal difference of 35.
While Russia and Italy are unlikely to present staunch opposition to the German powerhouse, Sweden will prove a difficult challenge in the group stage. With the tournament being bigger than ever this year, and with Germany being the team everyone wants to beat, the question ultimately is, can they win for the 9th time?
Sweden
Another big name at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 is Sweden. The Swedish women have always provided tough opposition, winning the 1984 EURO and always a strong contender to win. The UEFA Women’s EURO has also resulted in three runner-up places, a 3rd place, and three 4th place finishes.
The recent Olympic tournament also provided the squad with a set of silver medals, losing to Germany 2-1 in the finals. This year’s team will include 16 of the Olympic squad, so expect big things from the Swedes.
Group C
France
The French squad currently ranks 3rd in the world rankings list, but they have yet to win a major international tournament, always seeming to come up short in the big matches. Their best performances in the World Cup and the Olympic games is 4th place, most recently in 2012. France’s record in the UEFA Women’s EURO also doesn’t seem to spell out possible victory, with their best result being 5th place in 2013.
Nevertheless, France come into this tournament looking extremely strong. Like Germany, they are coming to the Netherlands without a single goal conceded, easily winning their qualifying group. It’s not the first time that the French ladies have come into a EURO without a loss, in fact their current record of consecutive wins in the qualifying stage is up to 41.
Many eyes are turned onto France now, wondering whether they can finally perform on the big stage and if they can take down the German giants.
Switzerland
A few years ago, no one would have taken a second glance at Switzerland as a threat, but times have changed. The nation’s women’s team does not have a decorated history. In fact, it wasn’t until 2015 that they first qualified for the World Cup Finals and this year at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 will mark their debut at a EURO.
Although the Swiss will still be seen as underdogs coming into the tournament, they are among the few teams who have qualified without a perfect eight for eight wins. France will prove to be a big challenge in their group stage, but don’t be surprised to see Switzerland make the quarterfinals over Austria and Iceland.
Group D
England
The lionesses will be looking to end the long-running cold streak of international English football. Although they’re one of the only five teams to ever reach the finals, having been runner-up in the UEFA Women’s EURO twice, in 1984 and 2009, the squad has normally struggled to exit the group stage, even when they hosted the tournament in 2005.
Notably, however, they finished in 3rd place at the 2015 World Cup, defeating Germany in penalties after a 0-0 draw. They’ll be looking to do even better this year, with many of the players from the World Cup squad returning under the same coach, Mark Sampson. Time will tell how well they fair in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017.
Spain
Despite France and Germany not conceding a single goal, it’s Spain that holds this year’s qualifying record for best goal difference, having scored 39 goals and only conceding 2. The Spanish women have been fairly quiet on the international stage, failing to qualify for the vast majority of tournaments. Nevertheless, they make the list of teams to watch for the simple reason that they’re one of the four teams to qualify with a perfect 8 wins in qualifying. Only Germany, France, and Switzerland did the same.
Spain will be one of five teams making their first UEFA Women’s EURO appearance alongside Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, and Scotland.
Where to watch
The NOS will be showing all the Netherlands games alongside a third of all matches. All (other) matches will also be broadcast on NOS.nl and NPO Sport. While group-stage tickets are sold out for the Dutch games, many tickets are still on sale, so check out http://www.weuro2017.nl/nl/tickets for tickets. They’re very affordable, but they’re starting to sell out, so make sure to get them quick if you want to watch the matches in the stadiums.
The UEFA Women’s EURO will be hosted in 7 different stadiums around the country: Rotterdam, Tilburg, Breda, Deventer, Utrecht, Doetinchem, and Enschede. The opening match will be hosted in FC Utrecht’s Stadion Galgenwaard.
A woman has been killed at St. Maarten (that tropical part of the Netherlands) after experiencing the so-called ‘jetblast’ of a commercial airliner. She was standing there, probably with many other people, at Maho beach – getting close to the runway of the Princess Juliana airport.
She was standing there, probably with many other people, at Maho beach – getting close to the runway of the Princess Juliana International Airport. When a plane was departing she was blasted by the expulsion of the jet engines and flew into the air and hit her head against a concrete block. She reportedly is a 57 year old woman from New Zealand.
She isn’t the first one to get hurt, but she is the first fatal casualty of this ‘tourist-attraction’. In 2000 another tourist got blasted and hurt and sued consequentially because the signs warning you for it ‘weren’t enough’.
Well, judge for yourself, here’s some footage from 2012 and other perilous moments:
Might be better to not plan that BBQ in the coming days, since there is some very Dutch weather coming to this country. In the upcoming 24 hours there’s going to be rain, rain, rain and more ‘regen’. It’s starting around midnight and it will continue to pour for a solid 12-hours.
Tomorrow, when you will go to work:
According to ‘weerplaza’ there will be just as much rain falling tomorrow as what is ‘normal’ for two weeks. So good luck with cycling to work!
Let’s face it, normally Lions don’t do a thing when you’re coming to gaze at them in the zoo. They just lie there being majestic and lazy at the same time, and that’s cool – when you’re king you’re going to chill. Except for these lions in the Artis Zoo of Amsterdam when an unsuspecting heron lands near the lions.
There’s somewhat of a happy end (for the lions – when they start cuddling and purring at 1.14), but first we see the brute dynamics of nature in full effect (obviousy, don’t watch this if you’re really sensitive – you know where this is going)
Lions catching herons is not an exception as well, as it seems there are over 400 herons in and around the zoo. So this happens every now and then in Artis:
PS. Lions are great, nature is amazing – but we feel kind of sorry for the heron (obviously) and the lions (such great beasts in such small cages)
You landed a PhD in the Netherlands – congrats! Now be ready to relearn everything you think you know.
While I was doing my master internship in the Netherlands, most of my friends at home were pretty sure I would naturally continue my academic career in this bike heaven country; after all, it seemed like the most straightforward path, and a pretty rewarding one too. Some brainstorming and soul-searching brought me to the same conclusion, and before I was even done with the whole master’s degree in my home country I was accepting a PhD position at the University Medical Center of Groningen.
Here’s why you should apply too for a PhD in the Netherlands, and why you may be doing it for all the wrong reasons.
They got everything except the name right in this gif 🙂 Source: Der Schulte
PhD in the Netherlands: Exchange nostalgia?
So, maybe you had an amazing semester (or two) in one of the most student-friendly cities in Europe (be it Utrecht, Rotterdam, Amsterdam or Maastricht – and let’s not forget “my” lovely cold Groningen). You are tempted to come back, theoretically to continue your research but, deep down, to find again that ever exciting feeling of discovering something new every day. I won’t sugarcoat it for you: it’s probably not gonna happen.
The first time you are doing some studies/an internship abroad, everything has to be learned from scratch: how to do your groceries; how to deliver a quick joke when the language and cultural barriers seem impossible to overcome; how to forgive your Russian roommate when she cooks pasta for 30 minutes and then throws cold ketchup on it (yes I am Italian, yes I am still struggling with this one).
While all this can be overwhelming for the first few weeks, you get addicted really fast to being challenged by the broad variety of situations you experience. You especially notice this when you go back home, and everything can be comfortable but boring.
Well, you might experience the same when you come back for your PhD. If you have already lived abroad you have learned to cope with many standard roadblocks; and if you come back to the same city (like I did) you’re no newbie anymore, with both its good and bad consequences.
PhD in the Netherlands: Lifestyle
Another thing to consider is your lifestyle expectations: first off, you’ll be in no way able to keep up with your former crazy student nightlife. The next morning you have an experiment! Monday is the deadline to submit your paper! I’m not saying the fun time is over, but you’re both a worker and a student, and this is going to reflect on your free time.
Second of all, you are probably going to have a much more “real Dutch” experience rather than a simply international one, compared to your exchange. Note that this is not a bad thing! Many of your colleagues are from the Netherlands, and maybe you have more dutch roommates than internationals, not living in an international student house anymore. This means you could be not exposed to new cultural differences every day, but on the other hand you will learn a lot more about culture, traditions and behavior of your second home. I promise that the many stereotypes (being cheap, or not able to flirt… ?) are not true. (Bluntness, on the other hand, is a real thing here!)
So if you’re looking for a second “first-time-abroad” experience, look elsewhere; but if you enjoyed the Netherlands as it is – and not just as “something different from home” – do come back! Because you are in for some treats:
Professional growth
When I compare my position to my friends’ back home, I can’t help but feel very lucky. And I’m not just talking about being able to live on my own with the PhD salary: the research programs are generally well funded, internationally oriented, the courses are interesting and the equipment and materials are usually top-level. Hence, your professional life is going to be as stimulating as it can be.
One downside I’ve found being a PhD student in a lab (hence many practical experiments, plus results analysis) is that there are not many post docs, so you find yourself having to rely on more experienced PhD.
Doing a PhD in general is no easy thing, though, and this can be said anywhere in the world; you’ll often find PhD students working on the weekends or late in the evening. On the other hand, you can (and you’re asked to) manage wisely your own time – so do consider attending a Time Management workshop!
Make sure to pursue SMART goals! Source: Wikimedia Commons
Happy personal life
Not long after celebrating the new, exciting perspective of obtaining a PhD position, you discover you really have to work. And after some weeks/months of hard work (or so), you realize you also really, really, have to have fun. Because this is not the kind of job where you get to go home and forget about your day; part of your brain will always be storming new ideas, worrying about some results or focusing on the next deadline. This means you need to find a great group of friends, an interesting hobby and a good terrace where you can enjoy your Vrijmibo, or you’ll go crazy! But do not despair – thankfully each single one of these items can be found in this student-oriented country.
Soon after starting a PhD in the Netherlands you will realize you are one of the lucky ones. I sincerely believe that this is one of the best countries to go forward with your academic career while having a high quality of life, so get your ducks in a row and join one of the several graduate schools!
How to Visit the Van Gogh Museum without being part of the tourist hordes
The Netherlands is world-famous for quite a few different things. Usually people will rattle off the list of windmills, clogs, cheese, tulips and dikes when asked about Holland; and perhaps the artist Vincent Van Gogh is also mentioned. He was a Dutch post-impressionist painter who is now cited as one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is thus also one of the most popular attractions in the country as it houses the largest collection of Van Gogh’s work in the world. Unfortunately, being so popular can oftentimes be a curse, especially if you want to visit an attraction without massive crowds. Here are our top tips for making the most of your visit to the Van Gogh Museum so that you can skip the annoying bits and explore his life and work like a pro!
Book Your Tickets Online
One of the biggest mistakes that visitors to Amsterdam make is thinking that they can just turn up to attractions such as the Van Gogh museum, buy a ticket and walk in. More than 18 million visitors flock to Amsterdam each year, and the last thing you want to do during your visit is spent hours standing in lines with them. But if you want to skip the line for attractions like the Van Gogh Museum then make sure you book your ticket online beforehand. You choose a time-slot and do need to arrive within 30 minutes, but then you can go straight in the priority entrance and smile at the poor schmucks standing in line for hours! So make sure you visit the website here to book your tickets before you bother to leave your accommodation to make your visit far smoother and more enjoyable. Speaking of more enjoyable, smoking weed in Amsterdam is practically a pastime, especially since it’s not legal all over the Netherlands. Take a spliff from a friendly coffee shop, smoke that, then visit the Rembrandt.
Avoid the Peak Days and Times
No matter what you do or when you go, the Van Gogh Museum is going to be busy. However, it is also definitely busier during peak times such as the weekend or when it’s raining! I know you think it’s a great idea to pop into a museum to while away the time out of the downpour, but unfortunately every other person out there without an umbrella has come to the same conclusion. And the only thing worse than waiting in line for hours to enter a museum is waiting in line for hours in the rain. If you can only visit on a weekend then at least make sure you book your tickets online, and if at all possible, try to time your visit for a weekday (even better if it’s not the peak tourist season).
How to Visit the Van Gogh Museum like a Pro: Be Patient
Like I said above, unless you are very lucky, the Van Gogh Museum is going to be busy. You will need to have a lot of patience if you are lining up to get in, but you will also need to be patient as you are walking through the museum itself. There is a lot of interesting information displayed about Van Gogh’s life and work, and even some hands-on displays, but you will often need to wait for other visitors to move out of the way to have your turn; especially for more famous paintings such as the Sunflowers above.
Be Prepared
This tip kind of falls under most of the others, but is still worth mentioning. Unless it’s the middle of summer and great weather (and sometimes even then) you should definitely be prepared for inclement weather in Amsterdam. The Van Gogh museum is deceptively big, and like most Dutch buildings is built upwards so there are lots of stairs and you will be on your feet a lot, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes. You will also need to pay attention while in the museum as to which sections allow photography and which don’t (or you’ll get in trouble with security). Also, if there is one particular painting by Van Gogh that you are especially looking forward to seeing you might want to double check that it’s actually there first. I was all excited to see the original of The Starry Night (above) only to be disappointed and find out that it’s actually permanently on display in MoMA in New York! The museum is also rather strict on bringing in backpacks and satchels, you will need to pay to keep any bag larger than a small handbag in a locker for your visit, so try to pack as light as you can. There is of course a gift-shop and also a cafe located in the museum if you need drinks or snacks before or after visiting the galleries.
This might go without saying but if you are going to the Van Gogh Museum then you should also try to take some time to see some of the other attractions close by. The Van Gogh Museum sits on the aptly named “Museumplein” and is surrounded by the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, Moco Museum (where you can see works by Banksy and Dali) and the ubiquitous IAmsterdam sign. A couple of streets away is the Vondelpark, another spot that shouldn’t be missed on a visit to Amsterdam. Try to give yourself as much time as possible to wander around this pretty area and perhaps combine your museum visits.
Pronounce His Name Right!
My final tip is to learn the correct pronunciation of Van Gogh’s name. I cannot count the times my Dutch boyfriend has angrily corrected someone on TV for pronouncing his name so that it sounds like van (as in the picture above) go. He was a Dutch artist, his name is Dutch and so the Van is pronounced a little more like Von (although not as heavily as the German version) and Gogh sounds more like ‘gough’. This five-second video will let you hear how to pronounce it like a real Dutch person:
With these tips in mind you should be well on your way to having a great visit to the Van Gogh Museum. Make sure you tag us @dutchreview if you post any pictures of your visit to Instagram and enjoy your time!
Any more tips on how to visit the Van Gogh Museum as a Pro? Feel free to pitch in!
Really? The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister is not welcome in the Netherlands? Will this ever be fixed? Do we even want to fix these relations with Erdogan then?
The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister was intended to speak in Apeldoorn on the 11th of July about last year’s coup in Turkey. But the Dutch government says ‘no’; it has once again denied the Turks.
Turkey, such a beautiful country with lovely people and a disgusting government. It has been almost one year now since a coup: not the recent military one of 15th of July (which failed), but the coup by Erdogan and his cronies. This one succeeded nicely when they shutdown free media, locked up journalists and parts of the opposition, stole a referendum and, just this week, arrested the chairman of frickin Amnesty International and other human-rights activists.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister is not welcome in the Netherlands: Turkish-Dutch relations still at an all-time low
It’s only natural that the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, Yıldırım Tugrul Turkes, was intending on coming to Apeldoorn to brag about this anniversary to the Turkish government’s ‘Dutch-Turkish’ followers. But hey, turns out that continually calling a country fascist or nazi makes you unwelcome after a while. In a move that almost all of the Dutch support, the Dutch government stated that the Deputy Prime Minister wasn’t welcome in this country because of the ‘tense’ bi-lateral relations right now. Nor any other Turkish government-members, for that matter.
Seen any Turkish sanctions?
The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister is not welcome in the Netherlands because of the Turkish riots in Rotterdam this past March. At that time, the whole world was kind of stunned when the Dutch government finally had some guts and denied the Turks. Erdogan and his henchmen threatened with severe sanctions that would cripple the Netherlands, and all those other big words authoritarian figures use. A few months later and guess what? Nothing.
Turns out that Erdogan can’t do anything against the Netherlands without shooting himself in the proverbial foot.
The six-year old Tijn, known for stealing the hearts of the entire country last year when starting a ‘nailpaintinginitiave last year, has just passed away after suffering from brain stem cancer – this has just been announced by his mother.
Go to Youtube for English subtitles:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w32dPixZkRU[/embedyt]
Last year Tijn started a nailpainting-initiative at the ‘Glass house’ of Serious Request, this time it was in Breda where a few DJ’s sit, fast for a few days and bring awareness/raise funds for a certain plight. In came little Tijn with his dad, starting to paint the nails of people in order to raise money for the treatment of brain stem cancer. Not for himself, but for others. Quickly the whole country was swept up and painting their nails and raising money and Tijn became a national hero. Yesterday it was announced that the goal of raising 1 million in funds was made.
What’s this now? Something non-Dutch on DutchReview? If there’s one thing that the Netherlands is perfectly suited for it’s doing perfect getaways to our friendly chummy neighbor to the South: the fair Belgium! It only takes a few hours by train or car, sometimes even shorter – the beer tastes better and the accents are less frightful. So we went off our superior Dutch roads to them Belgium ones and visited the most scenic Belgium town for this first edition of ‘DutchReview tripping’.
What’s there to see in Brugge?
Before we talk about the nice night we had right in the center at Martin’s Brugge, or the exquisite food at Komtuveu – let’s first talk a little bit about good ol’sightseeing in Brugge.
Brugge, or Bruges in English (but we’re sticking to Brugge in this article), is the best fairytale medieval town you’ll see in North-West Europe in my opinion. It has all the hallmarks of one such as cobbled roads, little houses that are cute (and look a bit on the verge of collapsing) and historic market squares. The city as a whole feels like an open air museum (and the busloads if tourists will add to that feeling.) but it’s totally understandable since the little city is drop dead gorgeous. So if you are day- or weekendtripping Brugge from the Netherlands then here are the prime spots you don’t want to miss.
The Burg square
We liked this square actually a bit better than the adjacent and bigger Markt square. The palace here was the seat of the Count of Flanders for a long time and actually, all the buildings there look like palaces.
This one little building shown here even outshines the rest of the buildings.
The Heilig-Bloedbasiliek
Want to see Christ’s blood? Sure you do! The Heilig-Bloedbasiliek is a small basilica which is supposedly home to some of Christ’s blood. For this obvious reason, there are thousands of visitors visiting the basilica every year. The phial with his blood is displayed in a decorative tabernacle and is brought out for viewing at 2pm. Even if you’re not into this whole thing the building and decorations by itself are really beautiful and elaborate.
The Fish Market!
Well, it’s not an actual full-time fish market anymore – but this colonnaded square is still used by salesmen this day. It’s just one of those beautiful places in Brugge that just takes you back into time.
Brugge Markt
The biggest square of Brugge is of course well worthy of a visit and it’s more or less the center of the town. Sure there are loads of tourists present, but you’ll understand once you see the sheer number of magnificent buildings. We stayed the night at Martin’s Brugge, which is right next to both the Brugge Markt as the Burg square.
The most notable of all is the Belfort building which stands tall at 83 metres and which is totally open for your climbing and subsequent lovely pictures of Brugge.
Hospital
Normally the hospital isn’t the place you want to go, but this isn’t your ordinary hospital. This ‘Sint-Janshospitaal’ is a restored 12th-century hospital complete with timber roof beams and art masterpieces dating back to the 15th Century.
Just sitting there at its tranquil courtyard will make you feel like you’re in the middle ages yourself, or well – the set of Game of Thrones since that is the closest thing you’ve seen of the actual middle ages.
These are the sights you definitely don’t want to miss, but I wholeheartedly recommend just walking about town (or biking, that looked even more relaxing!) and taking in the atmosphere.
And of course, for full immersion in said atmosphere, it’s best to stay smack in the center of the town. So we stayed at:
Where to sleep in Brugge: Martin’s Brugge!
Next up, where to spend the night in Brugge? We strongly recommend spending at least one night in town since it’s quite the drive from the Netherlands and the town is so scenic at night as well. We were looking for something in the city center (you don’t want to stay in the outskirts of Brugge) which also allowed you to park. And of course, being Dutch means that getting a good price on it certainly weighs in.
We opted for Martin’s Brugge! Not only is this small chain of nice Belgian hotels always a sure hit when it comes to nice and tidy rooms and great service, they were also right in the center of Brugge and had ample parking space (that’s a factor for Brugge as well!). Since it’s pretty necessary to take the car to Brugge, this was a sure winner!
Yes we fell in love with it too immediately (source: Martins Brugge)We loved the authentic beam ceiling! (source: Martin’s Brugge)
This was the view from our room! <3
Besides the drop dead gorgeous view Martin’s Brugge also excelled in two other aspects. First off their service was really nice and modern, with an unexpected highlight being their well thought out map of Brugge – that one really came in handy those days!
Breakfast buffet to die for. Belgians to this stuff way better than the Dutch (source: Martins Hotel)
A good hotel breakfast is always an extra feature of the trip, but Martin’s buffet was extraordinary when it came to choice and freshness! We loved it!
“When you’re Dutch and you get a breakfast buffet”
No pictures of the parking garage, but you’ll just have to trust me on that one 😉 Oh, and the garage was right next to the hotel – so no ‘there’s parking but you have to walk 2km to the hotel-jokes’. All in all this made Martin’s Brugge a solid choice for a trip to Brugge!
Oh, and there’s of course and that delicious Belgium food and beer. Speaking about that…
What to eat in Brugge?
‘Pattatten’ and some fine Belgium chocolate are probably on everybody’s list. But Brugge is high on tourist traps and we both found that all that traditional stuff was lacking a bit in the quality-cost ratio department. We did visit one little gem though!
Just a bit off the beaten path was Komtuveu. A young and charming couple (she does the serving, he the cooking) runs this exquisite little restaurant which serves more or less everything in a bowl (in Dutch a ‘kom’). The place has some refreshing décor, an idyllic little terrace and best of all the food is great. If you’re thinking that a place which serves it’s food in bowls is a bit shabby then you’re in for a treat.
I had this obnoxious happy grin on my face at all 3 courses
We went for a fishy menu and we’re amazed by the creative and original flavours that found their way to our mouth. As usual, pictures can tell a better tale than text:
Furthermore, if there is one tip I can give you is just go along with their suggestions for wine. We found that the pairing with the special food was done perfectly, still thinking about this one:
Of course, the only thing better than text&pics is actually tasting it yourself, so if you want a unique and special lunch or dinner here are the details.
Now since it’s not in the good old Netherlands, how does one get to Brugge?
How to get to Brugge
So sounds like the perfect trip right? Well, except for one thing – although just looking at a map one might think Brugge is really close by the Dutch border – getting there is somewhat more difficult.
Going to Brugge from the Netherlands by car
Usually, it takes 2,5 hours to reach Brugge by car from the Randstad. There are 2 things slowing you down when you want to go to this way. First of all, a straight line would run through Zeeland – but roads don’t run through Zeeland easily with all the water there. So google maps usually sends you by Rotterdam (slow) and then Antwerpen.
And that’s the second delaying element – there’s the infamous ‘ring’ of Antwerpen, it’s a bit better the last years but it is still a place where traffic grinds to a halt. Nearly all routes take you through this chokepoint. The alternative offered is a toll-tunnel, which costs 6 euro’s and only offers like a 10 minute improvement. But this could be the way to go if you’re driving near peak hours.
Going to Brugge from the Netherlands by Train
Normally we are huge fans of taking the train. This time not so much, it is do-able, but just look at this 5-hour journey.
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All in all, great trip for the weekend! What are the other places just across the border that you need to visit when living in the Netherlands? Feel free to tip us!
