Benelux

The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg: Amsterdam's canals, windmills and tulips, the old town of Bruges and Luxembourg's Old Quarter.

Benelux is the collective name for the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The three countries are small and densely served by high-speed and intercity trains, so Chinese tour groups and independent travelers often combine them into a single route. Highlights: Amsterdam's canal ring, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum; Rotterdam's modern architecture and the Kinderdijk windmills; the villages of Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans; Keukenhof tulip park in April–May; Maastricht; Brussels' Grand-Place and the Atomium; Bruges, known as the 'Venice of the North'; St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent and the Ghent Altarpiece; Antwerp's Rubens House and diamond district; Dinant in Belgium's Ardennes; and Luxembourg's Old Quarter and fortifications (World Heritage). Classic route: Amsterdam (3 days, including a day trip to a windmill village or Giethoorn) – Rotterdam (1 day) – Bruges and Ghent (2 days) – Brussels (1–2 days) – Luxembourg (1 day), 8–10 days in total, and it can connect with Paris and Cologne. On transport: Eurostar and IC trains link the cities, with Amsterdam–Brussels taking about 2 hours; public transport is free nationwide in Luxembourg. All three countries use the euro; in the Netherlands you will often need to pay by card, and Belgian beer, fries and chocolate are not to be missed.

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