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Noob seeking advice for short Euro tour (Brussels to Amsterdam)

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Noob seeking advice for short Euro tour (Brussels to Amsterdam)

Old 09-16-14, 08:43 AM
  #26  
groovestew
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Originally Posted by dongringo
Glad you enjoyed your trip. Interesting how that GPS route planner sent you on roads when there are bike paths everywhere...in Holland anyway.
They might as well have been bike paths, there were rarely any cars on them. These roads are all part of the cycling network...I was just following the green signs.

Originally Posted by dongringo
What route did you end up taking?
Pretty much what I indicated before the trip (Brussels -> Antwerp -> Breda -> Kinderdijk -> Gouda -> Utrecht -> Amsterdam) except that I missed Antwerp because of a forced detour.
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Old 09-16-14, 08:54 PM
  #27  
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Nice route.
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Old 09-17-14, 12:32 PM
  #28  
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I laughed when I saw how close some of the parked cars are to the canal, I wonder how many people stepped out of the car a bit too far.
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Old 09-18-14, 12:46 AM
  #29  
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Hi !

Thanks to write down the story of your journey.

Busy me didn't have time yet to visit the shop to check out if the bikes would suit your needs. But very nice to hear that you found one in that shop.

Glad to hear you made it well until your destination

-b-
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Old 09-18-14, 12:58 AM
  #30  
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Sometimes depends on the type of GPS, and configurations.
My GPS lets me choose for fieldy/mountainbike routes, or road routes, or something in between.
Anyway, don't bother that you skipped Antwerp. People who live there always say: "we are the only city in this country, the other space left is our parking."
Not suitable for bikes
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Old 07-19-22, 10:51 AM
  #31  
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Need advice on the route from brussels to amesterdam

Hey I read about your experience while googling for my trip from brussels to amesterdam. I checked your post and all replies but still confused about the best and safest route. I am completely new to this and I come from a totally different universe, Egypt! So any tips on how to choose the best route , and may be which app to use would be super helpful.

Thank you !
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Old 07-19-22, 12:05 PM
  #32  
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Get out of Brussel asap in the direction of Flanders (West and North) and you're safe. One of the rain apps might be useful.
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Old 07-20-22, 05:20 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by nery mounir
Hey I read about your experience while googling for my trip from brussels to amesterdam. I checked your post and all replies but still confused about the best and safest route. I am completely new to this and I come from a totally different universe, Egypt! So any tips on how to choose the best route , and may be which app to use would be super helpful.

Thank you !
I was just in the Netherlands and a bit in Belgium, I highly recommend the Dutch cycling route app called "Fietsknoop"
I used it a lot in Holland, and a bit in Belgium.
Easy to use, intuitive, straightforward.

The Dutch system of well signed, well organized bike paths and routes is great.
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Old 07-21-22, 09:48 AM
  #34  
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Agree with Stadjer , once out of Brussels, it's safe. There are safe cycling routes everywhere, just depends on where you want to go. I've since been to The Hague, which is nice, as are Kinderdijk and Gouda. If you have time, consider Bruges. I've never been, but hear it's nice. The website I used for planning my route is finicky, and I'm sure the app recommended by djb is much better.

Last edited by groovestew; 07-21-22 at 09:49 AM. Reason: fix mention
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Old 07-21-22, 10:45 AM
  #35  
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Brussels has a few bad neighbourhoods too. Maybe have a quick look around the Grand Place and some surrounding streets, and leave the city that has been disappointing everybody since the 1500's.

Bruges is gorgeous but it's also like Venice in the sense that there is a level of tourism that makes it into an attraction rather than a living, buzzing city. Ghent is somewhat similar on historic beauty but is much bigger and less touristy. Antwerp's bloom era is a bit younger but otherwise comparable to Ghent. I personally like cities being cities more. The Belgian coast is not really interesting, it's all seaside appartement blocks, Dutch coast line is protected against that so much more beautiful and natural. But you'll notice the difference in Belgian and Dutch building regulations in more than one way. One of the great things about Flanders is that are chance of something amusingly absurd round the corner anywhere.

I agree with some posters above about The Hague, and it has a beach. Cycling through the dunes there and is popular, appearently people enjoy to have both the headwind and the hills. I'm Dutch and therefore it's hard to be impressed with cities like Delft, Gouda and Leiden, but they are interesting, and they are all different but not that much. I'd skip Gouda, the cheese named after it is made elsewhere too and pick either one of the other two. Both have a huge history. A bit of a hidden gem is Dordrecht, the "most Italian city of the Netherlands". Historically hugely important too but it had it's hayday before the others, 15th and 16th century rather than 17th century, which has shaped most of the Netherlands.

Agree about the Utrechtste Vecht too (I always start reading topics only to find it's very old after I've finished) but in general Flanders and especially the West of the Netherlands are shaped by waterways and that's where there is a lot of nice cycling next to it. Many cycle paths started out centuries ago for the horse drawn boats, whcih was the public transport of the 16th and 17th century. . .
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Old 07-22-22, 11:41 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
I'd go to Bruges first then go over the Delta works and up the coast. I did it southbound . ('91)
Bruges FTW!! It’s like stepping into the village where every Disney animated Princess movie took place.
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