Attractions
Amsterdam
There are many activities that can fill your days in Amsterdam. Museum selections abound, and leisure strolls along the canal banks provide views of houseboats and homes. It’s easy to enjoy this magnificent cultural city.
Anne Frank House As you travel through the secret rooms where Anne Frank and her family hid from Nazis, you’re able to view documents and objects that belonged to the family. Throughout the Secret Annex you’re able to read quotes from Anne’s diary that give a personal account of her story.
Van Gogh Museum This museum boasts the largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh in the world. As you travel through the museum, witness the development of this tormented painter. The museum exhibits also give you the opportunity to compare van Gogh’s paintings to other artists’ works from the 19th century.
Oude Kerk Set in the middle of the Red Light District, this historic church dates back to the beginning of the 13th century. In the 14th century, the church’s Gothic and Renaissance-style bell tower grew into an imposing basilica. The Oude Kerk is the oldest church in Amsterdam, thus the center of many cultural events.
Rijksmuseum The premiere museum in Amsterdam and a treasure of the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum holds a vast collection of works from Dutch masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. Other collections include early religious works as well as collections from the Middle Ages and the 18th- and 19th-centuries. The centerpiece of the museum is Rembrandt’s Night Watch.
The Hague Located about an hour outside of Amsterdam by train, The Hague is a treasure of the Netherlands. The Royal City is Holland’s oldest city, and its atmosphere truly takes you to another time and place. In the 13th century, the Dutch compromised and chose this city for their government headquarters. Due to this, generations of monarchs chose The Hague as their residence. Among the tree-lined boulevards of the home of the Dutch Parliament stand many beautiful castles.
Luxembourg
Traveling through Luxembourg offers many opportunities to embrace the music, theater and art of this bustling, multicultural city.
Bock Casemates The casemates are an amazing network of underground passageways reaching 14 miles in length. Used as defensive passages in earlier centuries and bomb shelters during the World Wars, these galleries were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The Bock is the archaeological crypt of the casemates that provides information on their history, the beginning of the city of Luxembourg as well as construction of the Grand Ducal Palace.
Notre Dame Cathedral The grand cathedral was built between 1613 and 1621 and is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture. The crypt, which houses the burial vaults of the Bishops, as well as the vault of the Grand Ducal family, is available for tours.
Grand Ducal Palace This palace was constructed from 1572 to 1574 as a town hall. It was extended in 1741 and became the residence of the representative of the Dutch Grand Dukes in 1817. In 1890, the palace was strictly reserved for use by the Grand Duke and his family. It is now reserved for official duties of the Duke.
Brussels
As the capital of Belgium, Brussels is full of activity. Home to both French and Flemish cultures, Brussels maintains a unique character throughout the lively and picturesque city.
Manneken Pis statue This little bronze-cast statue, constructed in 1619, is the pride of Brussels. It has endured repeated desecration but is always pieced back together. Tourists from all over the world visit this site to watch this statue–fountain and see his ever-changing wardrobe.
La Grand-Place La Grand-Place, Brussels’ largest square, is arguably one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Surrounded by Gothic and Baroque public and private buildings, many of which date from the late 17th century, the Grand-Place is home to many outdoor concerts and festivals, such as the biennial flower carpet every other August.
Museum voor Moderne Kunst (Musuem of Modern Art) This museum is built around a light shaft that filters daylight down to more than eight underground floors. It holds notable works by Marcel Broodthaers, Rene Magritte, Andy Warhol and Marc Chagall. Admission to the museum is free on the first Wednesday of the each month.
Royal Palace Known as Palais Royal in French, this palace was constructed in the 18th century and then modified by King Leopold II. Greek columns adorned with marble panels complete the interior. The Royal Palace is named the official residence of the King of Belgium but is used for business of State while the King and Queen reside in the Royal Estate of Laeken.
Palais de Justice The Palais de Justice was commissioned by the wealthy King Leopold II and constructed from 1866 to 1883. Standing 105 meters (345 feet) high and covering 24,000 square meters (78,740 square feet), it’s an imposing neo-Gothic structure. It’s believed to be the largest building constructed in the 19th century, and is still used as the seat of the supreme court of Belgium.
