17 days in Belgium & The Netherlands Itinerary

A small country packing a big punch in terms of tourist attractions, Belgium sits at the crossroads of Western Europe, its cities soaked in history and famed for their lively arts, fashion, and dining scenes. Although it advertises itself simply as "A Food Lover's Dream," this country of just 11 million people boasts a rich architectural heritage, world-famous breweries, pristine natural areas, and touching memorials marking major battlegrounds from both World War I and World War II. Put the country's elegant cities of Brussels and Bruges at the top of your itinerary, but don't forget that Belgium's less-explored countryside offers dense forests, rolling hills, and lush valleys.

The Netherlands literally means "Low Country", inspired by the country's low and flat geography, where only about 50 percent of the land exceeds one meter (three feet) above sea level. Since the late 16th century, large, flat land areas called "polders" have been reclaimed from the sea and lakes and protected by dikes, amounting to nearly 17 percent of the country's current land mass. The Netherlands is. This is small, densely populated country lies mainly in Western Europe but also includes three islands in the Caribbean; it's the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The European part of the Netherlands borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest, sharing maritime borders with Belgium, the United Kingdom and Germany. Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam serve as the three largest and most important cities in the Netherlands. Amsterdam is the country's capital, while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of government. The port of Rotterdam claims the title as the largest port in Europe, in fact, it's as large as the next three ports combined.