Driving Holland and Belgium: Brugge to Amsterdam Routes
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Why Visit Small Towns in Holland?
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ZEELAND and ZUID-HOLLAND DRIVES
Brugge -- Sluis -- Terneuzen --Breskens -- Middelburg
Middelburg -- Veere -- Delta Expo -- Burgh Haamstede -- Grevelingen
Goeree-Overflakke Driving Route - Zeeland
NOORD-HOLLAND DRIVES
Haarlem -- Zandfoort -- Vogelezang -- Noordwijk
Driving From Amsterdam to Brugge, Belgium and back through Zeeland
If you have already decided to drive in Holland, why not try a trip that can last between 2 and 5 days depending on how fast or slow you go. Brugge, in Belgium, is a must see city for those who wander south of the Netherlands. If you are starting in Amsterdam, I recommend getting to Brugge in one day, then taking your time on the return trip.Assuming you are starting in or near Amsterdam, you need to drive south on A4 east of the tulip field areas. The A4 becomes the same road as the E19, and you need to follow E19 as it changes to A13 and goes south past Den Haag. The E19-A13 freeway leads to the Rotterdam Ring road. There, the E19 continues east around the harbor south on A16. As A16 crosses the Maas on a long bridge, look back to the right and see the Rotterdam Euromast tower. Continue off the bridge and switch to A15 heading west towards Europoort. Shortly after this take the A29 south. You are close to the first stop of the trip, Willemstad.
Shorter Route Through Rotterdam
You may have noticed on the map that my route loops east around Rotterdam harbor, and that a highway goes through Rotterdam via the Maastunnel. There are three reasons I route you around the center of Rotterdam. First, the Brienennoordbrug gives a better view of the harbor than the Maastunnel, since it's above the water, not below the ground like the tunnel.Second, the loop route is esclusively on freeways. The direct route south from Delft on A13 continues straight through the heart of Rotterdam on city streets. This brings up the third reason. Rotterdam should be the "roughest" city in the Netherlands. Because I do not know the good neighborhoods from the unsafe ones, I choose to drive around Rotterdam and see the city by train should I visit.
However, if you should try the Maastunnel route, there are signs marking the way through Rotterdam. When you are going south and you get past the city center to the south ring road, continue straight along A29 to the Willemstad exit.
A29 across the Hollandsdiep to Willemstad and Bergen op Zoom
Willemstad is a historically important fortified town. The old town walls are in the shape of a seven-pointed star. William the Silent built a palace here, and as recently as WWII Willemstad was at the front of the war between Axis and Allied forces. In 1945 the Allied held Willemstad, but across the Hollandsdiep to the north were the Axis forces. At the north entrance to town are modern concrete bunkers with dirt walls built up around them.Continuing on south from Willemstad, drive on A29 and N259 to Steenbergen. Steenbergen has an interesting church and a few places like a snack bar, bar and restaurants nearby in the "center." You will probably just drive on by, and you would be smart. N259 comes to Bergen op Zoom. Bergen op Zoom is an old town that is worth a tour. Find some parking, take the one hour walking tour, eat lunch, have a coffee, and continue on towards Belgium.
Once you're done in Bergen op Zoom, my route will take you south from Bergen op Zoom down the A4 to the Belgian border, where the freeway will be called A12. Be sure to stay on the A4 after Bergen op Zoom. At the Knooppunt Markiezaat, the road continues west on N58 towards Goes, while the A4 turns to the south toward Belgium via a turnoff.
.My primary route, described in the next section, assumes that you now want to arrive in Brugge quickly to settle into your hotel and think about dinner in town.
Tunnels and a Toll Booth, Then the Expressway to Brugge
Once you cross the border into Belgium, the speed limits are posted on a sign, but they are basically the same. Look for the Antwerp Ring road R2 and follow the signs towards Brugge and Ghent. On the R2 you will pass through three tunnels: the P. Tijsmanstunnel, the Liefkenshoektunnel, and the Benelux Tunnel. These tunnels are funded by tolls and you will have to stop to pay.You may not have thought ahead to carry Belgian money to pay the toll. As with nearly all businesses near the border of the Netherlands and Belgium, paper notes from either country are acceptable. The toll-taker will not take Dutch coins, just paper guilders. You should ask for change in Belgian francs so you will have some local currency.
I have been to Belgium a few times since my first trip in 1995. On a trip in 1998 I saved some Belgian paper money. When I returned in 2000 and was driving south out of Bergen Op Zoom, I was proud of myself for having Belgian francs to pay my toll. As I handed the note to the toll taker, he said, "this money's not good anymore." They had phased out the old Belgian franc in favor of a new one, so my notes were out-of-date. If I remember correctly I finally paid with a credit card, but don't quote me on that.
Once you are past the tunnels, follow R2 to E34 West, then you will drive for 45 minutes or so, always following the signs to Brugge. Enjoy your stay!
Antwerp: To Bypass or Not To Bypass -- Ferries and Day Tours
There are two other options as you leave Bergen op Zoom. Depending on your time and interests, Antwerp is an excellent city with an impressive cathedral among other worthwhile attractions. You could make a side trip into Antwerp for a day tour.The second option is to avoid the Antwerp area entirely and take a ferry across the Westerschelde river. Later, on the way back to Amsterdam from Brugge, we will use the ferry between Breskens and Vlissengen to enter Zeeland. The route goes north from Vlissengen into Middelburg.
There is another ferry, for those who really like boats. Unless you really like ferries, I would just drive around the Antwerp Ring road. But if you insist, instead of continuing on A4 towards Antwerp, go west on A58 toward Goes and Middelburg. You will see signs for a ferry near Kruiningen. Follow the signs and cross over the Westerschelde to the south shore. If you plan to stop in Terneuzen, this route is more direct but will take longer because of the ferry.
When you look at your map, it may appear that a tunnel crosses the Westerschelde south directly into Terneuzen. As of Spring 2001 this tunnel is still under construction or being planned, so you still need to use the ferries or drive around past Antwerp.
Terneuzen and Sluis on the way to Brugge
Once you get around Antwerp and begin drivng west on E34, you are still near the border between the Netherlands and Belgium. If you still have some time and energy for it, there's an interesting thing to see in the Netherlands port city of Terneuzen. Terneuzen is home to the Netherlands southernmost coffeeshop. This place has more French and Belgian customers than Dutch ones. Terneuzen is also home to DOW Chemical. This place is really a coffeeshop and some houses in the middle of an industrial wasteland. However, there are some nice sights to see in Terneuzen.Further west, but still in the Netherlands, is the town of Sluis. Sluis is the Dutch word for a lock on a waterway, what we call a sluice. Sluis is another unique border town. There are no coffeeshops there; nor is there open prostituion. The wierd thing about Sluis is not the lack of these things, but the presence of a smartshop.
Sluis has many reasons for normal people to vists too. On any sunny weekend, there will be huge crowds of Belgian shoppers filling the town. I go to Sluis as a stopover to eat at the Cafe Frietstal, an excellent restaurant next to a windmill.
To reach Terneuzen and Sluis via the Antwerp Ring Road R2, follow the E34 West to N60. Take N60 North toward and through Hulst, then look for N61 West to Terneuzen.
From Terneuzen, go south to Hoek and continue west on N61 to the roundabout junction with N59. Turn left via the roundabout and follow N59 West to Sluis.
After Sluis, simply follow the signs to Brugge. The routes through Damme and Dudzelle each are interesting.