Reflecting on my time in Netherlands and Belgium, I noted a few things that made it particularly easy to navigate. I also realized a few factors that could potentially make backpacking this region a bit more difficult. I wanted to share my thoughts on Netherlands and Belgium accessibility for other travelers so there are no unpleasant surprises when you visit!
(Side note: If you’re planning a trip and need itinerary ideas, check out my post on 3 days in Belgium).
NETHERLANDS AND BELGIUM ACCESSIBILITY
Disclaimer: This list is far from all-encompassing in terms of factors that make a country accessible to travel. I am writing this from the perspective of a white, able-bodied, English speaking woman with an American passport. I am a part of the majority groups in race, sexuality, and religion of these nations. Except for the safety issues that often accompany being a woman traveling abroad, I did not encounter many barriers to travel that others sometime do. As such, I cannot provide much insight into some of these issues. I have tried to stick to the topics on which I feel I can share my experiences without extensive research. That being said, I am not an expert on any of these regions. I encourage everyone to research safety tips for your personal situations before visiting any new country or territory.
Cost
Both Netherlands and Belgium were on the higher end of the spending spectrum of places I’ve visited. It was easy to spend €15 or €20 on a sitdown lunch at a café or diner. While it’s definitely possible to eat a little cheaper, there weren’t a wide variety of cheap dining options outside of chain restaurants like McDonald’s. Hostels could easily get above €30 a night without providing a very comfortable stay, especially on weekends or with last minute booking. This region is definitely not where I would go if I were on a shoestring budget or trying to stretch my money a long way.
We did get a pretty affordable night in a lovely hotel, Residence Les Ecrins, that I’d highly recommend. Breakfast is included for free (featured below) and was a major highlight. I wrote about my stay in a separate post.
Free breakfast at the hotel – always a bonus. Especially when the spread is this delicious!
Most of the streets in Netherlands and Belgium have easily visible street signs, and all the houses we stayed had detailed maps with major tourist sites listed so we did not have too many problems with navigation. Consider downloading Maps.me or another offline navigating app, in case Wi-Fi is weak, especially if you are directionally challenged like I am. Without maps, many of the street corners and buildings looked alike, so navigating by memory wasn’t always our most reliable method.
Our biggest challenge was safely crossing streets! There are bike lane, trams, and cars all operating on the same roads so crossing can be tricky. Check two or three times before you decide to go for it. Taxis were available from public transport centers, but were often hard to find once in the city. We had an even harder time at night, even in the Red Light District. On the whole, these countries were some of the easier to navigate or the ones I’ve visited, but they are not without their challenges. Planning ahead a bit can be well worth it.
Language
As an English speaker, I found both Netherlands and Belgium pretty easy to navigate. Most people spoke English as well as Dutch, especially in restaurants, hotels, taxis, buses, etc. Usually most restaurants had an English menu, and some of the more famous, large museums had descriptions of exhibits in English as well. If you don’t speak Dutch or English, I think visiting these countries would be much harder, but there are very few instances, if any, where it was imperative to speak Dutch to get around or be understood.
Ability to Work (Wi-Fi/Internet Access)
Most of the hostels and hotels we stayed in had decent Wi-Fi. I was able to access and reply to emails without too much problem, but video chats or Skype calls were unreliable. Most restaurants offered Wi-Fi with purchase of food or drink. Even some of the trains we took traveling between cities had Wi-Fi available that got the job done. I think it would be fairly easy to work remotely from the Netherlands and Belgium, provided you just need basic Internet access. However, I have T-mobile and have unlimited data in Netherlands and Belgium, but it didn’t work very well in most places , so I relied on Wi-Fi when we were dining or in our hotel as well. If you need to do conference calls, skyping, etc, you might want to test your connection before your big work meeting because it’s definitely not perfect.
Physical Ability
Steep stairs on the Belfry Tower.
Both Netherlands in Belgium stuck out to me as places that could be tricky to travel if you have a physical disability that makes walking challenging. There aren’t many handicapped friendly buildings. A fair few of the hotel rooms in hospital beds we booked were accessibly only after several flights of narrow and steep staircases. Some bunk beds didn’t have steps to get to the top bunk! Most did not have an elevator and many of the major attractions were the same way. For example, the Belgium Belfry tower had 360 or so steps to get to the top. Understandably, there are few accommodations to be made in a historic bell tower, but it’s something to anticipate.
The public transportation is pretty good, so it’s possible to get around with minimal walking, though more expensive. Walking and biking are the preferred methods of transportation for most Dutch people it seemed. Most of the bigger art museums and more modern sites, like the Rijksmuseum, had elevator access and would be much more accessible to those for whom walking is difficult.
Our triple-level bunk bed – I had the top bunk!
Drugs
Sometimes Amsterdam can have a reputation as a lawless land. However, there is a big misconception about what is truly legal and what is not. As far as weed and other drugs go, they are not legal in Netherlands. They are decriminalized. And there is a definite distinction.
What this means is that you are technically able to purchase a lot of products inside stores (often called or even labeled coffee shops) in Amsterdam. Drug possession and use is not going to get you a jail sentence. In fact, our tour guide explained that you can even take your drugs in for testing at Netherlands government centers to be sure what you purchase is really what you thought. The focus is on helping those with drug addiction get better rather than criminalizing everyone who is participating, whether their behavior is problematic or not.
Because it is not legal, it is also not regulated. There is no FDA of weed or shrooms making sure what you buy at the coffeeshop is legit. Exercise extreme caution in anything you buy that you will put into your body.
Safety
On the whole, I felt very safe traveling around Netherlands and Belgium. Even at night there are many people around and there are enough lights that it is fairly well lit. I didn’t feel unsafe for the most part. One night we found ourselves walking through a much less populated, darker neighborhood to get back to our hostel. Pausing to take a photo on a bridge, a stranger walked up and got uncomfortably close, even bumping into Tahvi, even though we were the only people on the street. Fortunately, that was the only situation I can recall feeling nervous. As with anywhere else, use your common sense. Don’t flash your valuables around. Stay with a group if walking around alone at night, when possible. Oh, and be careful with the nightlife as people in the red light district, particularly tourists, I can get a little rowdy and out of control!
Do you agree with my assessments, or have you had different experiences in the Netherlands and Belgium? Leave your comments below.
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