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Polders, Zeeland dikes, Flemish art cities and the Ardennes, departing from Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, Liège or Luxembourg
The Benelux fits into a few hours of driving: you can have breakfast facing a Dutch windmill, lunch in the shade of a Flemish belfry and sleep in an Ardennes valley. Thirteen pick-up cities spread the offer across three countries, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Brussels, Antwerp, Ostend - Bruges, Ypres, Liège and Luxembourg, plus Amersfoort, Deventer, Eindhoven and Arnhem.
Borders are crossed without a thought, and the three countries complement each other: the Netherlands for dikes, canals and cycling, Belgium for its merchant cities and beaches, Luxembourg for its forests and castles. In return, the land is highly urbanised, campsites fill up and historic centres are not designed for large vehicles.
Anywhere Campers
Rental company category:Standard
Autocaravan Express
Rental company category:Standard
Avis Explore
Rental company category:Standard
Public rating of the rental company:
4.1/5
(506 reviews)
McRent
Rental company category:Standard
Rent Easy
Rental company category:Premium
Touring Cars
Rental company category:Standard
Choose your departure city: the map shows where rental companies hand over their vehicles.
From Amsterdam, the road passes Haarlem and its beguinages, then the bulb fields around Lisse, where the Keukenhof park opens in spring. It continues through Leiden and its canals, The Hague, seat of government, and Delft, before reaching Rotterdam, a city of modern architecture and Europe's largest port.
This route is short and very urban: the camperplaatsen near the centres fill up early in the tulip season. One-way hire from Amsterdam to Rotterdam depends on the rental companies and dates; otherwise, the loop closes by motorway in about an hour.
North of Amsterdam, Edam and Volendam open the road to the old Zuiderzee ports. Enkhuizen keeps its quays and open-air museum, then the thirty-kilometre Afsluitdijk causeway crosses the water to Friesland. Harlingen and Lemmer, where you can visit the Woudagemaal pumping station, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, close the loop.
On the dike, crosswinds buffet high-sided vehicles: ease off and avoid stormy days. Lemmer and Harlingen have no depot, but are easy to reach from Amsterdam or Amersfoort.
From Rotterdam, a detour to the Kinderdijk windmills comes before you enter the delta of the Rhine, the Meuse and the Scheldt. The Oosterschelde barrier, a masterpiece of the Delta Works, leads to Zierikzee, then Veere and Middelburg, capital of Zeeland, among dunes, pebble beaches and dikes covered in sheep.
The region's bridges and tunnels mean detours: plan crossings with a satnav set for motorhomes. The Westerscheldetunnel, towards Zeelandic Flanders, is a toll tunnel: check its conditions.
Brussels' Grand-Place launches a route that passes through Leuven and Mechelen, then Antwerp, its quays and its monumental station. Ghent follows with the Graslei and the Castle of the Counts, then Bruges and its beguinages. The route ends on the Belgian coast, where the coastal tram serves the fine-sand resorts, from Ostend to De Panne.
Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels apply low-emission zones: check the vehicle's access before entering. The Brussels - Ostend - Bruges trip can be done one-way depending on the rental companies and dates; Zeebrugge serves as a stop on the coast.
From Liège, the road climbs to Spa and its springs, then the Hautes Fagnes peat bogs and Stavelot Abbey. It continues through Bastogne, home to the Battle of the Bulge memorial, then Clervaux Castle, the Our valley and the fortress of Vianden, before arriving in the old town of Luxembourg.
The terrain is hilly, with winding roads and frequent fog in autumn. The whole route is possible one-way, depending on dates and rental companies. To extend the trip, Luxembourg's Little Switzerland and its wooded rocks stretch around Echternach.
Bulbs bloom from late March to May, days lengthen and the first terraces appear along the canals. April remains the driest month in Brussels with 45 mm of rain, but Amsterdam still gets more than ten days of showers in May. Campsites open, without the summer crowds.
The Belgian coast and Dutch beaches are at their busiest, and campsites on the coast and in the Ardennes are full. In Ostend, the sea reaches 20 °C in July and nearly 21 °C in August. Rain remains frequent, with 14 days of showers in July in Amsterdam: always keep a plan for grey days.
September extends the summer with temperatures still mild and noticeably fewer people. October tips the balance: Amsterdam gets 105 mm of rain over 15 days, its wettest month of the year, and sunshine falls to 6 hours a day. The Ardennes forests turn russet, but the roads are wetter.
Days are short: in December, Amsterdam has only 3 hours of sunshine a day, and Luxembourg falls below zero at night in January. On the other hand, museums, Christmas markets and heated cafés bring the cities to life. Several campsites close: check opening dates before booking, and plan for effective heating.
Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam suit trips on the polders and dikes; Brussels, Antwerp and Ostend - Bruges the art cities and the coast; Liège and Luxembourg the Ardennes. Eindhoven, Amersfoort, Deventer and Arnhem offer quieter pick-ups towards the east and south of the country.
The search shows rental companies' offers for your dates. There are more in Amsterdam, where five rental companies have a depot, than in the other cities, where the choice is limited to one or two. One-way hire between countries depends on each company.
For May weekends, Ascension, July and August, first lock in nights on the coast, in the Ardennes and near the tulips. Dutch areas can often be booked online, sometimes by the night, and fill up at weekends.
Note the drop-off address and time, as several depots are at a dealership or in a business park, far from the centre. Allow for refuelling and emptying the water tanks, and keep time for the train journey to the airport or station.
Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels have introduced low-emission zones, and several Dutch cities have them in their centres too. The rules depend on the engine standard and may change. Before driving into a city centre, check the vehicle's access and any prior registration; a car park on the outskirts, linked by tram, remains the simplest solution.
Overnight parking outside a campsite or a camperplaats is banned almost everywhere in the Netherlands, and enforced. These areas, often small and on the edge of a village, farm or harbour, offer the essentials: electricity, water and waste disposal. The framework is slightly less strict in Belgium and Luxembourg, but is still set by each municipality.
A bike rack transforms your stops: separate cycle paths, numbered junction signposting and dike routes make outings without the car easy. In town, cyclists have priority in many cases and appear from everywhere, including your blind spot: drive slowly. Ask the rental company whether the rack is compatible with e-bikes, which are heavier.
On the dikes, the Afsluitdijk and the Zeeland bridges, crosswinds push high-sided vehicles around. The canals of Amsterdam, Bruges or Ghent are lined with narrow quays, low bridges and no-entry streets: leave the motorhome on the outskirts, then take a bike, tram or train into the centre.
Dutch, Belgian and Luxembourg motorways are free for light motorhomes, but some tunnels, including the Westerscheldetunnel in Zeeland and the Liefkenshoektunnel near Antwerp, charge a toll. Conditions vary by vehicle: check before leaving, especially if you exceed 3.5 tonnes or the standard heights.
Anywhere Campers has a depot in all thirteen pick-up cities. In Amsterdam, add Rent Easy, McRent, Avis Explore and Touring Cars; in Brussels, Autocaravan Express; in Eindhoven, Rent Easy. Your confirmation gives the exact pick-up address.
A week is enough for a single region, such as Holland, Flanders or the Ardennes. In two weeks, you can link Amsterdam to Brussels and Luxembourg at a relaxed pace. Distances stay short: it is the density of things to see that sets the length of the trip.
Liège or Luxembourg. Liège opens the road to Spa, the Hautes Fagnes and Stavelot, while Luxembourg is close to Clervaux, Vianden and Luxembourg's Little Switzerland. A one-way trip from one to the other, subject to rental companies and dates, avoids retracing the journey.
The Hanseatic towns of the IJssel: Deventer, where a depot is based, then Zutphen and the Harfsen countryside, with its castles. These stops are best visited by bike along the river and away from Amsterdam's crowds. Amersfoort and Utrecht, further west, offer other starting points.
The Afsluitdijk is still the most spectacular, with its thirty kilometres between two waters, but the roads of Zeeland and the Our valley are just as striking. On the Belgian coast, sunset over the sea wall at Ostend or Nieuwpoort is worth the detour.
This company has been very formal regarding the delivery and collection of the vehicle. Everything was as they informed us, the communication with them in both English and Spanish was easy.
First rental of this type of vehicle in a professional context where the rental must take place from France to Canada. Many questions and Cooldrive (Marlène) has been a valuable support in guiding my choices. Efficiency and responsiveness beforehand, and on-site a vehicle and service that met our expectations. No complaints. Great!
Too rigid computer system
All three countries recognise the European licence, and category B is enough for a hire motorhome not exceeding 3.5 tonnes. If your licence comes from a country outside the Union, the rental company will say whether a translation or an international permit is needed. Minimum age and years of licence held vary by offer.
In principle no: overnight parking is banned outside campsites and designated areas, with checks and fines. It is better to book a camperplaats. In Belgium and Luxembourg, rules are set by each municipality: check before stopping.
Yes, these three countries belong to the Schengen area and travel is free. Still, keep the vehicle and rental papers to hand, especially if you continue to Germany or France, as spot checks remain possible.
They can, depending on the city and the engine standard. Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels are the best-known examples, and several Dutch cities also have restrictions. Check the vehicle's access with the rental company and the official websites before passing the sign.
It is possible depending on the rental company, the depot and the dates, for example Amsterdam - Brussels or Liège - Luxembourg. Choose a different drop-off location in the search: compatible offers are shown with any one-way fees already included in the price.
For the tulip peak, from mid-April to early May, as for summer, lock in the vehicle very early, as soon as you fix your campsite nights. Outside school holidays, vehicles are often still available a few weeks before departure.
Few regions of Europe offer as many contrasts over such short distances: polders won from the sea, the Zeeland dikes, the belfries of Flanders, the North Sea beaches, then the forests, valleys and castles of the Ardennes and Luxembourg. On board, you change scenery every day without unpacking, and cycling, very well served by cycle paths, completes each stop.
Pick-ups are spread across the three countries: in the west, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht; in the centre, Brussels and Antwerp; in the east and south, Liège and Luxembourg. Ostend - Bruges and Ypres open up the coast and Flanders. With a few precautions on low-emission zones and overnight parking, the region suits a long weekend as well as a grand three-week tour.
