Baarle-Nassau: Amsterdam to Belgium Road Trip Idea
If you’re traveling from Amsterdam to Belgium on a road trip (which is the best option ever), you can stop by Baarle-Nassau in your 3 hour road trip.
Baarle-Nassau is a town divided between countries Belgium and Netherlands. The portion of the town belonging to Netherlands is Baarle-Nassau, while the Belgium enclave is known as Baarle-Hertog.
The most interesting part about this border is that some houses are divided by the border. So imagine having your kitchen based in Belgium, but your bedroom 🛌 in Netherlands! Or how about sleeping in the same bed as your spouse, but you’d be in Netherlands, while your spouse would be in Belgium!
But while that’s weird as the twilight zone, the town’s border complexity extends to taxation. Residents here have known to move their main doors just to avoid double taxation.
Dividing the town between two countries is a result of historical treaties dating back to medieval times and the Treaty of Maastricht (1843). As usual, mapmakers back then decide by drawing a line on the map.
Things to do in Baarle Nassau / Baarle Hertog:
– 📍Find House No. 2 (🇧🇪) / No. 19 (🇳🇱) — yes this property has two addresses! — and you can put one of your foot in Netherlands and the other in Belgium.
– Tour the Border Crossings- visit the local tourism office to get a map of Baarle Nassau and they’ll best advise you where to start! They’re also keen to known where you came from, and there is a map where you can pin your location where you’re from.
– Shop local produce at the market. They sell the freshest fruits ever, especially the strawberries
– Eat local dutch baby pancakes! I love Dutch baby pancakes. They’re thin, and either savory or sweet. I recommend getting savory ones at De Pannekenkoekenbaker. Brie cheese on pancakes is always a good idea.
