Canterbury, UK - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: London, UK

Weather: Sunshine and some clouds, 59/80F.

Route: From Amsterdam 453 km WSW on A2, A27, E19, E40, A16, Tunnel, E20.

Population: 55,240

Significance: Canterbury is the spiritual head of the Church of England. There are three buildings part of the UNESCO World Heritage designation - the cathedral, St. Augustine's Abbey, and St. Martin's Church.  The church became a place of pilgrimage after Thomas Becket was murdered, after which there were reported miracles.  It was also the jumping off point for pilgrims to Rome and other mainland European pilgrimage places.  

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The gothic cathedral (from whc.unesco.org)

St. Augustine's abbey gate (from whc.unesco.org)

Amsterdam, Netherlands - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Weather: Sunny, 55/72F.

Route: From Rotterdam 77 km NNE on A13 and A4.

Population: 872,680

Places to visit: Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, Vandelpark, Moco Museum, Museum Het, Royal Palace, Verzetsmuseum.

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Aerial view of the ringed city of Amsterdam (from whc.unesco.org)

One of the many house lined canals of Amsterdam (from whc.unesco.org)

Rotterdam, Netherlands

 Place: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Weather: Partly cloudy skies, 55/72F.

Route: From Antwerp 99 km north on E19 and A16.

Population: 651,157

Places to visit: Rotterdam Zoo, Kunsthal Rotterdam, Maritime Museum Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Het Park, Natural History Museum, Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum.

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Erasmus bridge and skyline (from prologis.com)

One of the canals (from study.eu)

Antwerp, Belgium

 Place: Antwerp, Belgium

Weather: Partly cloudy, 59/78F.

Route: From Bruges 95 km east on E34/N49.

Population: 523,248

Places to visit: Cathedral of Our Lady, Museum Aan de Stroom, Rubens House, Museum Plantin-Moretus, Museum De Reede, Middelheimpark, Steen Castle, Middlehiem Museum, Foto Museum.

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Grote Markt (from thetimes.co.uk)

The River Scheldt (from strongcitiesnetwork.org)

Bruges, Belgium - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: Bruges, Belgium

Weather: Partly cloudy skies, 58/73F.

Route: From Brussels 98 km WNW on E40.

Population: 118,284

Significance: Bruges was a very important city in the 13th and 14th centuries. Unfortunately for them the canals that connected the city to the sea silted over and the city fossilized in its medieval form. It is arguably one of the most beautiful towns in Europe.

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

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The market square and belfry (from whc.unesco.org)

The canal near market square (from whc.unesco.org)

Brussels, Belgium

 Place: Brussels, Belgium

Weather: Intervals of clouds and sunshine, 56/76F.

Route: From Lille 112 km east on E429.

Population: 1,208,542

Places to visit: Grand Place (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Musee des Beaux-Arts d'Ixelles, Musee Constantin Meunier, Train World, Park Malou, Ixelles Cemetery, Musee de la Medecine, Galarie La Forest Divonne, Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History, Rene Magritte Museum.

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La Grand Place (from whc.unesco.org)

Park Cinquantenaire Park (from brussels.info)

Lille, France

 Place: Lille, France

Weather: Cloudy with showers, 53/74F.

Route: From Amiens 141 km NNE on A29 and A1.

Population: 233,098

Places to visit: Grande Place, Parc du Heron, Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, Lille Metropole Museee d'art moderne, d'art contemporain et d'art brut, The Citadel, Beffroi de l'Hotel de Ville, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille, Le Musee de Plein Air, Musee de la Poupee dt du Jouet ancien, Musee des Moulins.

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Le Grande Place de Lille (from tripsavvy.com)

Entrance to the Citadel (from theculturetrip.com)