Well I'm new here but I just lurk and acquire such incredible information. When I saw this topic I just had to register to respond.

These along with many other places are some of my most loved. I lived and worked in Brussels for several years. So I will provide you some of the highlights that I think of immediately.

Everything is a photo opp.

Of course the tulips mostly around Amsterdam. Outside the city in the fields you can see any color tulip and hybrids as far as the eye can see from April through beginning of May.

Amsterdam

Train station is great architecture but can be hard to photograph due to the plethora of electric buses and other vehicles along with all the electrical lines.

there is a great Marine museum that is several floors high almost all period models with some ships berthed behind the museum itself. It also houses a great bookstore and a modelers kit and parts supply.

The tour boats off the main street provide a great overview of the city and canals so you can go back later for more in depth.

Several fine art museums (Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk) in Amsterdam along with the Anne Frank house.

Walking the parameter 1 block over from the main street to the train station is a wonderful experience it is mostly shopping but a fun walk where you can find many pieces made in delft and unique stuff from the area.

if you start around the dam which is a large area at the opposite end of the street from the train station and go counterclockwise you wind up at Rembrandt Park where there are a number of indoor/outdoor eateries.

There is also a Hotel on the main street called De Roode Leeuw which has a traditional Dutch restaurant.

Brussels

So many place here.

The Grand Place - wonderful place with many shops and restaurants in and around. See the famous Manneken Pis Statue just off the square.

also around the outside of the square you will find antique shops, crystal, lace and tapestry stores.

Sablon (a section of Brussels) - Chocolate, art, antiques and a flea market although I can't remember what days they have it. There is a really good one about a half mile from there I think on Wednesdays that is more for the locals I used to find things that I remember a a kid.

The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert or just the shopping arcade is a great experience and is surrounded by many small restaurants specializing in various specialties.

atomium bruxelles is a nice short trip to the old worlds fair location. They also have a a Chez Louis there (the greatest place for mussels in the world)

If you are there on May 1st for the following week only the King and Queen open up the arboretums for a really incredible flower and plant exposition. the arboretums are part of the 1934? Worlds fair and are spectacular in their own right.

Brugge

I can not say enough about Brugge. One of my most favorite cities in Europe.

Not to miss.
The market place with its clock tower. If you can climb to the top you will be rewarded with great views of all of Brugge. If you go the extra step you will see the actual mechanism that is used for the tune played by the bells ( it's worth it).

The Merchants house great tour and you will see that he owner had his own balcony to the cathedral.

The cathedral itself is great and has some real mystery attached to it that the locals know. If someone got interested there could be a book similar to to some of Dan Browns works but true.

There is a a small Basilica that was built over the top of an older Gothic Basilica that is worth seeing.

Of course art, antiques and chocolates are always there.

Brugge was originally the center for lace and there are numerous demonstrations and shops for that.

Could go on and on but you should have enough info to do an internet verification for what I am describing.

Everything in Brugge is a photo opp.

Chuck