Alice9

We have about a week for a trip to Amsterdam in late Aug/early Sept. But I think i could stretch it a day or two. If I'm going to add time, how does 5 nights Amsterdam, 3 nights Brussels sound? I checked airfare and open jaw into Amsterdam and out of Brussels is about the same as roundtrip to Amsterdam (except that I can fly directly to Amsterdam and it's one stop from Brussel - but going home I don't care as much).

I would do some day trips from both places. Does this sound reasonable? Eight nights in Amsterdam sounds like too much. Alternate suggestions very welcome.

Thanks for your help,
Alice

Bitter

Yes. I did such a trip with maybe 4-5 days in and around A'dam, a day and morning in Brussels and a couple nights in Bruges. It was a pleasant trip. FWIW the Brussels airport is very convenient to downtown Brussels by train, so consider ending there and flying out of there.

sandralist

The distances are not long, so it really is up to you. There is actually more in Belgium of interest to me than there is in Amsterdam or the Netherlands generally, but that is obivously not true of everybody. That said, I would prefer a different city than Brussels for my main experience of it.

If you have a long list of museums you want to visit in Amsterdam, you obviously need the time to do that (or shopping, or historic sights/walking/canal tours). But many people spend 3 days in Amsterdam -- it is quite compact -- and move on without feeling they missed things or were rushed.

Same goes the other way. Some people traipse lightly through Belgium and don't feel much interested in many of its museums and other attractions. Others (like me!) very much enjoy the whole aesthetic of Beligium, and its food and drink, and like to linger.

I don't see any substitute for sitting down with a guidebook, and prioritizing what you want to do. If in the end that means more days in Amsterdam than Belgium, vice versa or even steven, you can make up your own "rules" about how much time each place "needs". It just for you.

Bitter

Also, Consider Ghent (instead of or in addition to Brussels/Bruges).

PalenQ

Brussels underwhelms many folks - me included - a big modern city that has erased much of its old world charm - Bruges however is awesome and Gent is nice too but no Bruges - to me one of the most romantic old-world cities north of the Alps.

Take a train to Antwerp, change there for Bruges - base in Bruges 2 days or so and do a day trip on the 3rd day if staying.

I would do Brussels as a few-hour stop en route to Paris - the city's few main sights are a in a compact area - put your bags in a station locker and hit them - the little boying peeing statue and the Grand' Place, one of Europe's finest city squares - Brussels does have other charms but they are IME away from the city center - you will love Bruges which though crowded with tourists in the day exudes a charm in its ancient canals lined by ancient facades of days long gone when it was one of the world's most important cities and ports - the port silted up eons ago leaving Bruges to slumber along anfd escape the ravages of modernization to the extent of Brussels.

For lots on Benelux trains and Thalys trains to Paris check the official Thalys site (www.thalys.com) and these good general info sites: www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com.

See why so many wax romantic about Bruges:

https://www.google.com/search?q=brug...=1600&bih=1075

sandralist

I would prefer Antwerp to Bruges as the more intriguing foreign place, far fewer tourists, with a wonderful mix of antique architecture and modern sensibility, great food and drink.

PalenQ

Antwerp is IMO just another neat city like zillions in Europe - Bruges is one of a kind. In the past I took over 1,000 people thru stops for a few days in Bruges, Gent and Antwerp and everyone almost to a T loved Bruges by far even though they enjoyed the other two. Well this is all very subjective but IME the vast vast number of average tourists will enjoy Bruges much much more than the other two and certainly Brussels.

Bitter

I haven't been to Antwerp, but love Bruges. I would like to return to Ghent -- it was under significant construction and road work when we were there. Brussels I enjoy for a day or so. I like to snack on waffels and eat one of those touristy streets filled with restaurants with outdoor seating. And I was thrilled with its airport access.

Alice9

Thank you all! It sounds like perhaps we start in Amsterdam, then go to Bruges for a few days and end in Brussels and fly home from there. PalenQ, no time for Paris this trip, and I could never go for just a few days!

This is an unusually short trip for us, but I've never been to Amsterdam and I've got a little over a week, so I want to make the most of our time.

I think both the Netherlands and Belgium deserve more time but that will have to be on future trips.

So I think I can start looking for airfare to Amsterdam, home from Brussels and then start figuring out how many days where. I'm hoping end of August into early September is a good time to go - it's pretty much what we've got this time!

Thanks again for all the good suggestions.

Alice

sandralist

Antwerp isn't "just another" city. It's Antwerp, and it is quite beautiful, with significant architecture spanning many centuries, including art nouveu, significant European art holdings, plus an exceptionally lively urban modern art scene, with food and nightlife to match. But it really depends on your tolerance for places that have become tourist magnets, and "subjective" nature of some people's reactions to many destinations sometimes depends on whether their last visit was more than 10 years ago. While a place like Bruges has no doubt been a tourist attraction for some decades, the amount of tourism it gets now has simply exploded, with crowds of foreigners overwhelming the small streets, and there is really next to nothing left in Bruges except a commercialized tourist experience of a "ye twee old town" with crowds of foreigners overwhelming the small streets. Coming from a fully functional city like Amsterdam, it may not make any difference and feel like a charming relief in the evenings, when the hordes of coach tours and day trippers have left. You can also bicycle out of town if you want some relief (or even just walk by the river, where fewer people go). But if you don't like tourist crowds, you need to be prepared for them. If you don't mind them -- and many don't -- be sure to the Michaelangelo while you're there and have a great time!

Alice9

sandralist,I do like to get away from hordes of tourists - but on the other hand, there are things I want to see that are in places where there ARE hordes of tourists. So I do like to mix and match, which is why we usually take longer trips.

And even in heavily visited areas, there are places to go and things to see that outside the normal scope of many travelers. People LIVE in these places, and I want to eat at the places they eat and find some of the hidden charms. This is why we travel solo and also why I do so much research before a trip!

Alice

Bitter

FWIW, Bruges is busy during the day, but you may feel like you have the city to yourself in the evening. On our last visit, I remember walking through the main square and we may have been the only ones there. Also, as you move out of the main area during the day it gets more sparsely populated. (Great city to explore on foot).

PalenQ

Yeh it's like Yogi Berra said about some restaurant - nobody goes there (Bruges) anymore because it's too crowded - gem towns are crowded during parts of the day for good reason - they are gems and that's what foreign tourists like - old-world atmosphere that Bruges exudes more than any other city in Belgium for sure.

Bitter

Pal, I remember someone on this forum years ago commenting on how touristy the Bruges canal rides were and that they would dare go on them. And here I am having twice enjoyed those canal rides. Yes, sometimes things are popular for a reason.

Alice9

Just as a follow-up. I was waiting to see what might happen to airfare and it hasn't budged. It annoys me to no end that gas prices have fallen substantially, yet airfare is the same.

Anyway, I'm planning now on 5 nights in Amsterdam, then 3 nights in Bruges and 2 nights in Brussels. We will definitely do some day trips from Amsterdam and probably Bruges. We'll have one full day in Brussels and depart home from there.

So I'm on to booking accommodations, we generally like B&Bs, but I'll have to see what I find. Any tips on best locations in any of these cities?

Thanks as always,
Alice

Alice9

Just as a follow-up. I was waiting to see what might happen to airfare and it hasn't budged. It annoys me to no end that gas prices have fallen substantially, yet airfare is the same.

Anyway, I'm planning now on 5 nights in Amsterdam, then 3 nights in Bruges and 2 nights in Brussels. We will definitely do some day trips from Amsterdam and probably Bruges. We'll have one full day in Brussels and depart home from there.

So I'm on to booking accommodations, we generally like B&Bs, but I'll have to see what I find. Any tips on best locations in any of these cities?

Thanks as always,
Alice

Bitter

I share your frustration with airfares. There are a multitude of choices for daytrips from A'dam. We have always stayed in Haarlem, an easy train ride to/from A'dam. It has an amazing town square and a couple (at least) good museums. From Haarlem, we took the train out to the coast. Maybe not the top of the list for some travelers but it was a nice afternoon, particularly for those of us who are landlocked at home.