Brugge or Prague
Apr 20th, 2004, 06:41 PM
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Brugge or Prague
DH has a Saturday/Sunday open this weekend to visit either Brugge or Prague. he'll be very close to Frankfurt until mid-afternoon Friday. Brugge is much closer I believe if he wants to drive but Prague has a direct, overnight train service. He likes museums, cathedrals, nature but not too many. I've found a few hotel possibilities but welcome your suggestions for either city. Since he's already over there, his corporate travel person will be making the arrangements but always good to have specific places for her to start the search. Thanks!
Apr 20th, 2004, 07:37 PM
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That's a tough choice. These cities are so different from each other. Since he only has 2 days I'd choose Brugge since it's closer and smaller. He could easily and leisurely cover the main sights in 2 days.
I found Brugge to be a very relaxing and friendly place - the people are so warm and cheerful. The architecture and the canals are charming. Brugge is more a large town than a city the way Prague is.
I found Brugge to be a very relaxing and friendly place - the people are so warm and cheerful. The architecture and the canals are charming. Brugge is more a large town than a city the way Prague is.
Apr 20th, 2004, 10:22 PM
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I would choose Brugge too, but I'm biaised, as it is my home town...
A 3* hotel suggestion, see www.adornes.be, a 4* suggestion see www.oha.be (Oud Huis Amsterdam is the name).
http://www.brugge.be/verblijf/en/hotelse.htm shows you a more than complete list of all brugge hotels with links.
You can also see www.brugge.be for general info on museums, popular walks in the historic center and so on.
For an excellent restaurant, see http://www.goudenharynck.be/.
If any other questions, I stay tuned on this thread.
A 3* hotel suggestion, see www.adornes.be, a 4* suggestion see www.oha.be (Oud Huis Amsterdam is the name).
http://www.brugge.be/verblijf/en/hotelse.htm shows you a more than complete list of all brugge hotels with links.
You can also see www.brugge.be for general info on museums, popular walks in the historic center and so on.
For an excellent restaurant, see http://www.goudenharynck.be/.
If any other questions, I stay tuned on this thread.
Apr 21st, 2004, 01:30 AM
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baldrick - I love your home town!!! I've been twice and often think about when I'll go back. Such a pretty town and I can't express how wonderful the people are.
cmeyer - I stayed at the Hotel Adornes and liked it very much. The rooms are spare and modern. It's a short walk to the main square. They have a short video overview of Brugge that you can watch in the basement room that looks like a cave (arched stucco walls and ceiling). I think your husband would like this hotel.
However, I also stayed at Hotel Jacobs and liked this place even more. It looked more "old world" although I think it's only a two-star. And I felt like I was staying in a neighborhood. There's also street parking here. The manager recommended a couple of restaurants, one of which we tried, and we had a huge meal very inexpensively.
cmeyer - I stayed at the Hotel Adornes and liked it very much. The rooms are spare and modern. It's a short walk to the main square. They have a short video overview of Brugge that you can watch in the basement room that looks like a cave (arched stucco walls and ceiling). I think your husband would like this hotel.
However, I also stayed at Hotel Jacobs and liked this place even more. It looked more "old world" although I think it's only a two-star. And I felt like I was staying in a neighborhood. There's also street parking here. The manager recommended a couple of restaurants, one of which we tried, and we had a huge meal very inexpensively.
Apr 21st, 2004, 05:50 AM
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How would you structure the two days in Prague? He would spend a day in Ipres, Menin Gate and Salient while in Brugge - beyond that, probably a bike or walking tour. We know very little about Prague.
Apr 21st, 2004, 06:34 AM
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By taking a train in mid-afternoon in Frankfurt, he can be in Brugge on Friday evening. The same if he takes the car.
The arrival in Prague is on Sat morning.
Have you calculated what the effective time spend, either in Brugge or in Prague, will be?
Have you taken in account where DH has to be, by which means and at what time at the end of this weekend?
I can fully agree that Prague is a beautiful city, but I think that evaluating the effort (time, cost, trouble,...) in regard to the effective leisure time, in this case, gives the benefit to Brugge. Off cours, you can always say that one has to suffer to see a beautiful city... It is up to you!
Oh, I almost forgot. The Adornes hotel has bicycles for its guests.
The arrival in Prague is on Sat morning.
Have you calculated what the effective time spend, either in Brugge or in Prague, will be?
Have you taken in account where DH has to be, by which means and at what time at the end of this weekend?
I can fully agree that Prague is a beautiful city, but I think that evaluating the effort (time, cost, trouble,...) in regard to the effective leisure time, in this case, gives the benefit to Brugge. Off cours, you can always say that one has to suffer to see a beautiful city... It is up to you!
Oh, I almost forgot. The Adornes hotel has bicycles for its guests.
Apr 21st, 2004, 06:43 AM
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I suppose it would be much easier to do Bruge - I guess it depends on what he is looking for. If he arrived in Prague on Saturday morning he could spend the day just wandering the old town and sunday he could visit the castle and all. If you go to the fodors.com miniguide on Prague you will see the basic outline of what to do there. He can't go wrong with either choice really. But I think Prague is not to be missed. Perhaps if he does Bruge this time you can both visit Prague at another time!?
Apr 21st, 2004, 08:38 AM
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Well, let's see. With only two days, I would probably go early on Saturday up to the castle/cathedral and spend much of the day touring there. They have concerts there in the evenings, and you can buy the tickets at the door or earlier in the day at the site. A walk down the hill and across the Charles Bridge in the evening would be my way to finish up that day. Sunday could be spent wandering about Old Town and the Jewish Quarter, with a tour through the fascinating old Jewish Cemetery.
Two days isn't a ton of time to spend in Prague, but it would definitely give him a good feel for the city. We lived in Germany for almost four years and of all the places we traveled, Prague was right at or near the top of my list of favorites. Don't get me wrong; I loved Brugge too but it was just a lot smaller and more "tame". Although, the architecture in Brugge was incredible and I spent a lot of time with my nose pressed up against my camera. I think the difference for me was that I found Prague to embody all of what I thought an old European city would - architecture, beauty, grandness, history, warm welcomes and wonderful food. I would be afraid that Brugge might be a little slow for him if he's on his own for the weekend. Just my opinion
Two days isn't a ton of time to spend in Prague, but it would definitely give him a good feel for the city. We lived in Germany for almost four years and of all the places we traveled, Prague was right at or near the top of my list of favorites. Don't get me wrong; I loved Brugge too but it was just a lot smaller and more "tame". Although, the architecture in Brugge was incredible and I spent a lot of time with my nose pressed up against my camera. I think the difference for me was that I found Prague to embody all of what I thought an old European city would - architecture, beauty, grandness, history, warm welcomes and wonderful food. I would be afraid that Brugge might be a little slow for him if he's on his own for the weekend. Just my opinion
Apr 21st, 2004, 08:48 AM
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Day 1
In Prague I would begin in Old Town Square with its diverse architecture and beautiful building facades. Climb either the Town Hall tower or the Powder Tower for a view; be in front of the astrological clock on the hour and view the figures when they emerge. See St. Nicholas Church and Tyn Church. Wander the narrow streets around Old Town Square for the amazing reliefs and frescoes on the buildings.
See the Jewish Museum and cemetery (access to the cemetery is through the museum). The cemetery is from about 1400 and is very small. The graves are laid on top of one another. The old tilting tombstones and uneven terrain make this a very interesting cemetery.
Walk over to Wenceslas Square (more of a large, long boulevard than a square) which was a central area during the 1968 resistance against the Soviet Union and the demonstrations during the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
Day 2
Take the little tram with commentary from Old Town Square to the castle and get off. Tour the castle area (lots to see) including St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, and Golden Lane. Then walk down the hill to Charles Bridge where there will be lots of street activity.
In Prague I would begin in Old Town Square with its diverse architecture and beautiful building facades. Climb either the Town Hall tower or the Powder Tower for a view; be in front of the astrological clock on the hour and view the figures when they emerge. See St. Nicholas Church and Tyn Church. Wander the narrow streets around Old Town Square for the amazing reliefs and frescoes on the buildings.
See the Jewish Museum and cemetery (access to the cemetery is through the museum). The cemetery is from about 1400 and is very small. The graves are laid on top of one another. The old tilting tombstones and uneven terrain make this a very interesting cemetery.
Walk over to Wenceslas Square (more of a large, long boulevard than a square) which was a central area during the 1968 resistance against the Soviet Union and the demonstrations during the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
Day 2
Take the little tram with commentary from Old Town Square to the castle and get off. Tour the castle area (lots to see) including St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, and Golden Lane. Then walk down the hill to Charles Bridge where there will be lots of street activity.
Apr 21st, 2004, 09:21 AM
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Go for Brugge. The highlights can be "done" in 2-2 1/2 days, but two days in Prague isn't nearly enough to see everything. In addition, two days' $$ in Brugge will last for about four days in Prague, if the weekend's on his dime. I loved, loved Prague and enjoyed Brugge (though it's been six years or so for the latter, one month for the former), but if he wants to do it justice, Prague needs four or five days. Just make sure he brings you some Belgian chocolates back!
