olgap

Hi all,

Me and my husband have already completed a large part of our itinerary planning, thanks to the suggestions of Fodorites.

I'm posting because I'm buying train tickets right now (Thalys direct from country to country) and am having a small dilemma.

This is what our itinerary looks like so far:

Nov 12-Nov 16 in the Hague (husband stationed there for work)
Nov 17-Nov 18 in Amsterdam
Nov 19-Nov 21 in Belgium
Nov 21-Nov 25 in Paris (flying out at 5pm on the 25th)

The question is should we spend 2 days in Belgium instead of three? We will be staying in Antwerp and want to see Antwerp and Brugge, which we can do in two days. The third day, we were planning to go to Ghent but now I'm thinking maybe we should just spend that day in Paris? It would be 3.5 days in Paris vs 4.5 days.

We like quaint cities and walking around and exploring, which is why Ghent was so appealing, but I'm thinking Brugge will offer the same kind of experience, and maybe it's more worth it to spend that third day in Paris instead of Ghent?

Any advice/opinions would be appreciated!

Ruby99

I LOVED Ghent, stayed 5 days there in 2010... But there is much, much, much less to do than Paris... plus it would mean more moving around.

I haven't been to Antwerp, just Brussels and Brugge, but I believe distances are quite short if you wanted to pop into Ghent for a few hours while traveling to Brugge...

I thought Ghent had great shopping, very nice people and wonderful food... we stayed at de Waterzooi B&B, right across from Gravensteen Castle... through all my travels, this B&B still stands out as the best ever.

Good luck, whichever you pick it'll be a great trip... I've been in Paris 5 times so obviously have a love for that city too

Sassafrass

Bruges and Ghent seem quite different to me and I liked Ghent more. I would choose a day in Ghent over an extra day in Paris, but you could go to Ghent, stash you luggage at the train station (not sure which stations you would be using from Antwerp - both have luggage storage), spend the day in Ghent and take a late train to Paris.

dwdvagamundo

Concur with Ruby--we didn't spend that much time there, but Ghent has a lot to do. You now have only three days to see all of Belgium (less travel time to and from there). I'd leave it as is.

Be sure to spend at least one nite in Bruges--perhaps base there and take the train to Ghent and to Antwerp. Bruges was mobbed when we were there but at nite and early morning it should be better.

olgap

Thanks guys!

I think we will stay in Belgium for that 3rd day then and go see Ghent.

When I look up trains to Ghent, I get two stations: Gent Dampoort and Gent Sint Peters. Does anyone know which one would drops us in the center of the city (walkable to churches, castle, etc) and also whether or not they have storage lockers there for luggage?

olgap

Sassafrass, thanks, you actually answered my question about luggage storage. Do you remember which station is closer to the center of the city, Gent Dampoort or Gent Sint Peters?

Gretchen

You hardly have 3 good days in Paris. You will regret not staying longer, IMO.

indyhiker

You'll be coming into Gent Sint Peters.

I, too, loved Ghent and loved it more than Brugge. But admittedly, we were mostly there for the day. By after dinner, the place had really cleared. We also rented bikes and rode along the canals to a small town called Damme. It was lovely.

I don't think you can go too wrong with your decision (although it appears you've already made it). Paris is fantastic--to me, at least. I think it feels more villagey--at least in parts--than a city that size and with that many inhabitants might otherwise feel.

sandralist

If your husband is working in Den Haag, do you need to relocate to Amsterdam for 2 nights? Any chance you'll be doing a lot of sightseeing without him but could possibly share with him the highlights of Amsterdam in a day instead of two?

By the way, while in Den Haag, seeing the unique Panorama Mesdag can be really worthwhile. I also happen to like the modern art museum, which has one of the best collections of 20th c. Dutch art anywhere, if you are interested in 20th c. art. The Mauritshaus is also a charming small museum.

If you've not been to Paris, I can understand why people are urging you to give more time there if you can find it. I happen to enjoy the food in Belgium more than I do in Paris, so I'm always happy to spend time there. Like a few others, I prefer Ghent to Brugge (and Antwerp to both).

olgap

Thanks, indyhiker.

sandralist, I do plan on doing some traveling on my own from Den Haag to other Dutch cities (Delt, Utrecht, Den Bosch for the amazing St John's cathedral, Maybe Maastricht even though it is far, and maybe Rotterdam). I don't expect to do all of those cities on our trip but those are some ideas I had.

I already made the reservation for our Amsterdam hotel but I guess I could change it. I booked hotels via Expedia with the no cancellation stipulation so I'm not sure how flexible they will be.

I also decided on 2 days in Amsterdam because a lot of people were saying 1 day isn't enough. If I cut out 1 day from Amsterdam, we could spend 3 days in Belgium and tack another day onto Paris. Would you recommend that?

Thanks for the Den Haag recommendations. Will add them to my notes!

olgap

Actually, I just remembered that I bought non-refundable Thalys tickets from Amsterdam to Antwerp on November 18th so it looks like we will spend 2 days in Amsterdam after all

MmePerdu

In the scheme of things, the price of those train tickets are a pittance compared to days of your life or even the overall cost of your trip. If abandoning them means your trip will be better in some way, I suggest you not give it another thought. It's simply the down side of advance planning, sometimes something better comes along and sticking with an outdated itinerary makes little sense.

msteacher

Keep your days in Amsterdam.. There is more than enough to see and do in a week there. Obviously, more time in any of your locations would be wonderful, but we all have to work with the time we have. So I think your overall plan is a good one.

One factor to consider in the Ghent vs Paris decision is weather. In Nov, you can certainly get some dismal grey days. In poor weather, I'd personally rather be in Paris, where there are more indoor oriented activities. Much of Ghents charm lies in it's architecture and canals. The other factor to consider is whether you prefer seeing the big world class sights (Louvre, Ste Chapelle, Versailles, etc) or knocking around a smaller town, perhaps sampling different foods and beers. No bad decision... Just the one that's right for you. Have fun!

IMDonehere

We like Gent but there are few cities like Paris. If you stay in Gent, please take a look at Snooze Inn, the owner and his family run a spectacular but small place.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._Province.html

olgap

Hi IMDonehere, we already booked a hotel in Antwerp but thanks for the suggestion.

msteacher, thanks for the kind words. Here's to hoping the weather cooperates!

Sassafrass

When I made my suggestion, I had missed that you are going in Nov. At any rate, if the weather is not good, with that option, you could just go on to Paris earlier unless the cost of going earlier makes a big difference. Two days in Amsterdam is good. There is plenty to do there.

MmePerdu

"...you could just go on to Paris earlier..."

My suggestion above was also meant as a call to spontaneity, Sassafrass, but it seems to have gone disregarded or, maybe, misunderstood. Additional costs, even when one is on a budget as I always am, mean little sometimes when compared to the gain. Or maybe it's a possibility that only becomes apparent with more personal experience.

kerouac

Frankly, I think that northern Europe has plenty of charm in November because it still has a few nice sunny days but also some wind and falling leaves, which are very photogenic. February, for example, is often a horrible time for such places unless you already know the ropes for lingering in steamy bars and cosy restaurants.

sandralist

olgap

I quite enjoy Amsterdam and I would find it quite a dilemma to divvy up the time between all the choices you have. (Personally I am a bit allergic to Brugge but that is neither here nor there.) I honestly wasn't trying to tell you that you would do better to shorten Amsterdam. I was just wondering if maybe you could visit Amsterdam a lot without your husband while he is tied up in Dan Haag and then give him an "efficient" one-day tour -- and thus scarf up another day to apply to Belgium or Paris. That is sometimes how things I've worked out for me when I traveled as a "spouse" on a business trip.

You are going to a great many charming places and in Ghent there is an actual undeniable masterpiece of art in the church of St Bavo. (And a Michaelangelo in Brugge and wonderful art and architecture EVERYWHERE in Belgium -- and Amsterdam and Paris.)

So take your best shot! Nothing will be perfect but everything will be delicious and stimulating.

kerouac

Bruges is fine out of season, for which November qualifies if you are far enough away from the 1st and the 11th of November and any adjacent weekend. But visiting it does not take more than one day. There is a direct Thalys from Bruges to Paris.