smithgardner

Hey everyone, I am very excited for me 10 day trip to Europe in January. My boyfriend and I will be meeting my sister in Barcelona, where she will be studying. My boyfriend has never been to Europe, so I am dying to show him my favorite city, Paris. This will be my fourth time to Paris, so I am thinking about getting a rental for the week, and I have found one that will be a great deal. I also really wanted to see Belgium on this trip, and my boyfriend is open to anything. I have been to Bruges, but I want to see Brussels and Antwerp. I was wondering whether it would be feasible to day trip to Brussels or Antwerp from Paris. Even if we stayed one night in Belgium, I think it would be cheaper than getting a hotel in Paris for 3 nights and one in Belgium for 2, and then flying from Brussels to Madrid. Or would Amsterdam be a better look at Northern Europe? What do you guys think? We like great nightlife, so we are bookending our week in Paris with weekends in Spain's urban nightlife capitals, Barcelona and Madrid. Here is my possible itinerary. What do you guys think about daytripping to Belgium?

THUR JAN 12: Leave CHS to ATL to BCN
FRI JAN 13 Barcelona
SAT 14 Barcelona
SUN 15 Barcelona, late flight to Paris
MON 16 Paris
TUES 17 Paris
WED 18 Paris (day-trip to Belgium, possible overnight) *Or checking out and staying in Belgium (or Amsterdam?) for Wednesday and Thursday
THURS 19 Paris?
FRI 20 AM flight to Madrid
SAT 21 Madrid
Sun 22 Madrid
Mon 23 Flight home from Madrid to Charleston, via Atlanta

What do you guys think?

smithgardner

I meant to tag this i France and Belgium as well. I reposted this which includes the other tags. Sorry for the error. You can add your replies to the other post. Thanks!

nukesafe

I'm sorry, and really don't want to rain on your parade --- you sound so excited and enthusiastic -- but such a scramble just makes me feel old and tired. In fact, I am old and tired, but even when I was young and full of vim, I think such a trip in mid winter would leave me with nothing but memories of trains and airports.

To answer your question, though, of course you can day trip to Belgium from Paris. The TGV is fast and comfortable, so you can hop on early in the morning and be back late that night, if you wish. Book your tickets early -- 90 days out -- so you can get cheap fares.

Best of luck and have fun!

greg

I am trying to grasp what are done deals and what are the constraints you are still trying to work out.

Is the constraints you are trying to work out the time or the money?

You mention rental for a week, but your itinerary shows less than one week in Paris.

There seems to be a reason, but it is not clear, why you cannot do more time and cost cutting (by not backtracking) routing such as:

Barcelona-Madrid then fly to Paris-Brussels/Antwerp/Amsterdam. Fly home from BRU or AMS.

ira

Hi SG,

>apartment in Paris, can I day trip to Belgium? <

Of course.

I like to go to Bruges via Lille-Flandres.

You can buy a ticket online to L-F and another to Bruges. Otherwise, the computer will book you via Brussels.

Enjoy your rushed visit.

StCirq

If you haven't bought plane tickets yet, I'd buy an open-jaw ticket into Barcelona and out of Brussels. Drop Madrid, add time to Paris (how is 3 nights a week rental?), then head to Antwerp and Brussels and fly home from there. Ass it is, you've got way too much going on.

smithgardner

@greg- My constraints are the following:

A) Discount flights between Paris-Madrid and Paris-Barcelona are a lot cheaper than the AVE train between the 2 Spanish cities. Also, it is cheaper to fly to and from the United States from Spain (by about $100) than open jaw from either Paris or Amsterdam.
B) We are really into big nightlife, and therefore we wanted to spend a weekend in both Barcelona and Madrid.
C) The cost of the rental that I am thinking about reserving in Paris is 375 euros for the entire week, and the minimum rental is one week. Even if we just stay Sunday through Thursday (5 nights) it would be way cheaper than getting a (not nearly as nice) 100 Euro a night hotel that is centrally located in Paris.

smithgardner

@stcirq Madrid and Barcelona are firm, and we are not changing that. Also, Sunday night through Friday morning is 5 nights, not 3, so I don't appreciate your dismissive comments if you have failed to carefully read my original post. I do not think that Barcelona-Paris-Madrid, with day trips or one overnight trip to Belgium, is doing too much, especially since I have been to Paris three times before.

smithgardner

@ira, thanks for the tip! I saw where rail lines went through Lille, and I wondering whether that was an option to Bruges, since all the train schedules showed a change in Brussels, as you pointed out. I have already been to Bruges, and I did enjoy it, so I was thinking about doing maybe lunch in the Grand Place or nearby then the Magritte Museum in Brussels, having a beer or 3, and then heading back, or continuing to Anwtero to stay the night and do some shopping the next morning before returning to our rental in Paris.

CathyM

Personally if I had 10 nights and had already been to Paris three times previously I'd focus just on Barcelona and Madrid (save Paris to show your boyfriend another trip). There is plenty to keep you busy for 10 nights in these cities alone and you could also do several daytrips. There are greatly discounted web fares (as low as 60 euros) available approx 90 days in advance from Renfe, the Spanish national railroad company. I agree with everyone that 10 nights for Paris, Barcelona & Madrid (along with daytrip to Belgium) is a very fast pace and after a while it will become a blur of sights.

bardo1

<i>"I do not think that Barcelona-Paris-Madrid, with day trips or one overnight trip to Belgium, is doing too much, especially since I have been to Paris three times before."</i>

...and a number of people who are very familiar with all these place do. No one is being "dismissive".

They (and I) just feel your trip would be vastly improved if you cut back the number of places.

Isn't that why you posted here?

To get the <i>opinions</i> of expert travelers?

In your own words: <i>"What do you guys think?"</i>

Christina

I've done a day trip to Brussels from Paris and enjoyed it very much. That is really easy on the Thalys high-speed train and doesn't take very long at all. (I think it is only about 90 min one-way).

I think trying to do both Bruges and Brussels in one day is too much, no way. I'd choose one or the other.

smithgardner

@bardo if you read my post, I was asking about day tripping to Belgium. The dismissive comment was specifically referring to the fact that I had allotted 5 nights or my rental, not 3, which the other commenter implied. When people post on here they are often looking for specific advice, yes, and I welcome your opinion, but it is also important to respect the constraints of the trip I am planning for myself and my travel companion. This pace may be too quick for you or some of the other commenters, but it works for me, and I have thoroughly enjoyed previous trips at a similar pace if not more brisk. Obviously, I would love to spend a week at each destination, but that is just not feasible, so please respect that and save me your self-righteous "expert" opinion, because It is not constructive ior helpful.

As a contrast:

@christina, thank you for our comment, I was definitely just planning on focusing on one city for a day trip, most likely Brussels.

@cathyM I agree, but my bf i his heart set on Paris, and I have mine set on Madrid. I guess we have to compromise, as I doubt we will be able to return to Europe in the near future.

bardo1

You might want to reconsider the open-jaw. Here's one for only $705 inclusive:

Charleston (CHS) to Paris (CDG) - Thu, Jan 12

United Charleston (CHS) to Washington (IAD) - Thu, Jan 12
United 5717 Dep: 2:29PM Arr: 4:06PM 1h 37m Canadair Reg. Jet Coach (L)
OPERATED BY UNITED EXPRESS/ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES Layover in IAD 1h 4m

United Washington (IAD) to Paris (CDG) - Thu, Jan 12
United 130 Dep: 5:10PM Arr: 6:35AM 7h 25m Boeing 757 Coach (L)

OPERATED BY CONTINENTAL Fri, Jan 13

Madrid (MAD) to Charleston (CHS) - Mon, Jan 23
United Madrid (MAD) to Washington (IAD) - Mon, Jan 23
United 7662 Dep: 10:45AM Arr: 2:00PM 9h 15m Airbus A330 Coach (L)

OPERATED BY AER LINGUS LIMITED Layover in IAD 3h 0m

United Washington (IAD) to Charleston (CHS) - Mon, Jan 23
United 5723 Dep: 5:00PM Arr: 6:48PM 1h 48m Canadair Reg. Jet Coach (L)
OPERATED BY UNITED EXPRESS/ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES
Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $705.40
Total cost for 1 passenger $705.40

Plus, of course, a $75, one-way, 1 hour, budget flight from Paris to Madrid (purchase as far ahead as possible to get deal).

This gets both you and BF the city you each really want and provides 5 nights in each (or 6 then 4). And it's CHEAP. You could then easily take a day-trip to Antwerp or Brussels for a day.

Guenmai

I've day tripped to Belgium from Paris. It's easy. Just go to Gare du Nord and take the Thalys. It takes around 90 minutes non stop. I zipped up there to go to the Museum of Central Africa to see an exhibit.

After I arrived in Brussels, then I took a subway and a street car to get to the museum which is located in another town. I was fine with the day trip and have been to Belgium several times over the decades. I say to go for it. Happy Travels!

tuscanlifeedit

Holy cow.

opaldog

A daytrip to Brussels is very doable. We did it and enjoyed ourselves. We were there in the winter (Feb.) and it was cold to the bone; very windy. The train trip was quick, 90 minutes.

I would spend a little more time in Barcelona. It's a wonderful city and may be a bit milder in the winter than your other destinations.

I also love Paris. Try the jazz club Duc des Lombards. Friday and Saturday at midnight is the free jazz jam session. It's really great.

smithgardner

@bardo1 Thank you for looking into this, those are certainly great prices, but my sister will be meeting us in Barcelona for the Jan 13-15 weekend from Dublin, so that part of our trip is firm. Also, I was able to find a round trip flight on United/Continental from Charleston to Barcelona via Newark, open jaw, coming back from Madrid via Dulles, for only $651, so this is part of the reason I am considering what some might consider to be an unorthodox itinerary.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, we wanted to experience the weekend nightlife in both Barcelona and Madrid, and considering Easyjet flights are about $40 each way (though I realize we would also have to account for checked baggage and transit to and from airport) I thought it could also be economical.

I do really appreciate your comments, and I will definitely look into your suggestion further before i purchase my tickets.

Christina

When I was in Brussels for the day, I spent a lot of time around the Grand Place which is a pleasant area and there are several good and small museums right on it or near it. I took the metro from the train station. I also took it out to an area with a lot of Art Nouveau architecture as that is one of my interests (V Horta, there is a museum for him).

I was particularly interested in the music museum as I play the piano and am involved in music a lot (classical mostly). Brussels has one of the best music museums in Europe, if not the world. You would have to be interested in musicology and historical instruments, things like that, I imagine. I went to that before Grand Place, I think, and then walked to Grand Place from there, I'd have to check maps.

smithgardner

@Christina Awesome tip! I will look into that, but I am particularly interested in the new Magritte Museum in Brussels, also, I was thinking about checking out the Matonge market in Ixelles, which I've heard is a very nice contrast and a reflection of Belgium's Colonial past. I am also really interested in the avant-garde fashion that Antwerp is known for, so I think we might continue on to Antwerp and spend the night before returning to Paris.

Thanks so much everyone!