jsmith9882

We are looking to travel in September or October, flying into Paris and out of Amsterdam. How does this timing look? Any itinerary changes? We plan on taking the train.

Paris - 3 nights (we've been a few times already)
Brussels - 2 nights
Ghent - 3 nights
Burges - 4 nights
Amsterdam - 2 nights

Michael

Brussels deserves two full days. Transfer one night from Bruges to Brussels.

Sassafrass

Have not been to Brussels, so can’t comment. With Bruges and Ghent, I would stay in Ghent three nights (four at most) and do one day as a day trip to Bruges. They are so close together and, IMHO, nothing is gained by changing hotels and staying in both places. Just stay late and have dinner in Bruges. It is very pretty at night. I would take those nights and add them to Amsterdam, but stay in Haarlem.

jsmith9882

Thank you!

jsmith9882

Thank you. Do you have a hotel suggestion in either Ghent or Haarlem?

Sassafrass

I am sorry, I don’t. We stayed in Bruges and did day trips, including to Ghent. We loved Ghent, the River, the restaurants, the openness, etc. Bruges is pretty, but so very crowded and closed feeling. We would love to visit Ghent again, but probably not Bruges. It has been a long time and we stayed in Amsterdam, which we liked at the time, and the museums are wonderful. However, we loved Haarlem and wished we had stayed there instead. It is just nicer for evening walking.

janisj

I have to disagree with sassafrass about doing Bruges as a day trip. A day trip means you are there with a slew of other . . . day trippers. Bruges is at its best in the mornings and evenings after all the coach tours and day trippers have left the building. It really is a lovely town.

janisj

we were posting the same time. Ghent is lovely but IME so is Bruges. I'd stay in both . . .

jsmith9882

Where did you stay in Bruges?

jsmith9882

Do you have a suggestion on where to stay in Bruges?

janisj

I've stayed two places -- here: https://www.bguest.be/?lang=en A really lovely small B&B with amazing food

and here: https://hotelblabla.com a more basic but extremely clean and friendly small hotel

Sassafrass

Oh, Janisj, you make a very good point about day tripper crowds. I think the crowd got to me our first day and colored the whole visit, but evenings were nice, so to the OP, honestly, listen to the advice to stay in Bruges and enjoy it at night and early mornings. It really is pretty.

Tulips

4 nights in Brugge would be too long for me, unless you are planning trips from there. Overnight is good, as you can see the town when daytrippers leave. Gent is really worth 3 nights (2 full days). We loved the Pillows hotel there. Add the 3 nights you take from Brugge to Amsterdam. 2 nights in Amsterdam is nothing, there is so much to see and do there.

bilboburgler

Brugges over night yes
More than one night? It is a small medievel city, seems a bit long to me

janisj

Two or three nights in Brugges would be my preference -- but just one night would definitely work if one arrived in the morning and left after an early-ish dinner on day 2. I agree Ghent deserves a bit more time than Brugges.

jsmith9882

How would this be instead? Will I have trouble getting on a train from Bruges to Amsterdam with the train station work in Amsterdam scheduled for fall? If anyone has suggestions for hotels, restaurants, or activities in any of these places, please let me know! We love food, beer, and are in our 50s and pretty athletic.

Paris - 4 nights
Brussels - 3 nights
Ghent -2 nights
Bruges - 2 nights
Amsterdam - 3 nights

lavandula

I like this outline, all the cities get a look-in.

I believe the renovation work being done in Amsterdam is on the Eurostar areas and should not affect the Dutch IC trains at all. I think the big problem is only if you are travelling to London on the Eurostar, because the immigration formalities will be taking place in Brussels and not in Amsterdam as they usually would. There are also slightly fewer Eurostar trains to London now as a result of the works, but the Eurostar is still running everywhere. So the IC trains might be a bit more crowded but largely it shouldn't affect you.

If you like food and beer you are in luck - the food culture is very important in Belgium. Try to visit a restaurant that has Belgian specialities. I am not a big restaurant person, but not knowing where you will stay in Brussels, I am going to suggest you stay in the Sablons area, and visit the restaurant Skievelat. Or if you are keen on mussels, Le Zinneke has like 69 varieties (although it is a bit out of the centre, there is a tram). Mussels are only around in months ending in -r.

If you don't stay in that area, the area between Bruxelles-Central and the Grand' Place, or the Louise / Stéphanie districts are also nice areas to stay in.

Lavandula

slotman_p

We tried this place in Bruges and like their beer sampler - T'Brugsch Bieratelier
In Amsterdam we went to Foodhalen which has variety of options.

Our trip was in Christmas time so we focused on Christmas markets for the most part but these 2 above ones are what we liked best.

ninasdream

I have been to Brussels and Bruges but not Amsterdam. I did not care for Brussels-aside from the cold, windy, rainy weather, the cobblestone streets were hard to navigate. Bring good walking shoes with traction! Seriously, I am from NYC and grew up with cobblestone streets, but the ones in Brussels have the stone with a rounded top, so an uneven surface. And they are flanked by slate borders! Growing up also with slate in New England, I know how slippery that can be. I was fortunate to be wearing gum-bottom walking shoes, but people were slipping and falling all around me!
Grote Markt or Grand Market is where they set out the palettes of tulips in patterns in April or May. I would love to return to see that. When I was visited, there was a regular farmers market and cafes and restaurants with sidewalk cafes opening up onto the square.

FInding Sablon from Grand Market was somehow very difficult for me. I would see 5-way street signs, be following them, and then never see signage for the street I was seeking again. Very frustrating. Sablon is further from the center, the less touristy and slightly less crowded and purportedly less expensive.

Overall, I found the people friendly and welcoming. I stopped at a Cafe for beer along the way. I bought lots of chocolates as gifts.

I took the train from Paris - if you can book in advance online. find out if they have discounts - This is the trip that brought to Fodors.com. that was 20 years ago! When I booked my train, it was 50% off if you booked 14 days or more in advance. (Don't forget to take into account they are 6 hours ahead of us, or you may find your date is only 13 days ahead!)

I stayed in a charming hotel in Brussels, which I would have recommended, but It was 20 years ago. I only made a day trip to Bruges, which I regret. I would stay 2 nights, but then I like walking around little streets, there are galleries, I bought a few lithos that I brought home with me and look at and enjoy everyday. Maybe even rent a bike. I'd love to explore the canals more.
My favorite beers were 1664, which is a Kronenbourg, and Chimay.
I hope some of this helps. Have a wonderful trip. I fold up small and would be no bother!

lavandula

I don't think of the Sablon area as less expensive, but I do think of it as an area more for locals, somewhere safe and a bit upmarket. It's where you find the antique shops and an antique street market on the weekend. And chocolate shops .... but agree that maybe in the past it did not have that tourist-pricetag attached to it

Lavandula