12 Days - Netherlands, Belgium, Spain: Too Much?
 

Hi. I'm trying to plan our Europe trip for next summer. We are 40 somethings from Atlanta and fairly experienced European travelers but I'm wondering if my plan is too ambitious. My thinking is that we only get to Euorope every three or four years and we still have a long list of places we want to visit so we would try to combine a couple of our top destinations. We are thinking of flying into Amsterdam (3 nights) taking a train to Belgium (Antwerp?) for 2 nights (we will make side trips from both places)then fly to Barcelona for 3 nights, train to Madrid for 3 nights and fly out of Madrid. Backup plans would be only Neth and Belgium, Only Spain (too hot?) or Neth, Belgium, Germany. I would love comments or suggestions. Thanks JWH.

i believe that this group will feel you are being too ambitious.

Sounds like eating on the run as opposed to a leisurely meal!

Two nights in Atwerp w/side trips? If you are going to get to Europe often, why not take the time to enjoy the places you'll visit? I could easily do three days in Bruges with no side trips!

It's a very rushed trip, and I would consider dropping either Barcelona or Madrid from your itinerary. If you are mad for Gaudi and to see the sea, go to Barcelona, with a day trip to the see or the mountains or Vic. If you are mad for art, Spanish classicism and sophisticated urban life, head for Madrid, with a day trip to Toledo.

But if you do stick to keeping both cities, fly from Barcelona to Madrid. It's cheap and fast on Iberia, and I hear the five hour train ride is awful.

Also, I would drop the side trips from Amsterdam and Antwerp. Amsterdam is much prettier than you probably imagine and Antwerp is fascinating. I would only take a day trip from Amsterdam if I found it packed with tourists.

It is possible it would be too hot for Spain, and were I rearranging your trip, I would go by train all the way and include something of Germany.

(By the way, I'm one of the slowest travelers on Fodor's, usually spending a week or more in one destination or in the countryside. But 3 days in Brugge would drive me batty.)

I'd actually love to rent a place for a week in Bruges. I'd love it. I'd be able to explore the city at a nice slow pace, seeing everything I want, and take side trips to Antwerp, Ghent and Flanders fields.

Drop Spain; it is too wonderful of a destination to be so rushed. Three home bases max: Amsterdam, Brugges, Rhine/Mossel Valley (Germany). Side trip from there. RT/Amsterdam would be cheaper.

I wouldn;t do Spain in the summer at all - way too hot for us. And IMHO you're missing the best parts of the country with your itinerary (Adalusia is the most interesting, beautiful and historic; Madrid is a ho-hum generic modern big city).

I would save Spain to do by itself in cooler weather and make more of your time in Benelux or Benelux/Germany (perhaps open jaws into Amsterdam and out of Frankfurt or something).

too much spread over too wide an area IMHO. You have a short time and want to cover half of Europe. Either do Benelux w/ maybe a few days in Germany or Paris - OR - do Spain. But I'd personally avoid much of Spain in summertime because of the stifling heat.

Thanks for all the good advice. Hmmm....I know in my heart I should drop Spain (especially in July) and save it for another day and I probably will. I do have to deal with one stipulation from my wife...she has been to both the Netherlands and Belgium (though it was nearly thirty years ago) and she has asked that I add at least one country she hasn't visited. If we slowed it down and did four days in both Belgium and Amsterdam where would you recommend visiting for the other three nights (we have done France, Italy, and the British Isles)? Thanks again for the advice.

Better ask your wife!

My pick would be Germany -- although I actually wouldn't be adverse to flying to Spain either since I can take a lot of heat and flight connections to Madrid are good. (I'm a huge museum fan, so Madrid -- which I find a very elegant, stylish city -- is a favorite of mine for the Prado, etc.)

Another consideration is Switzerland, unless you are more interested in art.

With air connections being what they are today, places like Prague, Vienna or Dubrovnik can be in the running too.

What Viajero2 said. The Rhine would be a perfect third destination for your trip, IMHO.

Maybe you could base yourself in Brussels and then do side trip to Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. That's what we are doing. You can rent a "flat" or apartment very reasonably- even if for less than a week.

If you want to go to Spain, go to the coast, e.g.Barcelona.
Inland like Madrid will be very hot!!!!!!!!!!

Well, here's my own two cents: DROP Bruge or drop Belgium altogether and fly to Spain and yes, I would also fly from BCN to Madrid (I disagree that the train ride is "awful" but even with the new fast service it may be cheaper and is certainly faster to fly if you book far enough out with either Spanair or Iberia.

As to the heat in Spain..it will be HUMID in Barcelona and wonderfully dry(er) in Madrid.

IMO there is nothing wrong with doing these two places in Spain as opposed to not at all. And yes, I DO think these two places are more interesting than Brussels and Bruge.

I would suggest Amsterdam then on to the Mosel and Rhineland in Germany. We stayed for 4 nights in Amsterdam and 3 nights in Beilstein and loved both. I would not spend more than 1 night in Brugge - it's great for one day but that's about it. Or Amsterdam and on to Spain.

You might get more useful advice if you posted what interests you most in traveling. Museums, history, nightlife, shopping, scenery, food, outdoor activities -- ?????

Again. Thanks for all the input. Several people say to drop or reduce our time in Belgium but I'm a World History and Art History teacher and there many places in Belgium that I teach about. Still trying to decide on original itinerary or Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. Thanks again for the help. I'm sure I'll be asking more questions after I make a few more decisions.