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Amsterdam-Belgium-Franceor Germany in 6 days

Amsterdam-Belgium-Franceor Germany in 6 days

Old Jul 11th, 2015, 11:16 AM
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Amsterdam-Belgium-Franceor Germany in 6 days

We are planning a trip from Denmark to Amsterdam by end of this july till August week 1 and have to be back after 6 days.Our return is from Amsterdam though.

Please suggest how we can utilize the holiday. Do we need to take the car from AMS or we can use the public transportation( have a 2 year old with us).

What countries can we cover without putting too much stress on us .

Thanks,

Samon
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Old Jul 11th, 2015, 11:33 AM
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If going to cities only use the fantastic rail system - if wanting to putz thru rural areas go by car but rental drop-off fees can be exorbitant if returning the car in another country apart from which you rented it which is fine because it sounds like you will be going from Amsterdam back to Amsterdam.

I'd pick between Belgium and Holland or Germany not both.

Say from Amsterdam to Germany via Cologne by train or car - see the great cathedral and head to the Rhine River/Mosel River areas - take the classic two-hour or so K-D boat ride thru the finest part of the Rhine - the Rhine Gorge between Rudesheim/Bingen and Koblenz - trains are great along the river too - the nearby Mosel is also stunning and you could drive up it or take a train via Trier to Luxembourg and then head back to Amsterdam from there.

One of many possible loops by rail or car - no ned for car but with 2-yr-old may be nicer or easier.

Or just take the train to Paris from Amsterdam in 3.5 hours and spend the whole time there.

Anyway I think places like Munich or Barelin would be too far to travel with a young child.

For lots of great train info check www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com. For roads www.mappy.com gives mdriving times between cities.
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Old Jul 11th, 2015, 11:35 AM
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This is not much time. You can spend two days in Denmark, two days in Germany (which is right between Denmark and Holland) and two days in Holland. To avoid huge fees, do not take a car but trains. The direct train ride from Copenhagen to Amsterdam would take 11:44 with changes of trains in Hamburg and Duisburg. But of course, you won't spend 12 hours in a train, so breaks are the obvious solution.

For the German part of the trip, I would recommend to spend half a day and a night in Hamburg and another half day and night in the medieval city of Münster.
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Old Jul 11th, 2015, 11:53 AM
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sm - it is kind of vague to me at least where you are traveling - between Copenhagen and Amsterdam or vice versa or a 6-day lop from Amsterdam to Belgium and Germany or France as your title indicates.

Please clarify for better answers.
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Old Jul 11th, 2015, 04:26 PM
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In the limited time you have - and with a toddler - in 6 days you can make a quick visit to 2 cities - NOT countries. I would pick places that are fairly close together so you waste as little time as possible in transit.

It sounds like you both start and end in Amsterdam - not a great idea with so little time - but if that's what you have.

I would leave Amsterdam as soon as you get there and head to Paris by train. Spend 4 nights there and then train back to Amsterdam for your final 2 nights (will give you 1.5 days there).

IMHO trying to see more places would be a waste of time and money and you would probably end up with a terminally cranky child. You need to slow down with a toddler - and give them time every day just to run around in a park - as well as check out zoos, boat rides, carousels, etc in between a few sights for adults (for which a little one will have not much patience).
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Old Jul 12th, 2015, 09:05 AM
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You could even take the Eurostar train from Brussels to London and spend all the time there and then fly back to Amsterdam. Maybe hit a place like Bruges, Belgium en route to Eurostar.
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Old Jul 12th, 2015, 01:37 PM
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Hi all ,

I guess I need to rephrase.

We stay in Denmark and will be back to Denmark.

We have a flight ticket from Cophenhagen to Amsterdam and back to CPH from July 29th-4th August.

Here is what I thought.
Land in Amsterdam on 29th evening(Enjoy the Dutch night life) -Stay there for 2 days and till 31st July( Try to take some view of the lovely city and surrounding-please suggest).
Head to Antwerp on 31st July evening by train or any other form of public transport. stay in Antwerp.
Enjoy Antwerp and Ghent on 1st Aug(Please suggest )
Head to Brussels on 2nd August morning by train or bus .Spend the day in Brussels with visits to notable places(Need to know what will be best to go ).
Stay in Brussels at night.

Head to Paris on 3rd Aug morning. Enjoy Paris till 4th Aug morning. Head to Amsterdam in the afternoon by train. ( need to know what we need to spend time in Paris).

Fly to Copenhagen in the evening of 4th Aug. ( I made a blunder not to purchase the return flight from Paris ).

Is this too hectic ...or we should just spend time in Holland and Belgium ,,,


Please advise the places to stay as well ,,
Thanks ,

Samon
Denmark
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Old Jul 12th, 2015, 01:49 PM
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Have you been to any of these cities before? It would be such a shame to spend less than a day in Paris. There is so much to see there. If this is your first trip there and you don't have more time, I would skip it on this trip, and save it for another.
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Old Jul 12th, 2015, 02:06 PM
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Hi

Belgium is small. You could base yourself in Bruxelles and from there go to Antwerpen or Gent or Brugge (not and). Will save time unpacking and checking in/out, looking for hotel etc.
Bruxelles : la Grand-Place of course, le sablon, if you like some museums, please do (only did musée de la BD, cartoon museum and musée de l'armée / de l'aviation because I like it, plus autoworld, really great if you like old cars), Atomium if you like but have my persmission to skip.


Agree not worth going to Paris for one day only, take one-two day(s)from somewhere and add it to Paris. Or go to Paris another time, you don't really have these 2 days.

HAve a great stay !
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Old Jul 12th, 2015, 05:24 PM
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Way too hectic. Trying to get to Paris for only part of a day is close to madness.

And how will you do nightlife anywhere when traveling with a 2 year old. This trip sound like a great plan for making an incredibly cranky toddler.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 01:44 AM
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Yes ,with your replies I do agree that my plan is too hectic with a toddler. I have never been to these countries earlier.

May be I can just spend 2 days and 2 nights in Holland and couple of days in Belgium ( Bruges and Brussels).If at all we feel ok I may go to Paris for 2 days and fly back to CPH from AMS.

Is renting a minivan ok in Amsterdam if 4 of my friends accompany us

Is it worth going to museums in this peak season ?

Does staying in B&B worth with a kid or what are the suggested options without spending much on accomodation ,restaurants etc.

Thanks for your valuable suggestion.

/Rgds,
Samon
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 09:51 AM
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If you do not return the car to gthe country in which you rented it you may have a few hundred eruo or more return surcharge - if renting in Amsterdam and returning in Paris as you seem to say.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 10:29 AM
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You have forgotten to figure travel time. If you have 6 days, you don't have two days in each country. It will take from half a day to most of a day to get from one place to another (figure from when you check out of your lodgings in one place until you check in at the next. So if you have two nights in each place, you have just one full day.

I highly recommend that you choose one or two cities for your trip - no more.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 11:31 AM
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Oops - I see you will rent a car in Amsterdam and return it there - fine but like Kathie says above that trip is just too hectic -mainly on the road - ever drive in a Paris - or Amsterdam - not a thing to take lightly.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 12:23 PM
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Remember to rent a child seat, or bring your own if you rent a vehicle.
The roads will be busy as it is school holiday time.
Be back in Amsterdam the day before you fly home.
You could easily spend the entire time in Amsterdam and surrounds, but otherwise I suggest getting the train from Schiphol to Belgium on landing. Base yourself in Antwerp and do a couple of day trips, then get the train back to Amsterdam Centraal for a couple of days before flying back.
You will be doing any cities you visit short by doing this, but it makes more sense to be back in the Netherlands for the last couple of days rather than risk any travel problems from Belgium causing you to miss your flight.
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Old Jul 14th, 2015, 07:39 AM
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rather than risk any travel problems from Belgium causing you to miss your flight.>

are you talking about train strikes - Belgium has had some nationwide ones I think recently - not to worry too much but they are usually annunced in advance so stay tuned and ask at train info counters perhaps.
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Old Jul 15th, 2015, 12:04 AM
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Hi all ,

Finally we adjusted our itinerary. We have booked two days and 3 nights in Amsterdam and then ride the Thalys to Brussels , Stay there for next days. Return to Amsterdam on the final day of return.

Day 1-We plan to take canal cruise ,check the city center ,parks and museums mostly in in Amsterdam.

Day 2 we plan to go to the Windmill village(Zaanse Schans ) and possibly the flower market and then take the train to Brussels at night.

Day 3 -Mostly roam around the Brussels sights in a walking tour and check out the Belgian chocolate and Beer stuff. Enjoy the night in Brussels ( if my kid allows).

Day 4-Go for a Day trip to Brugges . Return to Brussels

Day 5-Plan for a day trip to Luxembourg if that is possible. Else go to Ghent.

Day 6-Return to Amsterdam via Euroline bus or Thalys. Enjoy some local shopping in Amsterdam etc before taking the flight to Copenhagen.

Thanks,

Samon
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Old Jul 15th, 2015, 12:39 AM
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There are train strikes in Belgium every Saturday in July and August - but by a small union. Not all trains are affected, but if you are traveling on a Saturday, check which trains have been cancelled.

The strike has been widely condemned, even by other unions.
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Old Jul 15th, 2015, 11:02 AM
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At least from Antwerp you could probably take a bus or taxi at not much cost or time to get to The Netherlands, just a few miles away, if Belgian trains struck.
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Old Jul 18th, 2015, 11:35 AM
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Hi all ,

Thanks for the replies . It is good to know the train strikes.I feel we can try Antwerp then or come back to Amsterdam on Day 5 and stay there for a day to enjoy some time more in this lovely city.gjknvghb/ b/..


Thanks,

Samon
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