Three of us plan a trip near the end of September to Amsterdam. We'll have 10 days, so we thought it made sense to add on some days in Belgium. So the questions:

How many days in Amsterdam? Road trip to The Hague?
Where in Belgium? Is Brussels a good place to camp, with day trips? And the day trips to where -- Antwerp, Brugge, Gent? Or would it be more charming to stay in one of those towns with a day trip to Brussels?

We are gay, so don't know if the nightlife would be more exciting in Brussels. Also, we tend to prefer the bustle of a city to the peace of a sleepier town. Like to shop, good restaurants, museums.

Also . . . does it make sense to stay in Amtserdam for the two weekends we will be in town (arriving Friday, departing two Mondays later), and going to Belgium during the week, or split the trip in half?

Thanks very much for any ideas.


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I would split the trip in half and do Amsterdam then Brussels. From the latter, you can easily do day trips to Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, and the coast (if it's warm). You could overnight in Bruges if you want to. It's really beautiful, but it is quiet.

Ghent may be a good compromise between Brussels and Bruges. It is livelier than the latter and smaller than the former. It also happens to be between the two.

A road trip to the Hague does not make sense. Just take the train.

You can browse these photos to whet your appetite.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622957887247/

Thanks very, very much!

I wouldn't bother with Brussels. How about 5 in and around Amsterdam and 5 for Paris? Both have plenty of nightlife and are very open to your life style.

Unless you are lucky enough to have done Paris so many times that you're "over it", my advice would be Amsterdam and Paris as well. I'd probably split the time 50/50 because I really like Amsterdam tho I'll admit in many ways there is more to see and do in Paris.

I agree with Amsterdam + Paris too

There is another current thread asking a very similar question about combining Amsterdam and Brussels
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...d-brussels.cfm

Thanks to all. Yeah, I did read that earlier thread (and others), Vttraveler -- thank you very much.

And I think you have all convinced us to try Paris instead of Belgium. None of us has been, and the only reason we picked Belgium is because it was so closre. Thanks again to all.