Antwerp and Delft: Visiting both, which to spend a night in?
Jan 18th, 2014, 05:00 PM
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Antwerp and Delft: Visiting both, which to spend a night in?
We're putting together our itinerary for 16 days this August. We'll be flying into Brussels but heading directly to Bruges, also visiting Ghent and Antwerp, then traveling to Amsterdam where we would also like to see Haarlem, Delft and the Hague, Kinderdijk, and possibly Zanfort am Zee for a taste of the seaside.
Here's today's question: both Antwerp and Delft sound like lovely places to spend a night. I'm not a fan of the one-night stay, but I also don't want to feel rushed in a place where I wish I could stay longer or miss seeing a town at night when that may be when it really shines.
We have enough time to spend 5 nights in Bruges (with a day trip to Ghent) and 5 nights in Amsterdam (with day trips to Kinderdijk, Haarlem, seaside) and also spend a night in Antwerp on the way from Bruges to Amsterdam and/or spend a night in Delft, also on the way to Amsterdam (we could easily do both).
Though we've driven all over Europe, so far it looks like all of our travel will be by train. Advice has been that the dense train system and difficulty with having a car in nearly every city, large or small, makes it wiser for us to use rail exclusively. This of course adds the baggage-on-the-train, baggage-off-the-train factor to the one-night stays. So we're on the fence.
Can you weigh in on which, if either, Antwerp or Delft you would recommend for an overnight vs a day trip?
Once our Benelux travels are over, we'll be spending a few nights in Reykjavik on the way home. So looking forward to this trip!
Here's today's question: both Antwerp and Delft sound like lovely places to spend a night. I'm not a fan of the one-night stay, but I also don't want to feel rushed in a place where I wish I could stay longer or miss seeing a town at night when that may be when it really shines.
We have enough time to spend 5 nights in Bruges (with a day trip to Ghent) and 5 nights in Amsterdam (with day trips to Kinderdijk, Haarlem, seaside) and also spend a night in Antwerp on the way from Bruges to Amsterdam and/or spend a night in Delft, also on the way to Amsterdam (we could easily do both).
Though we've driven all over Europe, so far it looks like all of our travel will be by train. Advice has been that the dense train system and difficulty with having a car in nearly every city, large or small, makes it wiser for us to use rail exclusively. This of course adds the baggage-on-the-train, baggage-off-the-train factor to the one-night stays. So we're on the fence.
Can you weigh in on which, if either, Antwerp or Delft you would recommend for an overnight vs a day trip?
Once our Benelux travels are over, we'll be spending a few nights in Reykjavik on the way home. So looking forward to this trip!
Jan 18th, 2014, 06:10 PM
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What do you enjoy in a city?
I found Bruges extremely touristy yet I still loved it. I did a day trip to Ghent (rainy day) and found the city really nice though a bit lifeless the day I was there in mid-May. I'm guessing it's much livelier in August, when Bruges is probably mobbed with tourists.
I spent two nights in Antwerp before flying home from Brussels. I really didn't care for Antwerp at all. The city did not seem lively at all - again, maybe in better weather in summer it would seem more bustling than in May, but it's not a pretty town, either. The waterfront area is dull. I hear there are some hip neighborhoods with good restaurant scenes in the "'Sud" neighborhood, but I didn't venture that far, and I'm not that excited about that sort of thing, anyway. Maybe you would be?
I enjoyed the Ruebens House (museum) in Antwerp, though. It's probably worth a day trip for that. The Diamond Museum (supposedly small and nothing that amazing) was still something I was interested in but was closed while I was there. The new "Red Star Line" museum wasn't yet open for me, either, but sounds interesting.
I did a day trip to Leuven from Antwerp and found that a much nicer town, in my opinion.
I haven't been to Delft.
I found Bruges extremely touristy yet I still loved it. I did a day trip to Ghent (rainy day) and found the city really nice though a bit lifeless the day I was there in mid-May. I'm guessing it's much livelier in August, when Bruges is probably mobbed with tourists.
I spent two nights in Antwerp before flying home from Brussels. I really didn't care for Antwerp at all. The city did not seem lively at all - again, maybe in better weather in summer it would seem more bustling than in May, but it's not a pretty town, either. The waterfront area is dull. I hear there are some hip neighborhoods with good restaurant scenes in the "'Sud" neighborhood, but I didn't venture that far, and I'm not that excited about that sort of thing, anyway. Maybe you would be?
I enjoyed the Ruebens House (museum) in Antwerp, though. It's probably worth a day trip for that. The Diamond Museum (supposedly small and nothing that amazing) was still something I was interested in but was closed while I was there. The new "Red Star Line" museum wasn't yet open for me, either, but sounds interesting.
I did a day trip to Leuven from Antwerp and found that a much nicer town, in my opinion.
I haven't been to Delft.
Jan 18th, 2014, 06:33 PM
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I have been to both and would choose Delft for overnight. Like Andrew I found the Reubenshuis museum in Antwerp fascinating. On the other hand, I think I would do both as a day trip from somewhere else since you are traveling by train and thus have luggage to deal with.
Don't be put off by the area around the train station in Delft. I did it as a day trip from Haarlem, a rainy windy day. When I got off the train, I almost turned around and got back on the next one for Haarlem. The buildings seemed uninterestingly modern, there was trash blowing around and it just seemed depressing to me. As I stood at the top of the stairs back into the station, I turned around and noticed a church spire in the distance and decided maybe that was a better part of the city. I kept that spire in my sights and followed it to a charming city center. The sun also came out at that point. I spent s wonderful Sunday afternoon and early evening there.
Don't be put off by the area around the train station in Delft. I did it as a day trip from Haarlem, a rainy windy day. When I got off the train, I almost turned around and got back on the next one for Haarlem. The buildings seemed uninterestingly modern, there was trash blowing around and it just seemed depressing to me. As I stood at the top of the stairs back into the station, I turned around and noticed a church spire in the distance and decided maybe that was a better part of the city. I kept that spire in my sights and followed it to a charming city center. The sun also came out at that point. I spent s wonderful Sunday afternoon and early evening there.
Jan 19th, 2014, 04:24 PM
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Such helpful information from both of you, thanks! Honestly, though I do enjoy museums, what we enjoy most is poking around new cities, taking lots of photos, and soaking up the atmosphere. We'll stop into a pub or cafe, sample a beer or new wine and have some light fare. Old churches, shop windows, and local characters provide all we need for photo opps and memories to last for years.
Both Antwerp and Delft sound lovely. I think (thank you Irishface...we both fit that label as well) we'll opt for day trips to each, as after our last journey, which involved multiple baggage-on, baggage-off train trips, I'm excited to base ourselves for a number of days in Bruges and then Amsterdam and travel light to our outlying venues.
Here's the latest conundrum: do we day trip from Bruges to Ghent and Antewerp all in one day (too much for one day, too rushed?), take one day for Ghent and another for Antwerp, or try to visit Antwerp on our way to Amsterdam? And if the latter, is it going to be difficult to store luggage (everything we have with us in Europe) in Antwerp as we visit the city and move on to Amsterdam? My inclination is to day trip there from Bruges, but we need to decide if Ghent and Antwerp each need their own day or not.
Both Antwerp and Delft sound lovely. I think (thank you Irishface...we both fit that label as well) we'll opt for day trips to each, as after our last journey, which involved multiple baggage-on, baggage-off train trips, I'm excited to base ourselves for a number of days in Bruges and then Amsterdam and travel light to our outlying venues.
Here's the latest conundrum: do we day trip from Bruges to Ghent and Antewerp all in one day (too much for one day, too rushed?), take one day for Ghent and another for Antwerp, or try to visit Antwerp on our way to Amsterdam? And if the latter, is it going to be difficult to store luggage (everything we have with us in Europe) in Antwerp as we visit the city and move on to Amsterdam? My inclination is to day trip there from Bruges, but we need to decide if Ghent and Antwerp each need their own day or not.
Jan 19th, 2014, 05:43 PM
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It's certainly doable to day trip to Ghent and Antwerp from Bruges, but it would be a very long day. By train it is quite easy; 30 minutes direct train to Ghent, maybe another 45 minutes from there or so, then repeat to go back. The trains run hourly or so as I recall. It's also another 15 minutes each way by tram (once you find it and get on) from Ghent's train station to the town center.
You can look at my Belgium trip report (click on my name, page down) from last year and find links to my Antwerp pictures. Although I got a couple of nice ones at dusk, otherwise I found Antwerp the least photogenic place of all my stops in Belgium. There is simply no comparison between walking the canals of Bruges and Ghent to Antwerp. The train station itself is beautiful (and huge), but the 20 minute walk from there to the center of town is just modern shops, mostly pretty forgettable to me. (On the way you detour to the Reubens House, only maybe 10 minutes walk from the train station.)
My inclination would be to suggest stopping off the train in Antwerp on the way north instead of doing a special day trip there from Bruges. Antwerp's train station is big enough that I'd be shocked if it doesn't have easy luggage storage. (You should double check to be sure.) It would be easy to walk from the train station to the Ruebens House (if you want to visit - I'm no museum person and I still enjoyed it), walk on to the Grote Markt and the cathedral, stop and sample some fries (AMAZING french fries from Frituur n1 - wow!), and then either walk back to the train station or take the tram directly back to the station. I guess if you browse an Antwerp guidebook and something else catches your attention, add time for that too. If you wind up having too many things to see in Antwerp, maybe it would be worth more of your time.
And then you'd have more time to explore Ghent as a day trip without rushing things so much.
You can look at my Belgium trip report (click on my name, page down) from last year and find links to my Antwerp pictures. Although I got a couple of nice ones at dusk, otherwise I found Antwerp the least photogenic place of all my stops in Belgium. There is simply no comparison between walking the canals of Bruges and Ghent to Antwerp. The train station itself is beautiful (and huge), but the 20 minute walk from there to the center of town is just modern shops, mostly pretty forgettable to me. (On the way you detour to the Reubens House, only maybe 10 minutes walk from the train station.)
My inclination would be to suggest stopping off the train in Antwerp on the way north instead of doing a special day trip there from Bruges. Antwerp's train station is big enough that I'd be shocked if it doesn't have easy luggage storage. (You should double check to be sure.) It would be easy to walk from the train station to the Ruebens House (if you want to visit - I'm no museum person and I still enjoyed it), walk on to the Grote Markt and the cathedral, stop and sample some fries (AMAZING french fries from Frituur n1 - wow!), and then either walk back to the train station or take the tram directly back to the station. I guess if you browse an Antwerp guidebook and something else catches your attention, add time for that too. If you wind up having too many things to see in Antwerp, maybe it would be worth more of your time.
And then you'd have more time to explore Ghent as a day trip without rushing things so much.
Jan 19th, 2014, 10:11 PM
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Andrew, your info has really helped us focus our thoughts. We've decided to take your advice and day trip to Ghent, seeing Antwerp on the way through to Amsterdam (though I will double check that there will be a spot for our luggage there). I'm going to write a separate post with our tentative itinerary - finally have one that seems comfortable - and look forward to feedback from you and others who are so knowledgeable about this part of the world.
Jan 19th, 2014, 10:54 PM
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Well, for me 5 days in Brugge would be far too much, if you only take one daytrip. But if the weather is good, take a daytrip to Knokke. Rent bicycles, cycle to the Zwin nature reserve and have a lunch somewhere along the coast.
Brugge is beautiful, but small and very full with tourists in August. To each his own, but I could not spend 5 days in Brugge. Antwerp is a real city, so not all of it pretty, but
Antwerp is great in summer. This is the site for last year, check it out for news on this year's activities;
http://www.zva.be/2013winter/eng
Spend the night in Antwerp to enjoy the atmosphere at night.
In addition to the new Red Star Line Museum, there's the fairly recent MAS. www.mas.be
Brugge is beautiful, but small and very full with tourists in August. To each his own, but I could not spend 5 days in Brugge. Antwerp is a real city, so not all of it pretty, but
Antwerp is great in summer. This is the site for last year, check it out for news on this year's activities;
http://www.zva.be/2013winter/eng
Spend the night in Antwerp to enjoy the atmosphere at night.
In addition to the new Red Star Line Museum, there's the fairly recent MAS. www.mas.be
Jan 20th, 2014, 12:20 PM
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Five nights in Bruges would be a lot for me, too. If the weather was nice (unlike when I visited last May), I would spend a night or two of that time in Ghent (another "real" city but much prettier than Antwerp) instead. But some people simple prefer to plant themselves for a while and not change hotels every few nights. People have different travel styles.
Whether Antwerp is worth a night depends on the traveler's interests (at least in my opinion). If ALL of the museums we've mentioned sound interesting, it would be difficult to see them all plus explore the town as a day trip, so a night in Antwerp might be worth it. But if the idea is to see one museum and just explore the town for a few hours, a day trip would be perfectly adequate in my opinion. Some people (like me) most enjoy picturesque towns you can wander and explore, take pictures, and soak of the place, and Antwerp really doesn't have that kind of feel.
Whether Antwerp is worth a night depends on the traveler's interests (at least in my opinion). If ALL of the museums we've mentioned sound interesting, it would be difficult to see them all plus explore the town as a day trip, so a night in Antwerp might be worth it. But if the idea is to see one museum and just explore the town for a few hours, a day trip would be perfectly adequate in my opinion. Some people (like me) most enjoy picturesque towns you can wander and explore, take pictures, and soak of the place, and Antwerp really doesn't have that kind of feel.
Jan 20th, 2014, 05:03 PM
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Latest itinerary has us spending 5 nights in Bruges and 7 nights in Amsterdam. However, with a day trip to Ghent and a bike ride to Damme, that really leaves us one evening and two full days in Bruges. Still too long? We may very well, weather dependent, also take the bike ride to Knokke. And we might indeed consider spending a night or two in Ghent. Andrew, we're with you, more inclined to want to stay in a picturesque town and Ghent sounds like it fits the bill.
We have lots of time to research this, but we've booked our tickets today so at least the parameters - start and finish, and travel to Iceland - are set. We've decided on visiting Antwerp as a day trip on the way from Bruges to Amsterdam - could spend good part of day there.
The Amsterdam leg of the trip at this point will either involve day trips to Delft/the Hague, Haarlem and perhaps the coast, and a trip to Gouda with a bike ride to Kinderdijk (weather permitting), leaving us three days to explore Amsterdam - or we could stay in Delft a couple of nights, as some have suggested.
After that, we're off to Iceland for three nights and back on home.
I believe this is perhaps the earliest we've nailed down a trip to this extent - January for August - so now that plane tix are purchased, I'd like to secure our apartments, then give it a rest for awhile...all but the dreaming of summer fun!
We have lots of time to research this, but we've booked our tickets today so at least the parameters - start and finish, and travel to Iceland - are set. We've decided on visiting Antwerp as a day trip on the way from Bruges to Amsterdam - could spend good part of day there.
The Amsterdam leg of the trip at this point will either involve day trips to Delft/the Hague, Haarlem and perhaps the coast, and a trip to Gouda with a bike ride to Kinderdijk (weather permitting), leaving us three days to explore Amsterdam - or we could stay in Delft a couple of nights, as some have suggested.
After that, we're off to Iceland for three nights and back on home.
I believe this is perhaps the earliest we've nailed down a trip to this extent - January for August - so now that plane tix are purchased, I'd like to secure our apartments, then give it a rest for awhile...all but the dreaming of summer fun!
Jan 20th, 2014, 10:31 PM
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Not sure if you know, but August 15 is a holiday in Belgium, but not the Netherlands. Shops in cities will be closed. Anywhere on the coast will be extremely busy, since it will be a long weekend.
Book your stay in Brugge asap if you haven't done so yet.
Book your stay in Brugge asap if you haven't done so yet.
Jan 24th, 2014, 02:04 PM
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Tulips, essential information, thanks! Will book ASAP now that we've nailed down our itinerary. Looks like there will be some sort of procession in town that day as well. Wondering if we should use that as a day we stay in town or if it's a good day to head out on a day trip - maybe explore Bruges on Thursday and bike to Damme or head to Ghent on the weekend?
Jan 24th, 2014, 05:55 PM
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It's so true that weather makes a huge difference in one's opinion of a place. Unfortunately all the places you are considering can be rainy. See my trip report - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...etherlands.cfm
I will say I enjoyed Antwerp more than some of the comments above indicate other people did. I thought it was really pretty, and quite beautifully lit and lively in the evening (www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/145703909). On the other hand I was done with Ghent in a few hours (but I'm pretty sure it was the weather along with the fact they were having a music festival). But I do agree that five days in Brugge is a lot. If you decide to keep the five days there then I'd do each Ghent and Antwerp as separate day trips. Or - on the first day go to Antwerp as it's further from Brugge, if you feel you've seen enough in a few hours then stop in Ghent on the way back to Brugge. If you don't have enough time then do it another day. Lots of options.
I will say I enjoyed Antwerp more than some of the comments above indicate other people did. I thought it was really pretty, and quite beautifully lit and lively in the evening (www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/145703909). On the other hand I was done with Ghent in a few hours (but I'm pretty sure it was the weather along with the fact they were having a music festival). But I do agree that five days in Brugge is a lot. If you decide to keep the five days there then I'd do each Ghent and Antwerp as separate day trips. Or - on the first day go to Antwerp as it's further from Brugge, if you feel you've seen enough in a few hours then stop in Ghent on the way back to Brugge. If you don't have enough time then do it another day. Lots of options.
Jan 26th, 2014, 10:50 PM
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Caseyhen, August 15 is a Catholic holy day; Assumption of Mary. It is also Mothers Day in Belgium. Celebrated as are most holidays with a good meal; restaurants will be busy with families.
According to Wikipedia the procession in Brugge is held annually on August 15 since the early 14th century. It is called the 'Brugse Belofte' (the promise of Brugge). There is a more famous procession in May, but this could be interesting to see. There's a site, only in Dutch with photos and film; http://www.brugsebelofte.be/filmreportage.aspx
It starts at 9.30, till 11.00 am.
According to Wikipedia the procession in Brugge is held annually on August 15 since the early 14th century. It is called the 'Brugse Belofte' (the promise of Brugge). There is a more famous procession in May, but this could be interesting to see. There's a site, only in Dutch with photos and film; http://www.brugsebelofte.be/filmreportage.aspx
It starts at 9.30, till 11.00 am.
Feb 1st, 2014, 09:11 AM
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Just got a chance to take a look - thanks so much for the info, Tulips. We hadn't heard about this holiday anywhere else. We will indeed be in Bruges that day - our apartment is on the little street/alley that connects Markt and Burg Square.
I'm wondering if we should stay around town that day, or maybe stay to see the procession and then use that day to bike to Damme or head to Ghent or the seaside downs. Any suggestions? We have four full days in Bruges - all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We want to spend a full day, at least, in Bruges, and also want to spend days going to the places I mentioned above. Any suggestions about which day to stay in town (based on closures, etc.) vs which days to travel out? Of course weather will be a factor as well.
I'm wondering if we should stay around town that day, or maybe stay to see the procession and then use that day to bike to Damme or head to Ghent or the seaside downs. Any suggestions? We have four full days in Bruges - all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We want to spend a full day, at least, in Bruges, and also want to spend days going to the places I mentioned above. Any suggestions about which day to stay in town (based on closures, etc.) vs which days to travel out? Of course weather will be a factor as well.
Feb 2nd, 2014, 09:29 PM
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If it were me, I'd base myself in Gent, not Brugge. Anyway.
Also, train distances inside of the Netherlands are very short. Delft to Amsterdam is 45 minutes. You might also spending your overnight in The Hague, a 20 minute tram ride from Delft, or 10 minutes by train. Delft is pretty touristy, especially around the Nieuwe Kerk, but it's incredibly pretty. All the Vermeer paintings are in The Hague.
Also, train distances inside of the Netherlands are very short. Delft to Amsterdam is 45 minutes. You might also spending your overnight in The Hague, a 20 minute tram ride from Delft, or 10 minutes by train. Delft is pretty touristy, especially around the Nieuwe Kerk, but it's incredibly pretty. All the Vermeer paintings are in The Hague.
Feb 2nd, 2014, 10:18 PM
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If the weather is good on August 15, you could take a train to Knokke, cycle along the coast and have lunch there. But book a restaurant in advance, the coast will be packed. Or cycle to Damme - and book a restaurant there for lunch.
