It's not that Brugge was not a picture-perfect town or that it would not score massively on the quaintness richter scale.
Brugge just does not tick too many boxes when you re-visit OP's own criteria.

Brugge has nothing to offer with regard to fashion while Antwerpen is a global hotspot.

Beer and food and music is available in both places, though Antwerpen has a wider range of options. Actually it's at least two leagues above Brugge.

Architecture is apples and oranges:
Brugge is the picture-perfect and sanitized version of an old Flemish town.
Obviously all buildings in the historic city center are from the same period.
If this is something that stirs your interest, then Brugge is your place.
Antwerpen is a mixed bag of a historic city center (though not as perfectly in appearance as Brugge), the extra-ordinaire Art Nouveau neighborhood that Pal mentioned in Berchem, and 21st century landmark buildings.
So it depends on what OP meant with "great architecture".

If you are looking for a good recently built hotel, Bruges has an Ibis and a Novotel, both within a reasonable walking distance from the station, and only a few minutes from the centre of Brugges.

I would pick Antwerp given your stated interests. Brugge is a beautiful preserved town that is a favorite on this Europe forum but I think Antwerp would appeal more to a young adult

A few things to see in Antwerp not mentioned before are
the Museum Plantin-Moretus and the Museum Mayer van den Bergh. The first is a fascinating 33-room museum showing the home and printing plant of a family who ran a major publishing house for several centuries, beginning in 1576. The second contains a large and impressive collection of paintings, sculpture, stained glass, tapestries and manuscripts amassed by an art connoisseur in the 19th century. The highlights are two works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a set of miniatures illustrating Twelve Proverbs and a major work, Dulle Griet, (referred to in English as "Mad Meg") showing a woman wearing a helmet and breastplate and carrying a sword and cooking implements, striding across a battle field.

Since you are interested in architecture you also may want to check out the Grand Cafe Horta which is built with parts of Horta's Maison du Peuple. The Maison was a major building torn down in Brussels in 1965 despite international protests.

We visited Antwerp on a long day trip from Brussels a few years ago. We thought that if we go back we would try an inviting-looking B & B in the old part of the city very near the cathedral, Le Patio. It has good reviews on TA but I have no first hand knowledge.

With such a short time in Belgium you won't even begin to explore all the great beers. Here is a link to a thread with suggestions on beers to try before our trip
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...mendations.cfm

https://www.google.com/search?q=antw...bih=1075&dpr=1

Well here is something TMK Bruges don't have - window shopping like this in Angtwerp - will turn off some will be a must see for others - next to Amsterdam the 'nicest' (or 'most revolting') redlight district in Benenlux - well I guess along with Brussels - strung out along the train tracks just past Gare du Nord.

antwerp also has the world's largest commercial diamond industry I believe - where gems are processed and of course sold - no deals there I believe but to tour the diamond centers is rather interesting - Orthodox Jewish folks dressed in black garb with beards and all dominate the trade as they have for centuries - diamond factories can be found right opposite the main train station.

Thanks to everyone for all the great advice and information. After much thought, we decided to see Bruges. The overriding reason is that we're going to see several large cities during our trip, and Bruges seems to have a distinctly different look and feel. Plus, the idea of seeing a fully-preserved historic Flemish town, touristy or not, is very appealing to us. But it was a tough call! Thanks again!

You could at least stop in Antwerpen for a few hours look - whet your appetite for a future come back! You have to change trains there anyway. At least look around the grand train station if you have any time between trains.

Yes, you could even try to fit in a quick visit to the Rubens House (little art museum) which is barely a 15 minute easy walk from the station. (Show them your train ticket when you buy it, the museum offers a discount for people who show a valid train ticket at admission!)

PalenQ and Andrew...agreed! we will absolutely plan out 4 hours or so for a look around Antwerp. You're right...who knows when/if we'll ever be there again. It was such a tough call to decide between the two places, so this is a great idea. Thanks!

My 40-something daughter and I are planning a bike trip through Holland and northern edge of Belgium in early April. I am in my 70's and never have done a bike trip before, but I am willing and able(I hope). Planning on doing about 20 miles a day, unescorted. We will start in Amsterdam and end in Bruges, or else in reverse. I am thinking it would be a good idea to take the train one direction, so I appreciated reading all your good tips on how to do that. Is it possible to take a bike on these trains. If so, we will probably rent in Amsterdam and bring bikes with us. I like the idea of stopping in Antwerp, since that is on the train route. Do you think this trip sounds reasonable. If anyone has any suggestions, please let us know as we are still in the planning stage. A major part of our trip is to go through Zeeland, Nord -Beveland in particular, where our Verschuur ancestors are from.

Having biked around Holland for many years in my younger days I would advise planning any bike route going from west to east and south to north as winds often IME blow in that direction off the sea - and man can they blow - worse than climbing Alpe d' Huez in the Tour de France at times.

In Holland you must buy a Fiets ticket at about 10 euros or a bit less and then you can put your bike in the special marked bicycle (Fiets) compartment on many trains but not all (like Thalys I believe).

Thanks, PalenQ for advise on direction of travel. I will plan to take train to Bruge first and bike north to Amsterdam. Maybe we will get a little push from the wind. Is it feasible to bike across the western edge of Zeeland with help of ferries and bridges? I notice there aren't any guided trips that go that way.

Carol, maybe you can rent a bike with electronic assistance. The land is flat, but with little cover from wind, it can be tough cycling in Zeeland. The little motor kicks in when it becomes hard to cycle on your own. Many older people here (I live near Antwerp)use one.

I'm sure there will be options for bikes to get across western Zeeland; the ferries will certainly take them.
A bit further east, you can even cycle over the (very long) Zeelandbrug.
http://www.routeyou.com/location/bik...fietsroutes.nl

I will plan to take train to Bruge first and bike north to Amsterdam.>

Fromn Bruge head north and hop the frequent ferries to the Middleburg area - then over land to Rotterdam - hit the famous Kinderdijk Windmills area - best seen by bike as you can ride bikes ride thru the few miles of them- take a ferry from Rotterdam or bike up to Krimpen

then head to Gouda - fine old town

and onto Amsterdam.

Helmets are still I believe relatively a phenomenon in use so bring your own - many rentals may not have them - though this may have changed recently - Tulips?

Helmets not required in the Netherlands or Belgium. Most recreational cyclists do not wear them - only people who are mountainbiking or racing use them, generally.

If you are planning to end in Brugge - there's a ferry Vlissingen - Breskens that is only for cyclists and pedestrians. From there to Sluis (Knokke if you have time) Damme and Brugge. You've probably booked your hotels, but hotel Dikke van Dale in Sluis is nice (looks nice, anyway, I have not stayed there).

Interesting cycling trip - have fun!

Helmets not required in the Netherlands or Belgium. Most recreational cyclists do not wear them - only people who are mountainbiking or racing use them, generally.>

Though not a law here in my state kids under their family's supervision all wear bike helmets - weird that skateboarders generally do not and what they do is much more dangerous than biking.

The efficacy of bike helmets in general has been drawn into question - seems they may give more of a false confidence than any protection of any meaningful sorts - though I am not sure of that just what I read.

I always wonder why the Dutch, on what I call their Dutch tanks, never wear helmets?

Antwerp, of course! The city has much more to offer than touristy Brugge (which is nice, but for tourists only).
Watch the video on
http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/17541/Het-l...ofilmpje.dhtml

TIL Brugge is only for tourists.

Bruges is only for tourists shows that someone has not really looked around Bruges that mucjh - I have spend weeks in that city on business and there are very real parts of a very real town - a regional town for shopping - it's pedestrian shopping street is like any in any Flemish town - the Markt area, a relatively small area of town, is full of tourists.

But Bruges is a real city IME as well though many tourists don't go there and gravitate to the Lace Shops and the Markt area.

gobarbgo--If you do spend time in Antwerp near the station and Rubens House, the Cafe Grand Horta is right near the latter. As I mentioned it is designed using elements of Horta's Maison du Peuple