Antwerp, a renowned diamond city full of dealers and brokers, as Palenque so aptly described above. Taking a left when you exit the Train Station, there are a multitude of tiny kiosks dripping with gold and diamonds and manned by those very religious Jewish businessmen. I gave my long-practiced Yiddish a real workout as that is their language of business and trade the world over (not that we bought anything).

I recall that street is named Pelikanstraat. A very good kosher resto (Hoffy's) is on one of the side streets nearby, and the diamondland museum (cutting and polishing exhibits..no samples!) not much further away. Worth a look-see.

The Rubens Huis is well worth a visit. It's on a side street just off Kaiserlee (main street). ...most unique setting, bright and airy with its exhibits and very high ceiling.

All that being said (after three visits to Brugge in the past 30 years),we still prefer it, but we have stayed out of the center twice, in the charming Minnewater-Beguinage district (Hotel Egmond)... giving one the feel of a village, but easy walking distance to the Gros Markt, bell-tower area. I agree with Pal, having ventured to more "lived-in" parts of the town (away from the center)

We also enjoyed the little boat ride to Damme for lunch on our most recent visit..good paved bike path along the way if you prefer.

With only one day and one night, I would suggest Brugge.

With an extra day, you could easily add Antwerp. Here are some Brugge pix from a 2001 trip. (below)

Barbara:

These are a few selected photos, not much from Antwerp or Brussles..most of Brugge.Enjoy your visits.

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...70922003208226

That's Brussels, of course

@carolvershuur: You mentioned that you've never done a bike trip before. Do you otherwise cycle regularly? Twenty miles a day is not a lot of miles for a regular cyclist, but for anyone who doesn't ride regularly, I'd recommend that you condition yourself a bit before the trip. Perhaps you could clarify.

Otherwise, your trip sounds lovely. I only did a day of cycling in Belgium, but I really loved the area. It would be great fun to do a longer tour.

With only one day and one night, I would suggest Brugge.>

Yes Bruges is so much easily satisfied in one day - Antwerp's myriad sights demand a few days =- especially to see some of the things on the periphery like Middleheim or the Art-Nouveau Street near Berchem train station.

Antwerp's myriad sights

I thought the myriads were in Egypt.

bookmark

Antwerpen is infinitely more genuine and fascinating to me than Bruges, which has become a Disneyland of touristic Europe in recent years. Bruges is pretty, yes, but Antwerpen is "real," no pretensions, just a gorgeous town.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-on-bruges.cfm

Antwerp is neat but a very big city compared to Bruges and much more modern looking - you can't go wrong -try to do both!

Antwerpen is infinitely more genuine and fascinating to me than Bruges, which has become a Disneyland of touristic Europe in recent years?

Yes in certain compact areas around the main square from mid-morning to late-afternoon - but outside of that area there are much fewer tourists and after the bus tours have gone... a magical city.

Paris around Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Louvre and Pompidou Center and Eiffel Tower are Disneyesque you could say but that does not make all of Paris so.

Or those hopefully crowded in summer perched villages of the Dordorgne with their Roman grids and Sarlat and caves - does not make Dordogne Disneyesque as a whole.

I believe the vast majority of Americans at least would revel in a Bruges even with crowds than in Antwerp, as nice at it is. Bruges has that old-world look and feel we love so much. There is a reason so many tourists flock there. If you go in off-season you may like it a lot more.

This is a 2.5 year old thread FYI...

Yup. Debit is bookmarking a lot of threads.
Nevertheless I love Antwerpen and like Brugge.
One - two days are more than enough for Brugge. A lifetime is not enough for Antwerpen.

One - two days are more than enough for Brugge. A lifetime is not enough for Antwerpen.>

How many past, present and future lives would be enough for Brussels?