hpluss1

Hello, For those familiar with Belgium, we are looking for some advice on arranging our vacation. We are traveling to Amsterdam first and then Antwerp and Bruges. Do you think we should arrange our travel so that we are in Antwerp on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or in Bruges for those days? We're so excited to see both cities! Just don't know which order makes more sense .... i.e. Does one of those cities have a great market that is only opened on Saturdays, that you recommend we do not miss?

Also, do you think we should stay in Antwerp 3 nights and Bruges 1 night, or 2 nights in each city?? We were planning on only one night in Bruges but all the hotels we've looked into have 2 night minimums. Are they just trying to get us to stay longer because everyone always stays for just one night in their small city? The hotels do look very beautiful though, so maybe it's worth staying longer . . .

Thank you for any advice!

StuDudley

We stayed in both cities for two nights - which was fine. We were in Bruges on a Sunday, and although Sundays are quite often dead in large/medium-sized cities - that was not the case with Bruges.

We loved Ghent also.

Stu Dudley

hetismij2

Antwerp has markets both on Saturday and Sunday if you are interested in markets. The one on Sunday is very big, the one on Saturday smaller. Both are morning only I believe.
There is also a small antiques market in Antwerp on Saturday.

hpluss1

thank you Heti. Ok I think we'll do Antwerp the first weekend then, and then go to Amsterdam afterwards. Is it easy to get to Antwerp after flying into Amsterdam? i.e. to get to the Amsterdam train station from the amsterdam airport?

hpluss1

thank you Stu! Can you do Ghent for a day from Amsterdam? Would you recommend it over Bruges?

hpluss1

Stu, do you think we should cut out Bruges all together and do Antwerp then Amsterdam then Paris? That's what we're thinking now ... I just don't see a lot of parks in Bruges and we'll be traveling with a toddler (who is well-traveled and sure he likes running around, but we're used to running around with him so that's no problem, just prefer to be somewhere with parks for that reason). Antwerp has been a dream of mine for a while due to the fashion so I don't want to eliminate Antwerp.

hpluss1

Caveat: we've been to Paris many times before but still thought if we're heading across the pond then maybe we should not miss it, especially since it has so many parks and playgrounds. This is more my feeling than my husband's though, as he's really looking forward to the beer, grand churches, and the 16th century cellars (which do sound pretty awesome, I have to admit!).

november_moon

A lot of people go to Bruges for weekend trips, so it is busier on weekends than on weekdays. So Bruges during the week will mean fewer crowds. It does depend on time of year too - we were there in the summer time and even during the week, Bruges had a fair number of people visiting. That said, it was really easy to be away from other visitors just by walking a block or two off the main routes. And also since a lot of people visit for the day, once it became late afternoon, it got a lot quieter.

Amsterdam to Antwerp is very easy - the same train that serves Amsterdam centraal station also serves the airport and Antwerp, so you don't even have to change trains, just get on at the airport and go.

Bruges has some pedestrian-only squares and that sort of thing, so I think your kiddo will be find running around in those. Even in the areas were cars go, lanes are narrow and there are loads of pedestrians anyway, so cars go slow. I think it will be fine.

Ghent seems like a really neat town too - we didn't stop there when we travelled through that area a few years ago. It was on our plan, but I had slipped on some stairs the day before and pulled a couple muscles and had some bruises so I wasn't totally up to snuf, so we skipped it - just one of those lame things that happens occasionally. But Ghent is on my list for a future visit.

Regarding Paris instead of Bruges - since you only have a couple of nights, I wouldn't attempt Paris this trip. You said your toddler is well-travelled, so I am guessing that this is not a once-in-a-lifetime trip and that you can come back to Europe. I would save Paris for a future trip when you can spend several days.

hetismij2

When are you doing your trip? The reason I ask because if it is soon then getting to Antwerp is not that easy. Due to problems with Fyra it is no longer running, so at the moment to get to Antwerp you get a train to Roosendaal and change there for a train to Antwerp.
Hopefully if you are visiting in a few months they will have sorted things out and have a direct connection again, either with Fyra, or maybe the old Intercity train.

You will need to keep an eye on www.nshispeed.nl for details of what the trains are doing.

goldenautumn

If you are interested in fashion, I really think you shouldn't give up Antwerpen. Bruges is a preserved town that is very "fairy-tale" because nothing has changed since its port silted up, so people like to go through and take snaps and see the yesteryear and swans. But if there is anyplace you can come back to and it won't have changed, it's Bruges.

MyriamC

There is a nice so-called 'exotic' market in Antwerp on Saturdays. It starts early in the morning until 4pm. It's more interesting than the larger Vogelenmarkt on Sunday mornings.
Note that shops in Antwerp are not open on Sundays. In Brugge part of the shops are open on Sundays, so I think it's more interesting to visit Brugge than Antwerp on a Sunday.

Since you're interested in beer, grand churches, and 16th century cellars ... you will find that in all the main Belgian cities (Antwerp, Gent, Brugge). Gent is an easy train ride from Brugge (30 min.) or from Antwerp (55 min.).

hpluss1

Thanks all! Do you think it's worth it to stay 2 nights in Bruges, if we keep it in our itinerary, or only 1 ?

I think we'll definitely move Antwerp to Friday and Saturday so we can go to those markets. Just emailed our hotel so I hope they'll let us change the reservation .

hpluss1

Oh I just saw how close you said Gent is from Brugge, so maybe if we stay in Brugge for two nights then we can visit Gent on one of the days. It sounds like it's worth a visit. 30 minutes is very short!

goldenautumn

I would stay in Ghent and visit Brugge. Or stay in Antwerpen the entire time. The night time ambience in Antwerpen is just excellent, with many outstanding eateries to choose from.

goldenautumn

Also, if you stay in Gent or Antwerpen you can drink jenever. Each town has a jenever bar, but I don't think Brugge does. It is a unique Belgian spirit and very much worth sampling.

lavandula

Jenever is Dutch, too, just losing in popularity amongst young people in NL.

Lavandula

hpluss1

Thank you! I think you're right about staying in Antwerp. We love to eat at great restaurants and visit cool bars so if Antwerp's the place for that, best we stay there and do day trips to Bruges, and Gent if we want. It's also easier not to move all our stuff. And always rewarding to stay in one city longer versus moving around too much.

Myriam do you know any resources for babysitters in Antwerp?

MyriamC

No, I'm sorry. Apparently the Radisson Blu Park Lane offers babysitting service on demand. So do the Hilton and Aparthotel Soul Suites. Hilton is in the historical centre, Soul Suites is in the trendy Zuid neighbourhood.

Tulips

Don't miss the fashion museum if you are in Antwerp, and interested in fashion; www.momu.be.
That area has interesting shops too.
Agree about the market; the one on Saturday is great, lots of exotic food.

Brugge is pretty, but 2 nights would be too much for me. They probably insist on 2 nights if you stay at the weekend. Depending on when you are in Belgium, consider a day on the coast in Knokke. Easily reached from Brugge, your toddler can run around, and you can rent bicycles or go-carts on the boulevard. Great shopping too, open on Sundays.

beergirl

Sounds like you have alot to pick from!
Might I recommend contacting the tourist info centers for each city! You can ask specific questions, get an updated calendar of events/ markets and so on... and they're usually pretty quick at writing back.

www.visitantwerpen.be
www.brugge.be

you may also want to look at these guides www.use-it.be
they're quirky but have good info and interesting places, plus a good city map.