I would like to visit Belgium,6 days.I was considering using 1 city as a base e.g. Bruges and making some day trips by train to Ghent etc.I think this may be preferable to over-nighting in various cities on a short trip.Any suggestions?

Hopefully Ben will come in soon to give you the perfect response, but for now... <BR>I've found Bruges to be lovely. You could do worse than spending 6 days there and the country is so small (not meant as an insult to my Belgian friends) that you could take a day trip anywhere. Sounds like a great plan to me! <BR>

I'm not Ben, but I'll still express an opinion. And I'll agree with Craig on one point: Belgium IS small - - about one-fourth the size of Ohio, a little bigger than New Jersey. <BR> <BR>All the more reason to rent a car and move around. Would you try to "day trip" to Trenton, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, the Oranges? From where? Why bother? <BR> <BR>Belgium is a similar story; you're not going to burn up a lot of time getting from point A to point B - - why back track to a "central location" every night? And I think you could end up bored staying 6 nights in Bruges, though admittely you can continue to learn about and enjoy almost any place in Europe for weeks on end. <BR> <BR>Anyhow, if you do end up wanting to spend a night in Ghent, I give two thumbs way up to Hotel Erasmus there. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

I think you miss a great deal by not spending evenings and early mornings anywhere you go, when the crowds are not around. I do think that you could easily spend a long day in Gent and return to Brugges, which is no more than 30 minutes away on the slower train. I would stay overnight 2 in Antwerp, 2 in Brussels and 2 in Brugges. Daytrips from all of these places are easy, and you might want to visit the battlefields from any of them.

Henry: <BR> <BR>My husband and I spent several days in Brussels and and Bruges last year about this time. It was wonderful. We found it most fulfilling just to wander the streets in Bruges and explore on our own. Be sure to take a canal boat ride. Also try to take a walk to the windmills. This area of town is so quaint and take time to stop in at a neighborhood "pub" for that great Belgium beer! I am usually not a beer drinker but is was great. If you can, spend a day or two in Brussels I think you would enjoy it. The best hotel that we stayed in on our trip was the Hotel Stephanie. Enjoy your trip. I wish that I were there again this year. Just be prepared to come back 10lbs heavier! <BR>JR

Henry, <BR>I'd suggest an auto rather than train. While Belgium had the first rail network on the continent and continues to have an extremely extensive one, Belgian roads are excellent and plentiful. The auto will give you much more flexibility that the train since you won't be hampered by or concerned with rail schedules. I think three rather than six nights in Bruges is advisable; I'd suggest spending the remainder in a Walloon town or city for the diversity doing so would offer. You might consider Namur, for example which would give you the opportunity to explore the Ardennes and Luxembourg. If you do decide to spend a night or two in Brussels, try to plan to spend weekend nights there(Friday and Saturday). Due to its rise in importance in the European Union, hotels in Brussels are becoming increasingly expensive and difficult to book, however most offer steep discounts on weekends when business travelers have departed. <BR> <BR>