Belguim
 

I need some suggestions of what to do and where to stay in Belgium.. we will be going there in mid November 2011. We have never been there so we have no clue on what to do, where to stay and where to eat. We will be taking the train there after visiting Amsterdam where my husband has a business conference. We are thinking of spending 4 days there, is that too much or should we consider tagging on another destination perhaps, Germany? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated... Susan

2 suggestions; Brugge and a guidebook

Why did you choose Belgium if you have no idea what is there? What drew you to that country?

I agree about picking up a guide book and reading it.

Although Belgium is a small country you could not possibly see all of it in 4 days.

Well it does depend a bit on what you enjoy doing when you travel. That said, mid-November in Belgium is not an ideal time for outdoor activities. The days are short, temperatures cool (40s and low 50s), and skies often gray. I think that late fall is better spent in larger cities -- more things going on. Antwerp is an interesting one (maybe more so than Brussels in some respects) a manageable downtown area, architecture that's worth a second and third look, and one of the few remaining sizable Jewish quarters in Europe.

Don
Owner ... Don Topaz Travel

Knowing what your interests are and why you chose Beligum as asked by the others would help. And where are you travelling after Belgium?

4 days (if they are 4 full days and not 4 nights/3 days) will let you experience 2 cities, maybe three depending on the above. At least the train from Amsterdam is a short ride, so take a morning train and maximise your time. Brussels and Brugge/Bruges would be my two suggestions. If you're interested in WWI, then a day trip from Brugge to Ypre/Iper and surrounds would be good. If you like pretty and small, then Brugge is your town. Brussels is fun (I like it, but many don't) if you want a bit of a mix (Art Museums, beer museum - with samples!, chocolate museum, more food, a little boy peeing, his sister doing the same up the road, more beer...). Ghent and Antwerp, whilst both different, could also fit in (only one of them) if you have 4 full days rather than just 3.

4 days in Belgium is certainly not too much, no need (or time) to tag on any other country this time around.

We love doing the WW1 Battlefields but if you have no interest in them no sense giving advice. Almost everyone loves Brugges , though I much prefer Antwerp. We've spent weeks in Belgium and found lots to do but we know what we like to do and what is available

I had picked this place to stay in November but the day we were due to arrive is a holiday and no car rentals were available. Waiting until the next day would have cut our trip short ao decided to just spend even more time in Paris. It looks lovely and I have it on my list for our next trip to France when hopefully we can get to the Dordogne.

http://www.lejardin-sarlat.com/

Sorry wrong posting!

<i>Posted by: sljap on Jul 20, 11 at 7:14pm
I need some suggestions of what to do and where to stay in Belgium.. we will be going there in mid November 2011. We have never been there so we have no clue on what to do, where to stay and where to eat.</i>

LOL.

I thank you all for your help. We chose Belgium because we have never been there before and we thought it would an interesting and close place to visit after Amsterdam. My husband has to go to Amsterdam the 2nd week in November each year for a boat show so we can't be flexible on what time of year we can go..

Belgium is great - we spent 6 days there and didn't see nearly everything we would have liked. It is a small country, but packed with interesting stuff. We went there originally because we wanted to use miles for plane tickets and tickets with decent connections for the dates we wanted were available to Brussels. We didn't know much about Beligum either.

When I am starting to plan a trip, I usually watch some travel shows about the area - either get them from Netflix, find them on Hulu, or get DVDs from the library. Rick Steves, Samantha Brown, Burt Wolf, Rudy Maxa, that Three Sheets guy... They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but watching these shows will help you get a feeling for the area and you can see what piques your interest.

Then I get some guidebooks (library) and start reading. An itinerary starts to build itself from there. Then I start asking questions to try and firm things up.

sljap, we're none the wiser with regard to you and your husband's interests in order to suggest more acurately where to visit in Belgium, but at least we know why you chose to visit - and vicinity is as good a reason as any! Don't worry about being there in November - you're not going for the beach life (I'm guessing!) and although it will be chilly, you'll still get to sightsee.

If you can let us know your thoughts on art, scenery, food, WWI sights, etc then we can offer more I'm sure.

If you are unsure where to start, stay in central Brussels and visit Grand Place with its lovely old buildings with plenty of places to sample local beers by a warm fireplace. You can walk around this area which has several small lanes leading off with lots of restaurants which are often very touristy with bad food - I used to visit Aux Armes des Bruxelles with lovely art deco interior but the reviews seem mixed nowadays.

Its easy to take the train for day trips to Bruges Ghent or Antwerp and also a side trip to Lille if you have the time. Don't think the Christmas Markets will be open before about 25 November. It is also easy to get around Brussels on the train or trams to visit many interesting surrounding suburbs, parks and museums.

My husband I love art, we love museums of any kind of art. We are super into food, any kind..total foodies. I believe my husband would enjoy seeing some batttlefields. I do enjoy shopping..I hope this helps for further suggestions. We are not afraid to get out in the weather and explore.

Bruges
Antwerp
Gent
Brussles

those would be the 4 cities I would consider and in that order. Chose one as a base and take the world's densest trains system, as I have seen it called, on day trips to the others.

Unless you want to take someone else's idea of a great vacation you need to tell us what YOU like to do.

cities? small towns? relax?

check out these fab IMo sites for info on Belgian trains - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com - and there is a Benelux railpass that is good on nearly all trains in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg but as posted you may not be traveling enough to make it pay off unless doing some day trips perhaps from Amsterdam not indicated.

check out these fab IMo sites for info on Belgian trains - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com - and there is a Benelux railpass that is good on nearly all trains in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg but as posted you may not be traveling enough to make it pay off unless doing some day trips perhaps from Amsterdam not indicated.

I would second the recommendation of Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels. Although I don't know your budget, I can recommend the Royal Museum of the Army (has a great section with airplanes and helicopters), Hotel Amigo (right off the Grand Place) and the restuarant La Quincaillerie in Brussels; the restaurant Het Vermoide Model in Antwerp; and seeing the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb in Ghent. Also be prepared for what is, in my opinion, the best food in Europe (not even counting the waffles, chocolate and great beer)! The mussels, fries and waterzooi (fish stew) are excellent but we never had a bad meal in Belgium.

Clarification-- the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (Jan Van Eyck) is a large triptych (I think it may actually have more than 3 panels) in Ghent --it is in St. Bavo's Cathedral, not a museum.