Belguim in November
Jul 13th, 2016, 12:50 PM
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Belguim in November
My family and I are going to visit my daughter studying in Belguim, we would like to explore one other desitnation, any suggestions on where to visit after spending a few days in Belguim.
Jul 13th, 2016, 01:17 PM
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Have youse been to Europe before?
How long do you have to travel.
Paris if not been there is just over an hour or so by high-speed Thalys train.
London is just a few hours and change by high-speed Eurostar trains.
Amsterdam is just a few hours.
Trains are great - for train info and ideas on where to go by train check www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - download the latter's online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of rail possibilities in several countries.
Do you want to go to the Czech Republic - ?A fair poke so look at flying from Belgium.
How long do you have to travel.
Paris if not been there is just over an hour or so by high-speed Thalys train.
London is just a few hours and change by high-speed Eurostar trains.
Amsterdam is just a few hours.
Trains are great - for train info and ideas on where to go by train check www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - download the latter's online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of rail possibilities in several countries.
Do you want to go to the Czech Republic - ?A fair poke so look at flying from Belgium.
Jul 13th, 2016, 01:25 PM
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thank you very much for your reply, we plan on spending 10 days in Europe, I have been to Paris and London before and absolutely love both! I am very interested in Czech Republic but as you say it appears a good distance.My 2 children and husband have not been to either London or Paris. How about Germany have you traveled to Germany?
Jul 13th, 2016, 01:34 PM
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How late in November are you going - the famous Christmas markets start sometime in November and would be one reason for going -just about any city has them.
If you want to do a train trip you could take a train from Brussels to Cologne- see the huge cathedral right next to the train station and go on to say Berlin- a city that has so so much to see and do regardless of the weather - almost sure to be very dark and dank but not icy cold.
Or head to Munich, another fascinating city that is not far by train or bus from Prague.
Prague via Dresden is a few-hour train trip from Berlin.
Fly back from Prague to wherever or take an overnight train with private compartments.
If you want to do a train trip you could take a train from Brussels to Cologne- see the huge cathedral right next to the train station and go on to say Berlin- a city that has so so much to see and do regardless of the weather - almost sure to be very dark and dank but not icy cold.
Or head to Munich, another fascinating city that is not far by train or bus from Prague.
Prague via Dresden is a few-hour train trip from Berlin.
Fly back from Prague to wherever or take an overnight train with private compartments.
Jul 13th, 2016, 01:38 PM
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Do you have 10 full days, not counting arrival and departure days? How much time do you want to spend with your daughter in Belgium?
I'd advise just one more destination in addition to Belgium (i'm guessing you'll spend half of your time in Belgium). With the Pound Sterling down so much, London might be a good option. Paris is always a good idea. Lots of people love Germany, but I didn't like it as much. Do your research so you know what to expect and can make a good choice on destination.
I'd advise just one more destination in addition to Belgium (i'm guessing you'll spend half of your time in Belgium). With the Pound Sterling down so much, London might be a good option. Paris is always a good idea. Lots of people love Germany, but I didn't like it as much. Do your research so you know what to expect and can make a good choice on destination.
Jul 13th, 2016, 02:22 PM
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What do you intend to see in Belgium ?
You can easily spend 1 or 2 days in Bruxelles, 1 day in Brugge, one day in Antwerpen, one in Gent, one doing the WW1 sites (Ieper etc), at least one in the ardennes, one in Liège, one in Mons and 1-2 traveling (like doing la Semois, or going to Bouillon and going via la vallée de la Molignée).
And I forgot the seaside.
If you like WW2, Eperlecques (France) has a great bunker to see.
You can easily spend 1 or 2 days in Bruxelles, 1 day in Brugge, one day in Antwerpen, one in Gent, one doing the WW1 sites (Ieper etc), at least one in the ardennes, one in Liège, one in Mons and 1-2 traveling (like doing la Semois, or going to Bouillon and going via la vallée de la Molignée).
And I forgot the seaside.
If you like WW2, Eperlecques (France) has a great bunker to see.
Jul 13th, 2016, 02:51 PM
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It's BelgIUM. If you're not familiar with it, there are thousands of resources out there to become familiar with it: guidebooks, websites, videos, you name it. If your daughter is studying there I should think you'd want to absorb a lot of information about it.
It's a very useful hub for traveling all over Europe, but again, you need to know where you want to go, and why, before embarking on a journey. You could spend the extra days after visiting your daughter in other parts of Belgium like Antwerp, Bruges, the coast, Ghent, Liège...or you could go to nearby Netherlands and visit, e.g., Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Delft, etc...or you could go to Paris or London or get on a plane or train and go just about anywhere in western Europe.
What appeals to you about the Czech Republic?
Many people here, many, have traveled to and lived in Germany. What do you want to know?
Get out the guidebooks and maps and study up on what appeals to you. It would be wise to limit it to one other destination if you want to make the best of your short time. It might also be wise to book open-jaw tickets.
It's a very useful hub for traveling all over Europe, but again, you need to know where you want to go, and why, before embarking on a journey. You could spend the extra days after visiting your daughter in other parts of Belgium like Antwerp, Bruges, the coast, Ghent, Liège...or you could go to nearby Netherlands and visit, e.g., Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Delft, etc...or you could go to Paris or London or get on a plane or train and go just about anywhere in western Europe.
What appeals to you about the Czech Republic?
Many people here, many, have traveled to and lived in Germany. What do you want to know?
Get out the guidebooks and maps and study up on what appeals to you. It would be wise to limit it to one other destination if you want to make the best of your short time. It might also be wise to book open-jaw tickets.
Jul 13th, 2016, 03:05 PM
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Belguim is about beer too, fries, mussels, mayonnaise, cervelas, mitraillette, américain, caricoles, gaufre (de Liège et de Bruxelles), côtelettes à 'l berdouille...
A 'caricole' is actually 'une caracole' : ' une caracole aste une biesse ave 's majone su l' dos'
A 'caricole' is actually 'une caracole' : ' une caracole aste une biesse ave 's majone su l' dos'
Jul 14th, 2016, 01:30 AM
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For 10 days, including visiting your daughter, I would stick to the Netherlands and Belgium.
Don't know what weather has to do with it. Plenty to keep you occupied even when it's not so warm.
Spend 5 of 6 days in Belgium, and visit Amsterdam for 4 days, by train.
Where is your daughter staying? Use that as a base to visit Brugge, Gent, Antwerpen, Brussel and other places by trains. I would not recommend the Belgian seaside in November.
Take into account that November 1 and November 11 are national holidays, and the first week of November is a school holiday in Belgium.
Don't know what weather has to do with it. Plenty to keep you occupied even when it's not so warm.
Spend 5 of 6 days in Belgium, and visit Amsterdam for 4 days, by train.
Where is your daughter staying? Use that as a base to visit Brugge, Gent, Antwerpen, Brussel and other places by trains. I would not recommend the Belgian seaside in November.
Take into account that November 1 and November 11 are national holidays, and the first week of November is a school holiday in Belgium.
Jul 14th, 2016, 12:58 PM
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your daughter may be tired of Belgium and want to see another culture - those Belgian cities are nice but not nice enough IMO to be all that enjoyable in the dreary dank weather that your daughter may well be tired of - Amsterdam, Paris and London are great in any weather- for lots of reasons.
https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...e-november.php
rains nearly half the days in Belgium in November - Brussels gets 2.2 hours of sunlight on average each day and the sun rises late and sets early.
https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...e-november.php
rains nearly half the days in Belgium in November - Brussels gets 2.2 hours of sunlight on average each day and the sun rises late and sets early.
Jul 14th, 2016, 01:12 PM
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PQ, you are being pathetic on this one.
OP doesn't zilch about Belgium (he doesn't even how to spell it when his daughter is supposed to be or go there), so why do you expect him to know more about NL ?
And tell me what difference of weather there would be between NL and Belgium ?
Amsterdam would be better than Gent or Bruxelles under rain ? Why ? Because you spent your rainy days in coffee shops or in the red district ?
Come on...
OP doesn't zilch about Belgium (he doesn't even how to spell it when his daughter is supposed to be or go there), so why do you expect him to know more about NL ?
And tell me what difference of weather there would be between NL and Belgium ?
Amsterdam would be better than Gent or Bruxelles under rain ? Why ? Because you spent your rainy days in coffee shops or in the red district ?
Come on...
Jul 14th, 2016, 01:47 PM
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IMO, Belgian cities are every bit as interesting (maybe more) than Dutch cities, and the weather is equivalent, so that's a wash (literally). I doubt PalenQ has spent a lot of time in Belgian cities (they don't sell weed openly). Belgium has a lot more variety than the Netherlands, IMO. Antwerpen in particular, is a gem of a city. I also am a fan of Bruxelles, which most people aren't. Bruges I can live without - just a tourist venue IMO, though in a beautiful setting.
Jul 14th, 2016, 01:54 PM
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Amsterdam would be better than Gent or Bruxelles under rain ?>
would Amsterdam in any weather be better than Gent or Brussels?
answer that - to me no question about it - nothing to do with cannabis-selling coffeeshops - Amsterdam has dozens and dozens of indoor museums - so does Brussels I'm sure but I do not thing they can compare in scope and variety to those in Amsterdam and yes Amsterdam attracts a fair amount of tourists even in winter - the week between Christmas and New Years being one of the very busiest of the whole year Amsterdam Tourist Office once told me when I was trying to book a room - any room on short notice for my the French drug-tourist son and friends.
Yes Amsterdam to me would be much better under rain because IMO it is much better overall from what a tourist wants and expects and does- physical beauty is lovely in any weather and thus Bruges could be too them - Gent has some vest-pocket Bruges type areas but is pretty much a big city without the dreamy looks of Amsterdam or Bruges (again I led about 1,000 folks thru Bruges, Gent and Antwerp on bike trips - everyone loved Bruges and they liked the other two enough but all raved about Amsterdam (they were college kids).
So you think that Brussels is just as fun in the rain as Amsterdam, Paris or London? I do not share that opinion -not to say it could not be fun.
would Amsterdam in any weather be better than Gent or Brussels?
answer that - to me no question about it - nothing to do with cannabis-selling coffeeshops - Amsterdam has dozens and dozens of indoor museums - so does Brussels I'm sure but I do not thing they can compare in scope and variety to those in Amsterdam and yes Amsterdam attracts a fair amount of tourists even in winter - the week between Christmas and New Years being one of the very busiest of the whole year Amsterdam Tourist Office once told me when I was trying to book a room - any room on short notice for my the French drug-tourist son and friends.
Yes Amsterdam to me would be much better under rain because IMO it is much better overall from what a tourist wants and expects and does- physical beauty is lovely in any weather and thus Bruges could be too them - Gent has some vest-pocket Bruges type areas but is pretty much a big city without the dreamy looks of Amsterdam or Bruges (again I led about 1,000 folks thru Bruges, Gent and Antwerp on bike trips - everyone loved Bruges and they liked the other two enough but all raved about Amsterdam (they were college kids).
So you think that Brussels is just as fun in the rain as Amsterdam, Paris or London? I do not share that opinion -not to say it could not be fun.
