Greetings:<BR>I need help &amp; would really value your opinion on this.<BR>I have not seen anything on the message boards re: traveling to Benelux vs. Scandinavia. I have 2 weeks to travel, and don't want to go to both - what would you choose &amp; what places/cities are your favorites (don't mix &amp; match between Benelux &amp; Scandinavia!)<BR>Thanks<BR>

Very general answer: if you are a nature person, and like outdoor activities, go to Scandinavia. (especially Norway)<BR>If you like old cities, nightlife, museums, go to Benelux.<BR>If money is important, Benelux is cheaper than (most of) Scandinavia. <BR>In Scandinavia, I like most of Norway for nature (one of the most beautiful countries in the world), in Benelux, some nice cities to visit are Amsterdam, Delft, Maastricht, Brugge, Antwerpen and Gent.

You haven't seen much about Benelux or Scandinavia on this board because it really isn't the “Europe” forum. It's the “Italy, France &amp; UK” forum. <BR><BR>I've been through both areas in the last couple of years. Benelux in 2001 and Scandinavia this June. I really liked them both but there are a couple of things I would use to help me make this decision.<BR><BR>Weather: I was in Scandinavia in June and it was wonderfully cool compared to the 80 degrees unseasonably warm weather that Paris was having at the same time. Air-conditioning isn't as prevalent in Europe and the heat makes me cranky.<BR><BR>Cost: If your wallet is exploding with money Scandinavia is the place for you. Finland was comparable to Benelux in cost, but Stockholm was expensive and Oslo was insane. I had to struggle to keep my average hotel cost at 70USD a night. In Oslo and Stockholm I stayed in rooms with the bathroom at the end of the hall. In Benelux I kept my hotel costs the same but had my own bathroom every night.<BR><BR>In the last few years I have really made an effort to get outside of the big cities and have yet to be disappointed. Not only are there fewer tourists, but the costs for food and lodging are much less. The smaller towns I saw in Scandinavia were Orebro in Stockholm and Turku in Finland. In Belgium I stayed in Liege and in Holland I stayed at Katwijk an Zee. Staying two nights in each of these towns really helped my travel budget. <BR><BR>Don't miss Luxembourg City if you choose Benelux. It's beautiful.

Dear Ms Silverman,<BR><BR>As Sjoerd says, Scandinavia is stronger in nature, lakes, mountains and scenery, the Low Countries in old cities. But there are plenty of old cities in Scandinavia, so I want to add that Scandinavia has quieter city centres, with fewer rowdies, and has better-kept city centres, with more fresh paint and less litter. Of course there are seaside cities and towns in the Low Countries, but places turned towards the sea are commoner in Scandinavia. The Low Countries are at the heart of the history of west European economics and culture: the wool trade, the music of the courts of Burgundy, Memling, Erasmus, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, the seventeenth century painters, colonialism, the Enlightenment, land reclamation from the sea, Hitler's war, liberalism, Europeanism. After the Vikings, Scandinavia took part in all these movements, but usually not as central players. Linnaeus is a bit of an exception, and even his collection is now in London.<BR><BR>In practical terms, Scandinavians and Dutch speak English fluently and well, and Belgians quite well<BR><BR>Sorry for all these generalisations.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR>

I haven't been to Benelux other than Amsterdam, which was the start and end to our Scandinavian adventure last summer.<BR><BR>My husband's favorite city was Stockholm, primarily because there is so much to do and the people are so darned good looking.<BR><BR>My favorite city was Trondheim in Norway. In the summer, very warm and the sun almost never goes down. So beautiful, accessible, and affordable.<BR><BR>We didn't find the costs to be that exhorbitant, except for the cost of alcohol in Norway.<BR><BR>One more thing, one of the highlights of our trip was the overnight boat ride from Stockholm to Helsinki and back.

Carol,<BR><BR>Personally, I liked my experiences in Scandinavia better than Benelux. I loved the people of Denmark, Sweden is beautiful, and Norway is well Norway. I would recommend a cruise somewhere - Copenhagen to Oslo, Stockholm to Helsinki, etc. The Swedish Archipelago is magical in the summer. Also, Estonia is close to Helsinki, which in my mind is a big bonus. People speak English better than we do, and there is some real hidden gems.<BR><BR>You can't really go wrong in Benelux either. But your two weeks would be more homogenous. It wouldn't be a stretch to go to Copenhagen from Amsterdam for a couple of days for a taste of Scandinavia. (Sorry about the mix and match) Best wishes.