i_am_kane

Quite unexpectedly, we were able to use FF miles on NWA from Hartford, CT direct into Amsterdam. The dates are: Leaving Hartford/Bradley on October 29 into AMS and departing AMS on November 5 back into Hartford.

Initally, I thought we sould stay in Amsterdam the entire time and take a day trip to Brugges.

Now, my husband is inquiring as to whether we can add some time in Paris. I am doubtful, but thought I would throw the question out here.

Should we stick to Amsterdam and a day trip to Brugges - or try to include Paris?

Lily

We spent 3 full days in Amsterdam last year and found that just about right.

Nonconformist

Personally, I'd skip Paris thsi time, but divide your stay between Amsterdam and Bruges. IMO Bruges is worth more than a daytrip.

jsmith

We did Amsterdam and Brugges, 3 nights in each, one year. We had been to AMS previously so that was enough time for us. The train stops at Schipol airport so you could start your trip by going directly to Brugges and finish in AMS or reverse the order.

Travelnut

Just wondering..can you change the flight to go into Amsterdam and then out of Paris..? that would save a day's back-tracking.

It's easy to do a week in and around Amsterdam, though, espec. if you haven't been before. Besides Amsterdam itself, there are charming smaller towns and a couple of nice outdoor folk museums, all easy to visit using the train...

www.iamsterdam.com/
www.visitamsterdam.nl/
http://www.gvb.nl/english/default.asp

http://www.haarlem.nl/smartsite498.htm
www.delfttoerisme.nl/indexeng.html
www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl/
www.openluchtmuseum.nl/

http://www.ns.nl/pages/index.html

i_am_kane

Thanks for the replies.

The flight cities cannot be changed. NWA does not fly back into Hartford, CT. In fact, we are so lucky to have this direct flight out of a Connecticut airport.

Usually, we have to go to JFK/NY or La Guardia for international flights.

I'm leaning toward less days in Amsterdam.

Time to eat dinner...see you guys later.

i_am_kane

I wrote too fast. NWA does not fly back from Paris into Hartford.

i_am_kane

Anymore thoughts from anyone?

jsmith, we have decided to go directly to Brugge for three nights, and then wind up in Amsterdam. Good suggestion.

bilboburgler

Look Paris is great but you will get very little out of Brugges/PAris and Amsterdam in 7 days. Do Paris another time.

Brugges is probably worth 24 hours (sorry all Bruges fans) so then where to go. Luxembourg can handle 24 hours then to Amsterdam,. Now the tain system in Holland is fantastic so base your self here but look at the cities around and the museums take the plunge and go off. The Dutch speak excellent English and you can chat to them on the trains.

i_am_kane

biloburger,

You wrote that Brugges is probably worth 24 hours.

Taking into account that we arrive AMS at 6:30 a.m. (hopefully), getting through Customs, the train ride, etc. to Brugge will eat up a chunk of our morning.

The days will be getting shorter on October 30th (will have to check the Netherlands time change). So, we sleep in Brugge that night, and tour the city the next day. I thought we should sleep in Brugge the second night, and after breakfast the following morning take the train to Amsterdam.

Does that sound about right to you?

jsmith

We spent one of our days (9AM to 5PM) in Brugges touring WW I sights with Quasimodo Tours:

http://www.quasimodo.be/

One of the best day tours we have taken anywhere but WW I holds a great fascination to me.

suze

I would stay in Amsterdam the entire 7 days myself. Plenty to see & do there. If you want to include Paris, I would skip Brugges. I think trying to do 3 cities in 7 days is not very practical and more hassle than it's worth.

DAX

<<Brugges is probably worth 24 hours (sorry all Bruges fans) so then where to go. Luxembourg can handle 24 hours>>

Honestly you can say that about every place if all you want to do is to take pictures of the sights and then move on. Every place deserves more than 24 hrs especially if you want to get a good feel of the city.

That said I would say Luxembourg (been there twice) is the least interesting compare to Amsterdam/Paris/Brugge. Brussels/Antwerp are much more interesting than Luxembourg. Ghent also makes attractive daytrip from Brugge/Brussels.

suze: What did you do in Amsterdam for 7 days? Did you spend one whole day for the Rembrant museum and another for the Van Gogh museum. I'm not a museum fan so I get totally bored in Amsterdam after 3-4days and that includes visiting relatives. I imagine you trained out to Haarlem, Utrecht, etc.

hopscotch

Getting into Amsterdam at 0630 means that your east coast body clock is at 0030, 12:30 AM. Your body is cruising into the middle of its sleep time. I hope that you can sleep on the plane.

Stay in Amsterdam, or my favorite Haarlem, for your first couple of days. On the first good weather day after that take an early train to Brugge via Antwerp. Stay overnight to make it worthwhile. Then go back to Amsterdam or Haarlem.

The weather will most likely be drizzly and there won't be many tourists about. There is plenty to do in Holland. Use the search box above.

bilboburgler

i am kane

For me the timing you suggest for Brugges is about right as the jet lag will wreck the first afternoon.

I see Amsterdam as a centre for visiting Haarlam, Delft maybe the Zeeland area and the even the big gallery in the NE (sorry I always forget this name) in the middle of no where.

Equally true if you want to spend a lot of time in Paris then spending it in Holland will not work.

I think you and your husband have to decide that. Paris is wonderful but Holland is too. Depends what you like.

i_am_kane

biloburger,

This will be our sixth trip to Europe. We do sleep on the plane going over, and do function well the first day. (We have flown into Rome and continued on to the Cinque Terre, as well as directly to Capri and Ischia.)

We have decided Paris is for another trip, when we have time to explore the city and soak up the culture.

Our itinerary in Amsterdam will include a brief visit to Haarlem and Delft. Also, we prefer to end up in Amsterdam, since our return flight is out of Schiphol Airport.

My next challenge is to figure out the train schedule from Amsterdam to Brugge and return.

DAX

You can also end your journey in Delft since Amsterdam & Delft are almost equidistant from Schiphol. (17/19 vs 20 minutes by train).

i_am_kane

DAX,

Food for thought...