We are heading to Amsterdam later this month for 6 nights (the 7th night will be spent in Dusseldorf as we have an early flight from there). We are planning on doing a couple day trips from Amsterdam to see the surrounding countryside and towns. Now I'm wondering if we should cancel one night in Amsterdam and spend a night in Brugge? How do the Dutch villages compare to Brugge? Are any as picturesque and charming?

I'd say no Dutch village or town can compare with Bruges, one of Europe's sweetest old-world cities - laced by canals lined with centuries-old warehouses extant from a time when Bruges was one of the most important ports and cities in the world.

The port silted up leaving the town high and dry, helping preserve its ancient look.

No Dutch town is as charming as Bruges IMO not nearly. Well worth the detour - 3.5 hours by train from Amsterdam, change at Antwerp.

Love Holland but PQ is right on.

A good month, too, as Brugge can get "really" touristy in the summer.
Love that Belgian beer.

Agree totally - and think 1 night won't be enough, but looks like you're on a tight schedule, so 1 is better than 0.

Thank you so much for your feedback! One night surely isn't enough, but it'll give us two days there.. we can take the train to Dusseldorf in the evening. Any 3 star hotel/b&b suggestions in Brugge?

I stayed in
http://www.martinsbrugge.com/html/en/index.htm
It's very stylish and at a perfect location (across the Belfort)

Visit the "Straffe Hendrik" brewery!

I enjoy Bruges a great deal, but if you are planning to visit the city in mid-summer, you may find it very crowded. Just be advised. Where are you going on your day trips?

Another option is to go down to Dusseldorf a day early. It's an interesting vibrant city and it's an easy, short ride to Hattingen, a very picturesque, historic small town that was one of the few in central Germany not to be bombed in WW II, so the sights there aren't rebuilds. And unlike Bruges, you will find very few tourists in Hattingen.
http://www.international.hattingen.de/uk/index.htm

Speaking of Bruges, anybody have any recommendations of really great, cozy, inexpensive restaurants serving those wonderful mussels & frites? I've got the guide books...but maybe someone has an inside tip? We're staying in a B&B about 5-10 minutes walking distance from the city centre. If eating mussels & frites & drinking Belgian beer is all I do in Bruges, consider me a happy woman.

A good choice would be:
De Mosselkelder, Huidenvettersplein 5

Here's some pictures (scroll down):
http://www.digitalefotosite-corenjoke.com/brugge.htm

But you'll find them *everywhere*. Just don't pick one on "'t Zand"

It is so nice to be there at night. The day trippers have left, the food is good, and itis nice to walk around after dinner eating ice cream.

BT - as the OP says - they are travelling this month.

NThea - when we were there (June), many of the places weren't serving mussles as they said thay only do so when thay can serve domestic mussles. Other places were serving imported. Actually I was surprised to find that many places used PEI (Prince Edward Island - Canada) mussles.

Try www.bedandbreakfastbrugge.be - we are staying there this summer and the people are real easy to work with, has great reviews at tripadvisor, etc - check them out - have a great trip.
Leslie

I missed that. But if "later this month" means the end of April, be advised that May 1 is a holiday, which does bring crowds to Bruges, esp. if the weather is as pleasant as it is in Belgium right now. So the last week-end of April will be one of the busier times in Bruges and the city will be crowded. OTOH, it means that many restaurants, etc., will be open to cater to visitors.

robjame: re: not serving mussels because they are not domestic....

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo!

(Can you hear my plaintive scream from across the continents?)

If I, sigh, have to eat imported mussels, will the experience still be wonderful? Stop. I already know the answer.

I know. I know. NThea.
Local season for Belgium is Sept - Feb.

Here is site for you.
http://www.visitbelgium.com/mussels.htm

We cook mussels at home quite often but there is nothing like mussels at a resaurant. Surprisingly we found Leon de Bruxelles quite good in Paris but other have reported unsatisfactory experiences.
Favourite mussel recipes?

Try the bouillabaisse in Brugge - we loved it.

Thanks again for all the great recs! Leslie - I looked on trip advisor, but couldn't find the B&B you rec'd. It looks nice from the website, but I wanted to read the reviews you mentioned.

The best mussels we ever had were at Vriendschaap in Middelburg, which is just a few miles inland from the Zeeland coast (NL), where the mussels come from.

We found the Prinsenhof Hotel to be excellent.

I agree, the Hotel Prinsenhoff was a winner.

We thoroughly enjoyed Hotel de Tuilerieen. Don't remember if its 3 or 4 *, but was very close to the main square, great breakfasts [and you probably won't need it but it had AC which came in handy during a heat spell during our stay].