drexelius

Besides the obvious Brussels, I need good ideas for sidetrips form our base of Brugge. We prefer not to travel more than an hour and a half each way if possible. We will be spending 4 nights in Brugge and 4 nights in Amsterdam (we're all set on Amsterdam side trips) in April.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Bob In Cincinnati

vanw

Bob in Cincinnati, I am Sue in Columbus! Hello, neighbor

We are going to be there next week and have ID'ed Damme and Knokke as two of the towns we want to visit. 'Looking forward to suggestions from B&B hosts and from responses here from fodo friends.

PalenQ

Damme was the ancient port of Brugge until it was left high and dry when it silted up. There are stil relics of its halycon days in grandiose buildings. A good way there from Brugge, about five miles away, is to go by boat.

Knokke is a tony seaside resort and generally pleasant town. Ditto for Blankkenberge (sp?) - once on the coast you may wish to ride the coastal tramway a bit, say to Ostende from where you can return to Bruges by rail.

Gent, Antwerp are fantastic short day trips from Bruges - each is a fascinating unique ancient Flemish town.

Some preceints of Ghent mimic lovely Bruges in its quaint canals.

Both Ghent and Antwerp offer great Flemish art in its churches and museums ad nauseaum.

Lille, France is but an hour or so by train and presents something far different than the other choices.

If into a short bike ride, hire a bike at Bruges train station or any of several other outlets and cycle the few miles to the coast.

drexelius

Vanw - we (my family of four - wife and two young girls)are also heading off next week. We leave next Thurs. for Holland and will spend four days daytripping from Haarlem (hopefully to see some tulips at Keukenhof). Then we head to Brugge the last day of the Chocolate Festival and stay there for four days as well. Should be a great way to spend Spring Break! Great to hear that fellow Ohioans like travelling to Europe like we do!

PalenQ - thanks for the great ideas. We had already planned on biking from Brugge to Damme - we hear it is a great and flat bike ride. Sounds like fun on a nice Sring day. I'll have to look into some of your other ideas like Gent and Antwerp. Atrip to the coast also sounds like fun for the girls. Even it will be way too cold for swimming I'm sure they would like just walking along the beach. Thanks again.

Bob

Tulips

Drexelius; Blankenberge is not nearly as nice as Knokke. If you are there the week after Easter, it will be very busy on the coast; too cold for swimming, but if it's like today (17 celcius near Antwerp) it will be very pleasant. Your girls will like it, and it makes a good break for children after visiting towns and cities. My children love it in Knokke; you can rent go-carts on the Zeedijk (the boulevard along the sea). I don't know how old your girls are, but there are a few restaurants with playgrounds, that do good food too. There's a nature reserve, Zwin, where you could cycle to as well. Lots of great shopping; particularly for children's clothes. Open on Sunday too.

PalenQ

WWI buffs, if any are left can easily day trip to Ypres, and the memorial-museum to one of WWI's most bloody battles of trench warfare.

NanBug

I second the Ghent recommendation. Great town with interesting shops and wonderful architecture. Don't miss Van Eyck's altarpiece, a masterpiece.

You'll love the bike ride to Damme, it's very relaxing and picturesque.

Have fun!