PalenQ

Gent is a bit closer to Amsterdam- about 30 minutes or so - can't be long because I've biked between the two dozens of times (long ago)- Bruges would be my preferred base from which to hop to Gent (a much larger busier city with vest-pocket sections of Bruges' much more widespread medieval look and feel and Brussels - something there for everyone - about 90 minutes I think from Bruges - it could be a few-hour stop when going between Bruges and ?????Paris???

StCirq

I am very fond of Brussels, and yes, to me it has the best food in Europe.

I am not so fond of Bruges, which to me has a Disney quality to it and is just too packed with visitors. Ghent is fine, but I prefer places like Utrecht, Antwerpen, Delft, even Rotterdam. We're going to visit them all in March, along with Den Bosch, which looks fabulous.

Tulips

Or stop in Antwerp - one of the most beautiful central stations in the world, and closer to Amsterdam than any other Belgian city. There's an amazing chocolate shop in the former Royal Palace on the Meir. The main fine arts museum is closed for refurbishment, but there are plenty of others.

suze

Get yourself a copy of Let's Go Amsterdam. It is an excellent guidebook and covers many "only in Amsterdam" topics.

I think like most things anywhere, probably as a tourist you aren't going to get the highest grade available.

Kathie

If you are just looking for mj, it would be easier and cheaper to travel to Colorado or Washington State.

StCirq

I think the OP made it quite clear he/she wasn't going to Amsterdam just for mj.

Dukey1

Suze, that is not true.

PalenQ

I think like most things anywhere, probably as a tourist you aren't going to get the highest grade available.>

yes dukey has that right - you get what you pay for - more euros per gram the higher and IME of being in zillions of Dutch coffeeshops they always have high quality stuff - for the price - schwag of course the cheapest perhaps.

But there are constant reviews of coffeeshops and their wares - one thing you can believe as a tourist you will get stoned enough on even the cheapest stuff - not that there may not be coffeeshops oriented to tourists who may charge more for the same thing as coffeeshops patronized by locals but yes I agree with Dukey.

But again as StCirq says cannabis is only a passing interest for the OP who may want to start another thread with a title about where she/he is traveling, etc. A lot of folks will pass this thread title by thinking it is only about cannabis.

suze

I live in Washington State. I didn't put a lot of research into shopping in Amsterdam. So while my comment may not be universally true it is what I personally experienced.

PalenQ

I think the overall potency of legal cannabis in the U.S.where it is legal - either for medicinal uses like in Michigan or in your state has levels generally higher than in Amsterdam - that has always been my feeling too - it may not have much to do with being a tourist but there was a move on by officials to limit THC levels and coffeeshops may not want to push the envelope on it.

Cheers!

sandralist

>>Which place has better chocolate, if that helps?<<

The best fresh chocolate I had was in Antwerpen and overall it was my favorite city in Belgium for everything - arts, restaurant meals, nightlife, architecture, sociability. I found some highlights in Brussels -- the waffles, the beer, the Horta House -- but Antwerpen was my favorite. I would rather drink Belgian jenever in Antwerpen than smoke dope anywhere, hands down. Second favorite city was Ghent, where it is also possible to drink true Belgian jenever. Didn't care for Bruges at all, but found it more tolerable walking through the old working class quarter closer to the river, very much away from the tourist scene.

menachem

it may not have much to do with being a tourist but there was a move on by officials to limit THC levels and coffeeshops may not want to push the envelope on it.

That's nonsense. Nothing ever came of the THC reduction that was - for a time - floated as a "good idea"

https://www.jellinek.nl/vraag-antwoo...rker-geworden/

https://www.trimbos.nl/actueel/nieuw.../?bericht=1586

If it's THC you want, hashish is a better bet, also because it contains more CBD.

pftg

Thanks all! With all the great info I'll need more than a month just in Belgium! What was that movie Going to Belgium on Thursday something like that.

StCirq your trip sounds wonderful. May I ask where you're basing and if you're taking the train or driving? Trying to get a feel if renting a car is better to see Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp from Brussels, if I base there. But I must see the Antwerp train station. Thanks Tulips great suggestion!

Plenty options but if you could narrow the TOP 2 coffeeshops in terms of ambiance, dobbie quality, crowd etc which ones would it be, your Michelin doobiehouse if you will? Thanks menachem but only interested in the smoothest doobs. No hash for me.

Oh Belgian jenever is gin! Thought it was beer. Interesting, might have to try that too though I prefer vodka and the very occasional whiskey.

Thank you so much everyone! Appreciate the guidance very much. PalenQ, not sure if I'll make it to Paris. As it is I'm deciding 10 days in either Italy or France. I'd love to go somewhere new but maybe somewhere old would be a good break too.

StCirq

pftg, we are flying from the Dordogne to Amsterdam (if I can make the connections work), then taking trains from there.

We're traveling with another couple and so far have booked a hotel in Amsterdam for 4 nights, a hotel in Den Bosch for two nights (going to see the Hieronymous Bosch exhibit), Antwerpen for 1-2 nights, and Rotterdam for a night. Haven't booked Ghent or Delft or Utrecht yet - still working on that part of the trip. Our friends have to fly back to the USA after 8 days, but we're footlose and can hang around longer if we like and either fly back home to Frane or just keep taking trains and stopping off places.

I can go back in my notes and give you specific hotel names if you like. I did loads of research a few months ago because hotel accommodations in the Netherands are more expensive than we're used to here in France.

PalenQ

St Cirq - Gouda is often overlooked but IME it is one of the dreamiest cities in Holland - especially the large market place with ubiquitous tall belfry and church. Trains are great and go everywhere all the time - can be very crowded at rush hours. Not sure to hit all those cities why you do not consider renting a car - have you been to Kinderdijk and its amazing windmills - can take a boat there from Rotterdam.

On the edge of Antwerp the Middleheim modern statue museum and neat outdoor statue park is so so sweet:

https://www.google.com/search?q=midd...Hav1DhYQsAQIHQ

Cheers!

menachem

As I said, and PalenQ. Dampkring, Rookerij, Green House.

check out vaporizers. much better than smoking

PalenQ

The Dampkring is my favorite coffeeshop and I've been denizens of many - it was seen in some scenes from the film Oceans Eleven (#1) and is mainly full of locals it seems - always a good value and a nice crowd - right near the Munt.

PalenQ

Interestingly when searching for Dampkring's web site it said "coffeeshops in Holland cannot legally have their own web site - so they developed this fan one:

http://dampkring-coffeeshop-amsterdam.nl/

menachem

Yeah, that's the weird twilight legislation that we have. The Dutch solution to difficult problems.

StCirq

I will be sure to check out Gouda, Pal. Our plans for late March/early April are partly limited by our friends' schedule and partly by the tickets we have to the exhibit in Den Bosch, and we can't be away from home in France for too long because that's the time of year when workers will be back from their congés annuels and ready to start projects again...and we have loads of projects.

I will consider renting a car, though. But we all love trains, and it just seems so easy to get around in the Netherlands and Belgium on them. Plus, we get discounts.