robertcoon

My wife and I (mid-thirties) are headed to Belgium and the Netherlands in early September. I'd like to get some thoughts on what cities are must do's. Our interests are mainly taking in local culture, architecture, shopping, some museums (but not too many), and food/drink. Here's a rough sketch of what we have in mind at first blush -

Day 1 - Arrive Brussels, train to Brugge (we've been to Brussels before, so skipping this time)
Day 2 - Brugge
Day 3 - Train to Ghent and overnight
Day 4 - time in Ghent, then train to Antwerp
Day 5 - time in Antwerp, then train to Rotterdam
Day 6 - Rotterdam, train to Hague (visit for a few hours), train to Amsterdam
Day 7 - Amsterdam
Day 8 - Amsterdam
Day 9 - Depart

Questions - We have 2 nights in Brugge here, would two nights be better in one of the other cities like Ghent or Antwerp?

Still unsure about Rotterdam. Worth visiting compared to other options like Delft?

Is the Hague worth a day time visit or no?

Thanks in advance for your input.

PalenQ

2nd night in Bruges? You already have two nights there - Antwerp is one larger city that may demand more time - like an overnight or do as a day trip from nearby Gent.

Rotterdam is for modern architecture and its several excellent museums - not an ancient looking town like Bruges or Delft.

I'd put more time in Amsterdam if you have not been there and again you could do R'dam, Delft and Hague - maybe not all on the same day as a day trip from Amsterdam (relocating inevitably takes a half day or so!)

anyway for loads of great info on trains and the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) railpass which may or may not be economical for you but check it out - some nice sites: www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

If going to museums in those cities plus Amsterdam be sure to investigate the Netherlands Museum Pass, sold at any participating of the 100s of museums.

robertcoon

thanks PalenQ. I meant that as listed we are doing 2 nights in Brugge and 1 night in all other cities listed (except Amsterdam). Was trying to determine if we should instead do 1 night in Brugge and do a second night somewhere else (like Antwerp as you suggested).

PalenQ

Umh - subjective take but I think one night and one day in Bruges is enough for most - smallish town so I would say yes add to Amsterdam where there is such a plethora of neat things and mind-boggling number of easy day trips to take.

isabel

Belgium is very tiny and you can easily see Brugges, Ghent and Antwerp from one base. All three are wonderful and worth seeing but unless you have a reason for wanting to change hotels so often you can do the other two from which ever base you choose. My most recent trip I based in Antwerp and day tripped to Brugge and Ghent and that worked great. There is something to be said for seeing the atmosphere of a place in the evening but I'm not sure it outweighs the convenience of one hotel. Plus in September it will be dark early enough that you can have dinner in a town and see it with the lights on and still get back to your base town at a reasonable hour.

For the Netherlands I think day trips to Delft, Leiden and Gouda were all worthwhile. I have based in both Amsterdam and Haarlem and both have pluses and minuses as a base. Really can't go wrong. But for what you describe I think those places would be preferable to time spent in Rotterdam and the Hague.

Here's my trip report from my most recent trip to those countries - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...etherlands.cfm

PalenQ

I also often base myself in Harlem - great if doing day trips by train as there are rail links going off in all directions and accommodations are cheaper by far across the board and Haarlem is a sweet regional Dutch town very different than Amsterdam.

MyriamC

I found Rotterdam an interesting city, especially its architecture. It's different from other cities in the Netherland (rebuilt after WWII). I would certainly recommend a visit in the various quarters of the city.
Check this out: https://en.rotterdam.info/visitors/a...-in-rotterdam/

PalenQ

I too love Rotterdam - no not your dreamy old-world looking city but a very modern one having been rebuilt from war damage - also has several superb museums.

menachem

you might as well skip The Hague. You're not going to experience something there with the schedule you're maintaining.

Skip Brugge, go to Gent, or straight to Antwerp. If you do Antwerp, skip Rotterdam, if you do Gent, skip Antwerp and go straight to Rotterdam.

The rhythm you have is to my mind very exhausting, because you make yourself homeless every day, and stretching such a day till evening, to have a good number of hours in each city is very tiring IMO.

Sassafrass

Since the first night in Bruges is at the end of a long travel time, a second night there is perfect if you base there.

We did Ghent as a day trip from Bruges though, and I was sorry we were not spending the night. However, there was a big parade that day that took about four hours, so if we had had that time to stroll around, it might have been enough. So, thinking about it, Ghent works a day trip from Bruges.

Or, go to Ghent as a base and day trip to Bruges. Your choice depending on your interests and which appeals to you.

Bruges is tiny with a beautiful small central square. You can walk from one side of Bruges to the other in 40 minutes or so. It is a nice place for biking, strolling and looking at windmills and canals.

Ghent is a city with a nice cafe/restaurant scene along the river. Because of the river, it has an open feeling. It has a vibe of energy that seems local rather than touristy.

I am pretty old, and would still pick Ghent as a base over quiet Bruges.

menachem

I second a preference for Gent

PalenQ

Base in Gent perhaps but don't miss Bruges, which yes is best savored at night
- I've taken over 1,000 folks on bike trips thru Bruges and Gent and nearly everyone loved Bruges - they liked Gent but did not find it exceptional but a rather large busy city compared to Bruges - but if you like larger busier cities, as I do, then Gent would be neat for you - the vast majority of American tourists IME would prefer Bruges by far.

Bitter

We spent some time one day in the Hague. Probably was time better spent elsewhere IMHO.

menachem

it's been suggested by posters already: base yourself in Gent, do Brugge as a day trip. Gent is a student town and has nice, lively nightlife, something that Brugge hasn't really got. Leuven is nice too by the way.

MyriamC

@menachem
Early September there won't be any students yet. The academic year starts on Monday 21st Sept.

PalenQ

When I was running over a thousand college students thru Bruges and Gent they found a lot of nightlife in Bruges - that Bruges ain't got nightlife is a fallacy IME - Gent may have more but there is one large square in Bruges near the train station that has several hotspots for younger folk or at least did - this was years ago but can't believe they still aren't there - after all Bruges is a city of nearly 100.000 people with a lot of younger folk who do not sit home at night.

If on a budget the cost of nightlife in Belgium as in Europe in general can be dauntingly steep. Bruges also has some neat Bohemian student/youth hostels like Snuffel - been there for decades - nice pub on premises - good meeting place for meeting young folk from all over. http://www.snuffel.be/

No Bruges hops at night IME.

menachem

MyriamC, true enough, doesn't mean bars are closed!

Bruges la morte, PalenQ

MyriamC

@menachem:
Bars are never closed in Belgium. What would we be without our 1000+ different Belgian beers?!

@PalenQ:
The square you refer to is 't Zand. May very well be popular for younger folk, but I think most tourists stay in the very city centre (Burg, Markt, ...).

PalenQ

Young folk can easily hop the bus or walk the about 1 mile between t'Zand and their hostel and have I think just as good nightlife as in Gent. Peopole forget that Bruges is a real city with real people living there - there are completely untouristed corners of town - a neat walking/jogging/biking path goes around the town on its old ramparts or most of the town.

Bruges for younger folk IME hops as much as Gent - you do not have to be students to have fun at night life.

MyriamC

I agree, PalenQ!