Need help with my agenda in Brussels and Amsterdam
Dec 16th, 2007, 03:45 PM
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Need help with my agenda in Brussels and Amsterdam
I am going to Brussels on the 24th of Dec until Jan 1st.
Any advice on how to plan my trip? I want to go to Amsterdam, Brugges and Ghent each for a day. Also, any suggestions on restaurants and things to see?
Thanks in advance!
Any advice on how to plan my trip? I want to go to Amsterdam, Brugges and Ghent each for a day. Also, any suggestions on restaurants and things to see?
Thanks in advance!
Dec 16th, 2007, 06:40 PM
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I was in Brugge and Amsterdam last month. I can give you a few restaurant recommendations:
BRUGGE: BISTRO DE POMPE (Pome refers to a firehouse pump), Klein St. Amandsstraat, 2. www.bistrodepompe.be
Our dinners were outstanding. Both of us had pork tenderloin medallions, a halved, grilled seasoned tomato, thin string beans wrapped in lean bacon and finally diced carrots. A bearnaise-type sauce was spread over the pork. A French wine accompanied the meal. Dessert for me was chocolate mouse cake with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. DH had gingerbread ice cream balls with whipped cream. Cost: 63.60 euro for two.
BRUGGE: QUATRE MAINS (Four Hands), Philipstockstraat, 8. www.quatre-mains.be. We ate broccoli soup with crusty bread for lunch. Nice, clean small place, can't remember the cost. Inexpensive.
BRUGGE: CARLITO'S, Hoogstraat, 21. www.carlitos.be The night we had dinner here we shared an appetizer of bruschetta with chopped tomatoes. DH had cannelloni with spinach and bechamel (cheese). I had Tagliatelle with a meat and mushroom sauce, 1/2 carafe of house rosso wine. No dessert. 50 euro for two people.
BRUGGE: SWEET BRUGES, Wollestraat, 31.Two orders of FRESHLY-MADE Belgian waffles with powdered sugar, fresh strawberries, and light whipped cream, plus two coffees. Cost 18.50 euro for two people.
AMSTERDAM: CASA DI DAVID, Singel, 426 (Central). www.casadidavid.com. This restaurant is about a 5-7 minute walk from the Floating Flower Market on the Singel.
Our table was on the 2nd floor looking out a window at the Singel Canal. The food was wonderful. We shared an antipasto of warm asparagus with Parma ham, cherry tomatoes and sliced parmesan cheese with a warm light cream sauce and a nice Chianti wine.
Our main course was linguine with scampi and arugula. Tiramisu and caffe latte for desert. Cost: 80 euro for two people.
AMSTERDAM: DE 3 VRIENDEN (The Three Friends), Frans Halsstraat, 28. www.de3vrienden.nl - located in De Pijp (section). Every dish on the menu cost only 8.50 euro (small dishes).
This is a dimly-lit, cozy restaurant that had an old-world, library feel to it (considering the walls were lined with old books). Our table was on a small elevated platform that we shared with another couple. There was very little space between the tables, but they were positioned so that you didn't have to look at each other or converse, if you didn't want to. Best seats in the house!
We ordered a French white wine and mushroom soup for a starter. DH had a grilled steak with a red-wine sauce. I ordered thinly-sliced pork with vegetables. Profiteroles with blackberry sauce and sorbet for dessert. Two coffees. Cost was 'about' 50 +/- euro. Can't find my receipt.
Hope this helps.
BRUGGE: BISTRO DE POMPE (Pome refers to a firehouse pump), Klein St. Amandsstraat, 2. www.bistrodepompe.be
Our dinners were outstanding. Both of us had pork tenderloin medallions, a halved, grilled seasoned tomato, thin string beans wrapped in lean bacon and finally diced carrots. A bearnaise-type sauce was spread over the pork. A French wine accompanied the meal. Dessert for me was chocolate mouse cake with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. DH had gingerbread ice cream balls with whipped cream. Cost: 63.60 euro for two.
BRUGGE: QUATRE MAINS (Four Hands), Philipstockstraat, 8. www.quatre-mains.be. We ate broccoli soup with crusty bread for lunch. Nice, clean small place, can't remember the cost. Inexpensive.
BRUGGE: CARLITO'S, Hoogstraat, 21. www.carlitos.be The night we had dinner here we shared an appetizer of bruschetta with chopped tomatoes. DH had cannelloni with spinach and bechamel (cheese). I had Tagliatelle with a meat and mushroom sauce, 1/2 carafe of house rosso wine. No dessert. 50 euro for two people.
BRUGGE: SWEET BRUGES, Wollestraat, 31.Two orders of FRESHLY-MADE Belgian waffles with powdered sugar, fresh strawberries, and light whipped cream, plus two coffees. Cost 18.50 euro for two people.
AMSTERDAM: CASA DI DAVID, Singel, 426 (Central). www.casadidavid.com. This restaurant is about a 5-7 minute walk from the Floating Flower Market on the Singel.
Our table was on the 2nd floor looking out a window at the Singel Canal. The food was wonderful. We shared an antipasto of warm asparagus with Parma ham, cherry tomatoes and sliced parmesan cheese with a warm light cream sauce and a nice Chianti wine.
Our main course was linguine with scampi and arugula. Tiramisu and caffe latte for desert. Cost: 80 euro for two people.
AMSTERDAM: DE 3 VRIENDEN (The Three Friends), Frans Halsstraat, 28. www.de3vrienden.nl - located in De Pijp (section). Every dish on the menu cost only 8.50 euro (small dishes).
This is a dimly-lit, cozy restaurant that had an old-world, library feel to it (considering the walls were lined with old books). Our table was on a small elevated platform that we shared with another couple. There was very little space between the tables, but they were positioned so that you didn't have to look at each other or converse, if you didn't want to. Best seats in the house!
We ordered a French white wine and mushroom soup for a starter. DH had a grilled steak with a red-wine sauce. I ordered thinly-sliced pork with vegetables. Profiteroles with blackberry sauce and sorbet for dessert. Two coffees. Cost was 'about' 50 +/- euro. Can't find my receipt.
Hope this helps.
Dec 16th, 2007, 06:45 PM
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If you are thinking of going to Haarlem, Zaanse Schans, or Delft, from Amsterdam for day trips, it would be worth your while.
Madurodam is unique and interesting, but only held our attention for about an hour.
BTW, we fell in love with Brugge!
Madurodam is unique and interesting, but only held our attention for about an hour.
BTW, we fell in love with Brugge!
Dec 16th, 2007, 07:14 PM
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Brugge is a very short train ride and can be seen in a day (stay for dinner and take a late train back). Take the train from Brussels and then a short bus ride will take you to the center of town.
Amsterdam could definitely take more than one day if you have the time. Does you schedule allow staying over in AMS? Volendam is a very quaint little fishing village north of AMS and an easy bus ride. You could do a day and a half in AMS, then the next morning take the bus to Volendam and back and still be back in Brussels by late evening.
If this is an option I can give more details about AMS or Volendam - we lived in AMS for a year and did repeat visits to Volendam (it is a bit touristy but imo very charming and very friendly).
Amsterdam could definitely take more than one day if you have the time. Does you schedule allow staying over in AMS? Volendam is a very quaint little fishing village north of AMS and an easy bus ride. You could do a day and a half in AMS, then the next morning take the bus to Volendam and back and still be back in Brussels by late evening.
If this is an option I can give more details about AMS or Volendam - we lived in AMS for a year and did repeat visits to Volendam (it is a bit touristy but imo very charming and very friendly).
Dec 17th, 2007, 07:56 AM
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i_am_kane, thanks so much for the detailed information! I will put it to good use.
Merrisr, I wasn't planning on an over night in Amst.
can you give me suggestions around that?
Thanks so much this has all helped!
Merrisr, I wasn't planning on an over night in Amst.
can you give me suggestions around that?
Thanks so much this has all helped!
Dec 17th, 2007, 08:13 AM
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I would suggest you plan an overnight in Amsterdam if you can - it takes over 2hours 45 minutes from Brussels to Amsterdam on the train. Dayight is severly limited at this time of year - it gets light late (nearly 9am) and dark early (about 4.30pm) so it would be a shame to spend so long in a train for just a short period of daylight to really enjoy Amsterdam.
Dec 17th, 2007, 08:59 AM
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As of December 9, there are six Thalys runs a day between Brussels and Amsterdam where the journey takes 2 hours and seven minutes, not two hours and 45 minutes.
And hooray for finally getting a Thalys stop in central Antwerp and not out in the burbs!
And hooray for finally getting a Thalys stop in central Antwerp and not out in the burbs!
Dec 17th, 2007, 09:02 AM
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And boo for the mini-strikes this past week-end. It took my husband over two hours to get from Zaventem (town, not airport) to Brussels Midi...he waited an hour for a train, then it stopped in Scharbeek as the drivers abruptly left the train, and he had to catch a tram into the station.
Dec 17th, 2007, 10:15 AM
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Good news that the Thalys has finally speeded up!
Still a long time in a train for a few hours daylight in Amsterdam, and if raustin doesn't want to pay for the Thalys it will still be longer by IC - assume they are still running alongside Thalys?
Still a long time in a train for a few hours daylight in Amsterdam, and if raustin doesn't want to pay for the Thalys it will still be longer by IC - assume they are still running alongside Thalys?
Dec 18th, 2007, 11:51 AM
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If it is the Conrad on Avenue Louise, you are not very close to the Grand Place. It is walkable, you could do it, but in this cold probably better to take a bus or tram. However, the hotel is in a very nice (though expensive) area.
There is a very good restaurant in the Conrad. I also like Rouge Tomate, farther down on Ave. Louise. The Conrad is near Place Stephanie, and one of the streets off of that is Chaussee de Charleroi, which has some great low-key places on it. I particularly like Ma Folle de Soeur. The Exki on Place Stephanie is good for a quick bite.
Make sure to check out the Grand Place, obviously. I've never been at night but hear it's pretty. The Christmas market at Sainte-Catherine will still be open at that time, so if you have a free day go look around and have some vin chaud.
I second the recommendations of the people who told you to spend the night in Amsterdam if you can. There is a lot to see and do there.
There is a very good restaurant in the Conrad. I also like Rouge Tomate, farther down on Ave. Louise. The Conrad is near Place Stephanie, and one of the streets off of that is Chaussee de Charleroi, which has some great low-key places on it. I particularly like Ma Folle de Soeur. The Exki on Place Stephanie is good for a quick bite.
Make sure to check out the Grand Place, obviously. I've never been at night but hear it's pretty. The Christmas market at Sainte-Catherine will still be open at that time, so if you have a free day go look around and have some vin chaud.
I second the recommendations of the people who told you to spend the night in Amsterdam if you can. There is a lot to see and do there.
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