Lisabu

I will be traveling with my older teens from Munch to Brussels to Amsterdam. We arrive in Brussels (from Munich) at 8:30 am on Sunday, July 3rd and are planning to arrive in Amsterdam the evening of Monday, July 4th. I realize this is not ideal in terms of such a short time and visiting on a Sunday/Monday, but this is our option.

I am looking for recommendations on how to spend this short time. I am not really interested in visiting Brussels on this trip. The areas our family seems most interested in visiting are:

Ghent
Flanders Field Museum
Antwerp (fashion scene for the girls, Red Star Line Museum)
Mechlen

Although I am sure we would love Bruges, I would prefer it on a different trip with a bit more time.

Any recommendations on which of these places might appeal most to teens (girl/boy 17/19). I am assuming we cannot hit all the options? Any insight would be appreciated.

Thank you

sandralist

I think Ghent is the perfect bite-sized town for a very short stay. There is a university there so you can probably find music events and other young-people oriented venues. Just a very casual place with a delightful historic core.

I was about to say that if fashion is really important, Antwerp might take priority, but if you are going to be there on Sunday only, then you need to double check that the shops/outlets of most interest would be open on that Sunday or Monday in July.

Haven't been to the other 2 places.

Whathello

Why do you overstay in Bxl if you don't intend to visit it ?
Just carry on to Gent and sleep there.

You arrive from Muenchen to Bruxelles (midi, nord and or Central (I think it stops everywhere) - so you jsut take a trains to Gent from one of these stations (don't remember which is best).

Whathello

http://www.belgianrail.be/jp/sncb-nm...r/query.exe/en

tonfromleiden

I love Gent and I find Mechelen a pleasant base for visiting Brussels, but I'd say Antwerp is the best choice for the young ones.

Lisabu

Thanks for the replies - we are not staying overnight in Brussels. We have a flight that arrives to Brussels from Munich and will just leave from the airport.

It is sounding like maybe Mechelen and Antwerp will be the best options, given our short time and the Sunday/Monday issue. I did a bit of research on Antwerp and it actually seems like Sunday is the better day to be there because many museums are closed on Monday and many shops are open the first Sunday in July.

It is a little odd - but I am thinking we take the train from Brussels airport to Antwerp - spend the day and then go to Mechelen spend the night and part of Monday and then train to Amsterdam. I realize this is backtracking, but it doesn't seem like too much backtracking to accommodate the Sunday/Monday issue.

Does this seem doable? I think we will save the Bruges, Ghent, Flanders for another trip with just my husband and myself when we have more time to explore.

Whathello

There is no real backtracking when you talk about 50 kms or less than an hour train.

Can't say what your kids would like in Antwerp - be sure to see the railstation.

PalenQ

The Antwerp Rail Station is one of the grandest of grand in Europe - inside and out - the Diamond District is adjacent to it - Antwerp has an active nightlife for all ages and teens may be curious to see Antwerp's famous red-light district, from a tourists' point of view of course though Amsterdam's is much bigger:

https://www.google.com/search?q=antw...HR0VDqYQsAQIHQ

(Just joking)

Whathello

We still have a red-light district in Antwerpen ?
Strange that tourists 'should' visit something that locals will never think of going to see.

PalenQ

Well the Amsterdam Red-Light district is said to be one of the city's top tourist site for visitors if not the top one - not only to window shop for guys (few buy) but just to see what to many of us is a unique aspect of Belgian and Dutch cities - like it or hate it.

<Strange that tourists 'should' visit something that locals will never think of going to see.>

Well in Amsterdam at least the patrons mainly seem to be locals!

PalenQ

I'd consider letting the young adults stay in hostels where they can meet others from all over the world in their age groups and have perhaps a better time at night than with mom and pop? Hostels are everywhere.

Tulips

Pal is always recommending the red light district. It's nothing really, just a few houses in a small street.

I would go to Antwerp from Brussels, and stay there for the night. If there's not enough to keep you occupied, you can always take a daytrip to Mechelen on the Monday, and continue to Amsterdam from there. It would be a pity not to spend the night in Antwerp.

Shops are open on the first Sunday of July because it's when the sales start. There's a large market in Antwerp on Sundays as well. The market is in the morning, until about 1 or 2 pm. Though museums may be closed on Mondays, all shops will be open.

The fashion museum (Modemuseum) is open on Sundays.

There are lots of summer activities that would be fun for the kids. There are pop-up restaurants and bars for summer, such as Strantwerpen. I think if you go, and then take the train for Mechelen in the evening, your kids will be very disappointed.

Let me know if you want any specific shopping tips for Antwerpen.

Whathello

Tip of the day : we Belgian like being greeted.
In Antwerpen you should say 'goeie dag' (good day) which is pronounced like 'shoo yer dach'. It will at least bring a smile to the lips of the other party when you struggle with pronunciation.
.

MyriamC

I second Tulip's recommendation for Antwerp and would like to add Summer Festival from July 1st to July 4th. This is to celebrate the end of the school year and the beginning of the summer holidays.
http://www.summerfestival.be/intro

PalenQ

Pal is always recommending the red light district. It's nothing really, just a few houses in a small street.>

NOT recommending - just noting so if there is an interest folks can know about this unique thing.

Tulips

In Amsterdam it may be a main thing for tourists, in Antwerp it's definitely not. It's a very unremarkable street with some prostitutes sitting behind windows. Not the first thing that comes to mind when recommending places to visit in Antwerp for a mother with two teenagers on a 2-day visit.

PalenQ

Note I did NOT recommend it and I even said the whole thing was a joke - I understand locals are embarrassed by this institution and really can't understand it being around in today's world of escorts, etc all arranged online - why do they need picture windows with scantily clad ladies motioning folks in?

But for the third time mentioning is NOT recommending and again it were more in jest for such a group (except perhaps the adult 19 yr old!)

Whathello

Locals are not embarrassed, actually I prefer to think that prostitutes are behind a window than on the street by all weather.

Slaughterhouses are also interesting to visit - I may find one/

PalenQ

Whathello - what is the legal drinking age in Belgium - 16? If so it would be novel for the teens to have a legal drink with their mum or on their own. Again not recommending but just giving some possibilities.

Whathello

Don't know - I had my first drinks in cafés when I was 13.

I would not recommend it however.