Side trip to Belgium
 

I will be in Paris in March for my college Spring Break and was looking at taking a side trip for a few days to Belgium. I've heard so much about it and I'm having trouble deciding. I was thinking Brussels, Antwerp or Brugges? Please help with any suggestions!

thanks,
Doug

When I was in Paris I did a day trip to Brussels. I believe it took 2 hours to get there. Once there I took a city tour to get the feel of the city, then I proceeded to eat a belgium waffle, drink a belgium beer and have some fries. I was back in Paris by 7.

I've visited Brussels. Granted it was for just a daytrip from Paris, I didn't care for it other than the Grand Place and it's surrounding streets. Brugge is just over 2 hours by Thalys high speed train from Paris and it seems to be more charming than Brussels to me. Antwerp is good I hear but is a bit further than Brugge.

If you want to visit Antwerpen, it's easy to get there from Paris. There's a direct Thalys (high speed train) that will take you to Antwerpen-Berchem in a little over 2 hours. Paris-Brugge is a little over 2 and a half hours.
Note: to Brugge you will have to change trains in Brussel Zuid (Bruxelles Midi) ; to Antwerpen city centre you take a local commuter train in Antwerpen-Berchem. It's only one stop.

I would opt for a day trip to Brugge instead of Brussels.

Brussels is another large - and often fairly modern city. I would go for Bruge instead - a much smaller town, very well-preserved midieval and totally charming.