Skip Belgium?
 

Traveling to Europe & backpacking it this Summer. Skip Belgium or not & why?!

Um..how could anyone answer this question without knowing your itinerary? Sure, skip Belgium. Heck no, make sure you go there. What is your point?

Depends on what the rest of your itinerary looks like, what your interests are, how much time you have, how you are traveling, etc. What would you be giving up to go to Belgium? Example: choice between Paris and Belgium - hands down Paris. Choice between Amsterdam/Netherlands and Belgium - hands down Amsterdam.

Do you enjoy art and museums more or good beer and nightlife? Will you be with friends? Do you want to rent a bike and ride by canals and windmills - the slow life? Sounds as if you are young and that may make a difference also. Though I visited the Netherlands several times, I didn't get to Belgium until about my 12th trip to Europe. I really enjoyed Ghent and Brugge, also the beaches near Brugge. The landscape is pretty, some towns are charming or quaint, the food is great, people are super nice. In Brugge, I did see quite a few young backpackers and many people biking around.

Let me clarify...I am coming already going to Ireland, England, Germany, France, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland & Italy. I am taking a plan from England to ___________. I want to know if I should fly into Belgium & start my travels there or if I should skip Belgium & fly into the Netherlands instead.

Hard to answer that. If someday you're going to wake up and think "Darn! Why didn't I go to Belgium?" Go!

I've been to Belgium and I enjoyed it. I really liked Brussels and wouldn't mind going back. Brugges, imo, was just okay and it was pretty and a little boring.

Antwerpis one of myfavorite European cities, first class museums , easy to get around, good food , friendly people. We alos appreciated the WWI battlefields and cemetaries . Bruges is very nice for a short visit. Article in yesterdays NYX travel section for suggestions. I pass on Amsterdam for Antwerp but that is just me and I did enjoy my time in Amsterdam

We lived in the UK for five years. The first trip to Belgium would be the last...or so I thought. We liked it a lot more than we expected to and went back to Brussels, Brugge and Ghent, a total of about 5 trips. We loved the architecture, the food, found the people nice, and really good accommodation, especially in Brugge.

Kay

Alexandra, there's no way to answer this. We don't know what you like to do while traveling. Why not skip Germany, or Ireland.

If you like music, there are some big festivals in the summer in Belgium.

I think it;s sad you aren't visiting Scotland or Wales

With your itinerary and how the countries in Europe are juxtaposed geographically it sounds like it would be a lot easier to skip Finland.

I'd skip Uzbekistan too.

Alexandra,
I see you posted a couple of other similar questions. You also gave a list of countries you planned to visit, but it was pretty rough. Why don't you tell us what you are interested in and where you have dreamed of going, places that you think would be exciting to see. Draft a preliminary itinerary (not just a list), and people can help you focus and come up with a plan that is good for you and your personal interests.