AyQuehago

So I'm officially going to Paris!! I'm taking french classes for 2 weeks there and doing 2 side trips.
itinerary
arrive at CDG May 9 and take the train out to Brussels
stay there until sunday.
Return to paris
paris until may 26
take train to Rotterdam
Weds 28 take train back to paris
return to NY.

I have read a lot of posts on what to do in paris, great information but have not really found a lot on what to do in Brussels & Rotterdam. Any ideas?

I'll be going to the Brussels salsa congres but don't want to spend all my time there (plus it would be expensive) and I want to see Brussels, and I'll be visiting a school in Rotterdam but have 2(1/2) days of free time and not sure what to do in Rotterdam.

So what are the top things to go see in Brussels and Rottedam??

PalenQ

I spend a GREAT day in Rotterdam recently - i had a museum pass and visited about five museums and all of them were great, especially the modern art one

they are pretty much grouped together in museum park or whatever they call it

You may also want to take a boat ride thru one of the world's biggest ports that are offered

and go up the Mass Tower or whatever they call the thin very tall tower that looms over the port area.

Soccer fan - then the local Rotterdam football stadium has tours and is the home of a world-renown soccer team

Rotterdam is also known locally as Manhattan on the Maas, the river that runs thru it and has many tall buildings that are noted examples of modern architecture

I would definitely either take a boat or a tram-bus-ferry to nearby Kinderdijk, Holland's largest group of working windmills - from eons ago all set in a lovely natural setting

or hop the train for a short ride to Delft - one of Holland's finest old towns where you can visit the famous Porcelyne Fles (sp?) porcelain factory to see the world famous Delftware made.

So much to do so little time

And Rotterdam also has one of Holland's largest group of coffeeshops where you can buy and smoke cannabis legally from a posted pot menu. SensiSmile cafes are legendary.

yk

What are your interests? What I consider <b>top</b> things to do in Brussels and Rotterdam may be a complete bore to you.

To me, for Brussels:
1) Fine Arts Museum for its Flemish Primitives collection
2) Horta Museum and Art Nouveau walk
3) Grand Place
4) Chocolate shopping

For Rotterdam:
Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum

PalenQ

Rotterdam also has a Hollywood-esque Walk of Fame - by its old historic port right by one of the major museums - a ship museum - hundreds of hand prints in metal casts dot a walkway here - nearly every famous singer and rocker you can think of.

Mahya2

Find a train or bus that goes to Zeebrugge. So cute - huge town square, unique buildings, even a church with a Michelangelo in it - (didnt get in when I was there, was under rehab) horse drawn buggy rides, and canal rides - just so quaint - and if you like mussels, all the restaurants lining the Town Square serve famous beer and delicious mussels in sauce of your choice. Not to mention the chocolates and tapestries they're famous for. Just adorable place I'd like to go back to. Enjoy.

scatcat

If you can spare a couple of hours while you are in Rotterdam, you might want to take a 12 minute train ride to Delft. It is a nice canal town with old churches, bicycles, and just a pretty town. You can easily walk to the town center from the train station. The tourist information center is just off the square and you can use free internet.