travelrex

We are doing a three-week trip in May with two weeks already booked in The Netherlands. We still have 7 nights to book and were thinking of getting out of the Netherlands. We thought of taking he train to Cologne but not sure if that is an interesting enough option for 7 nights. Thought about Copenhagen but that would involve another flight. Now we are leaning towards Belgium with a combination of 7 nights in Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges. We have been to Brussels previously. Questions are:

Are all three worth visiting for a couple nights?
Are they different enough from each other to each be interesting?
With 7 nights one city would get 3 nights, which one?

joannyc

Bruges 3n, Antwerp and Brussels 2n each.

cdnyul

No, all three are good day trips from Brussels, not worth changing hotels three times in a week.
Perhaps split a week between Cologne and Hamburg.

hetismij2

If you want to go to Copenhagen then get the train. Maybe break the journey with a couple of nights in Hamburg.

https://www.seat61.com/international...dam-Copenhagen

dfourh

Two nights Antwerp, three nights Ghent (daytrip to Bruges), two nights Leuven.(daytrip Namur). [Bruges is just too commercial nowadays and overrun; Leuven is a gem, but you don't need that much time; Namur is really worth a visit too.]

joannyc

I loved Bruges. Planned an entire trip around it. You’ve already been to Brussels so no need to stay there. There is nothing like staying in these other cities at night! Much, much better than a day trip!

Tulips

Agree with 2 nights Antwerp - much better than a day trip. It will give you 2 evenings to eat out, and time to see some of the sites. Note that Rubens Huis is closed for renovations, but the fine arts museum KMSKA has reopened recently, and is well worth a visit. The Red Star Line Museum is also very interesting.
Take into account the public holidays in May; Ascension day May 18 (many people take a 4-day break) and Witsun weekend 28/29 May. These are popular weekends for city breaks in Europe, so if you are there during those weekends, book your hotel asap. Museums will be open but shops in Antwerp are mostly closed May 18 and 29.

texasbookworm

We had very limited time in Antwerp but really enjoyed MUSEUM PLANTIN-MORETUS; if you are "into" books/printing, this will fascinate.

We stayed in Ghent on the river and adored it; drove to Dunkirk and trained to Bruges.

Probably whichever way you divide up the time and places will be great--enjoy the food!!

michaelpianko

I spent 3 nights in Antwerp, 2 nights in Brussels with a day trip to Ghent. I could have occupied myself with one or 2 more nights in 1 or both cities. Antwerp has some good museums, the museum Plantin-moretus occupied me for about 3 hours, the snyders-Rockox house, I saw the Rubens house, missed seeing the museum MAS but went to the roof observation area. In Ghent I had time for the Ghent design museum (I would have been as happy ifmi had skipped it), a guided walking tour (I signed up at the tourist office - from the train station, take another local train to the stop by the castle. Across from the castle, cross a big paved area with tables and go through doors in the inside corner of a big L shaped collection of building); I had time for most of Gravensteen castle. The castle is good. Get the English audio guide. The art museum in Brussels occupied me for 5 hours even with irrationally skipping the Margritte collection. I should have seen the Margritte collection. For museums Antwerp is my top pick of the cities to stay in. I didn't make time for Brugges

lavandula

We just came back from 5 days in Brussels (inter alia) and did indeed see the Magritte Museum. We enjoyed it a lot - it would have been good to see some of the other museums in the same complex (Old Masters is on my radar for next trip) but I didn't know how far to push it with my teen daughter, who got some shopping time in as well. But by the end of it my daughter was interpreting the works for me and I think doing a good job. So, yes, Magritte is worth it.

Lavandula