We're Going to Belgium--Where else would you go?

[vc10um]

vc10um--I clicked your Neuschwanstein link, and oh my goodness-talk about breathtaking!
Thank you for the tips!

The castle was never finished (there are two in the area, but the one I am talking about is the fairy tale one. It's not that impressive inside, but worth it to go for some of the views, and it really is pretty, I would reckon almost any time of the year. I went in the winter, and it looked like a winter wonderland. It's interesting to read about the history of the prince who wanted it made. Ludwig (the second, I think?)

In Munich, there is an estate owned by Ludwig I, who built a "gallery of beauties"...women he thought beautiful, or maybe did something else with! The interesting part is that many of the women are commoners. There's a can can dancer or something such rather in there too. Just interesting to see the women of the time in all in one gallery.

Dachau is very thought provoking. If you can, go when you get a tour with a guide (I believe they are free). They give you so much more insight into what you are looking at...better than the audio guides we could rent at the time.

TGal, you're correct...it was never finished...however there are some truly spectacular rooms in the castle that WERE finished. The bed in "Crazy" King Ludwig II's bedroom is worth the trip alone in my opinion. Even at 16, I was in awe. And the opulence of the throne room and the minstrel hall are breathtaking. (I wish I had pictures of the inside, but they were not permitted 10 years ago when I went...I did, however, buy a postcard book which is currently serving to jog my memory!)

Princesss...I love the watermark on all your pictures! /end threadjack

 

[princesss]

Bahahahaha, vc10um! I just learned how to use picnik, so I'm playing around with it.

 

[Imdanny]

Nowhere. Once I got there I would just stay.

Was that politically correct?

Oops.

 

[Lula]

It sounds like you've done a lot of traveling in Europe, so you know your way around and can see some more off-the-beaten-track places. I like more outdoorsy activites, so my recommendations reflect that. I am not a camper, though, ha-ha, so I look for places that have natural beauty combined with clean, comfortable accommodations -- and good food and wine!

Biking in the Netherlands is so easy. We rented bikes in Amsterdam and headed out of town, stopping along the way in little towns. We followed roads and canals using a regular map. Everyone bikes in the Netherlands and Belgium -- and cars are required to give bikers the right of way. Near the train station in Amsterdam there is a huge parking structure filled with bicycles. It's a bike culture, which is cool.

If you are interested in seeing museums, Amsterdam has a wonderful collection of the old masters -- e.g., Rembrandt's Night Watch -- in the beautiful Rijksmuseum. Buy tickets ahead of time online -- it is often crowded, especially on the weekends. The Van Gogh museum is also a must-see for art lovers. The Stedelijk Museum has contemporary art. If you say away from Dam Square and head toward the museum district and the canals near there, you will avoid some of the scummier aspects of Amsterdam. There are many art galleries and antique shops in that area.

I also loved Bruges. It can be touristy, but the city's architecture is just wonderful -- like a movie set. I got up early and went for a run around the town when we stayed there. It was a great way to see the town before it was full of people.

The Sud Tirol is one of my favorite parts of Europe. You can take the Brenner Pass through the mountains from the North (Munich) and stay in Merano or Bolzano, which are two of the larger cities -- really more like large towns. Bressanone/Brixon is also a nice town. The area around the Dolomite mountains is stunning with lots of great hiking and charming small towns. It is a ski area, so there are lots of good restaurants, hotels, shops, and well-marked hiking trails accessible by chair lifts and cable cars. Here's the link to the region's website.
http://www.suedtirol.info/South_Tyrol/holiday/N-1001_0-en-holiday.html

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

I am with Imdamny on this.

When you are in Belgium, why would you bother going elsewhere? Granted, I am biased, but we have so much to enjoy, ranging from our historic cities Bruges (as mentioned), Antwerp (naturally), Brussels and the best kept secret Ghent to very special sites like Flanders' Fields, where part of World War I took place.

Combine that with the best food-culture of entire Europe, our beer, our pubs, our chocolates and our friendliness. Thus, my advice is: 'Why don't you stay, just a little bit longer?'

Live long,

 

[megumic]

Brugge (a zillionth time -- and ditto skipping Brussels)
Luxembourg for an overnight (stay at the Albert hotel)
Strasbourg, France (in Alsace region...)
Prague
Black Forrest in Germany is also very nice

So many places to go! No matter where you end up, you'll have a fabulous time!

 

[TravelingGal]

vc10um--I clicked your Neuschwanstein link, and oh my goodness-talk about breathtaking!
Thank you for the tips!

The castle was never finished (there are two in the area, but the one I am talking about is the fairy tale one. It's not that impressive inside, but worth it to go for some of the views, and it really is pretty, I would reckon almost any time of the year. I went in the winter, and it looked like a winter wonderland. It's interesting to read about the history of the prince who wanted it made. Ludwig (the second, I think?)

In Munich, there is an estate owned by Ludwig I, who built a "gallery of beauties"...women he thought beautiful, or maybe did something else with! The interesting part is that many of the women are commoners. There's a can can dancer or something such rather in there too. Just interesting to see the women of the time in all in one gallery.

Dachau is very thought provoking. If you can, go when you get a tour with a guide (I believe they are free). They give you so much more insight into what you are looking at...better than the audio guides we could rent at the time.

TGal, you're correct...it was never finished...however there are some truly spectacular rooms in the castle that WERE finished. The bed in "Crazy" King Ludwig II's bedroom is worth the trip alone in my opinion. Even at 16, I was in awe. And the opulence of the throne room and the minstrel hall are breathtaking. (I wish I had pictures of the inside, but they were not permitted 10 years ago when I went...I did, however, buy a postcard book which is currently serving to jog my memory!)

Princesss...I love the watermark on all your pictures! /end threadjack

True, and it's fun to use your imagination for the ones that weren't done. I just think I was hoping to see MORE, but I knew going in that it was unfinished.

 

[princesss]

I am with Imdamny on this.

When you are in Belgium, why would you bother going elsewhere? Granted, I am biased, but we have so much to enjoy, ranging from our historic cities Bruges (as mentioned), Antwerp (naturally), Brussels and the best kept secret Ghent to very special sites like Flanders' Fields, where part of World War I took place.

Combine that with the best food-culture of entire Europe, our beer, our pubs, our chocolates and our friendliness. Thus, my advice is: 'Why don't you stay, just a little bit longer?'

Live long,

Let's not forget the chips and mayonaisse! Seriously, Haven, you have to eat them. You'll be converted in the first bite and never touch ketchup with a fry again!

 

[TravelingGal]

I am with Imdamny on this.

When you are in Belgium, why would you bother going elsewhere? Granted, I am biased, but we have so much to enjoy, ranging from our historic cities Bruges (as mentioned), Antwerp (naturally), Brussels and the best kept secret Ghent to very special sites like Flanders' Fields, where part of World War I took place.

Combine that with the best food-culture of entire Europe, our beer, our pubs, our chocolates and our friendliness. Thus, my advice is: 'Why don't you stay, just a little bit longer?'

Live long,

Let's not forget the chips and mayonaisse! Seriously, Haven, you have to eat them. You'll be converted in the first bite and never touch ketchup with a fry again!

Nope, I went back to ketchup...less calories!

 

[princesss]

I am with Imdamny on this.

When you are in Belgium, why would you bother going elsewhere? Granted, I am biased, but we have so much to enjoy, ranging from our historic cities Bruges (as mentioned), Antwerp (naturally), Brussels and the best kept secret Ghent to very special sites like Flanders' Fields, where part of World War I took place.

Combine that with the best food-culture of entire Europe, our beer, our pubs, our chocolates and our friendliness. Thus, my advice is: 'Why don't you stay, just a little bit longer?'

Live long,

Let's not forget the chips and mayonaisse! Seriously, Haven, you have to eat them. You'll be converted in the first bite and never touch ketchup with a fry again!

Nope, I went back to ketchup...less calories!

Hahahaha! Yeah, I eat fries maybe 3-4x per year, so when I do, I go all out!

 

[Haven]

Thank you everyone! This thread has me so excited to TRAVEL! I can’t believe it’s already been six months since our Ireland trip, and really—PS helped make that trip amazing. I really, really appreciate everyone taking the time to give me advice and tips and share stories. I feel like this collective input really helped me get the most out of our (way too short) visit to Ireland, and I’m so excited to use it on our trip to Belgium this summer.

Basil--Bruges is definitely on the list, thank you! (Your avatar picture always makes me smile. I remember doing the same when you posted your awesome wedding pictures—you two are so beautiful together.)

Princesss—Beautiful pictures! Thank you for sharing. (I like your watermark, too. Fancy shmancy!)
That’s a gorgeous shot of the buildings along that street. I love the effect of the lights on the brick. (And look at you all adorable in that hat!)
And, did you say chips and mayonaisse? RAWR. As a Chicago girl, I’m not a big fan of ketchup, anyway. But you just rocked my world with that whole chips-and-mayo comment.
P.S. I love your quote. I’m a huge Dr. Seuss fan. (I’m actually thinking of getting another Dr. Seuss tattoo this summer . . . )

Swimmer—Thank you! I don’t know much about traveling to Prague, so I’m going to add that to my research list. I’ve always wanted to go, though. The trip I took to the Middle East in high school had two options: go to Poland and see two of the death camps before going to the ME, or go to Prague. I went to Poland, and I’m glad I did, but the Prague kids LOVED IT, and I’ve wanted to visit ever since.

Imdanny—A valid point! We’re usually one-country-per-trip people, but I’m open to moving around based on the region we’re visiting. We may stay in Belgium, OR (and especially after I check out everyone’s amazing tips) I may extend my trip and travel by myself after DH goes home/before he arrives. I have the whole summer free, but DH doesn’t like taking more than two weeks off of work at a time.

Lula—We like off-the-beaten-track and outdoorsy, too, so I really appreciate all of the info you’ve shared. Thank you!
I like your search for natural beauty with clean accommodations and good eats—sounds like a nice combo to me. (I’m a camper, but DH has become quiet a clean freak in his older age, so he prefers real walls.)
The bike culture in The Netherlands has me itching to go there, now.
Great link, thank you!

Paul—Thank you! I think I might stay a bit longer. I appreciate the specific tips, and added Ghent to my research list.
We have friends (a couple) that quit their jobs several months ago and headed off to Europe. They were gone for three months, and spent a lot of time in Belgium because they fell in love once they arrived.
They’ve given me some great tips, too, but they’re more food-and-drink-and-DRINK oriented than we are.

Megumic—Thank you! I really appreciate the specific references to locations and hotels, for some reason that always helps me get my footing when I’m researching a new (to me) area.

 

[dcgator]

I lived in Belgium for about a year, and would like to second the Antwerp (Antwerpen) recommendation, especially if you like diamonds

I don't agree however with the Brussels non-recommendation. While there is not the castles or other toursity type stuff, there are some AMAZING restaurants and farmers markets and other sort of places to go while there. So, don't plan on spending too much time there, but definitely a day or two, at least for the food.

I would also suggest a day in Knokke (sorry about the spelling, I can't remember it now). It is a little sea side town that has a kind of promenade along the water, loads of restaurants to eat at along the beach, and some cute little shops.

 

[katamari]

Yes! Belgium is so wonderful. Do you like beer? Or religion? There are so many great Trappist breweries in Belgium. We drank our way across the country a couple years back, and it was fantastic. My favorite was Maredsous, but Orval was beautiful and La Chouffe was the cutest. You would also have the opportunity to drink Westvleteren 12 at the Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren which is voted year after year after year the best beer in the world in multiple competitions. (DH has so much street cred from all his homebrewer and foodie friends that he has tried it). You can only drink it at the abbey or by getting cases by coincidentally driving up the abbey when they have to be selling. Can you tell I love beer? And especially beer made by monks?

Antwerp is really cool, too. And, I liked Brussels. If you elect to go, I will give more recommendations (but anytime you get DH in Belgium, we pretty much are only in pursuit of beer). The only bad thing about Belgium is that every meal is meat, meat, meat. Cured meat and eggs for breakfast, cured meet and bread for lunch, marrow and game for dinner. Pack some veggies.

I have to fully recommend Amsterdam. I do not think the city is dirty at all. Well, at least not if you stay out of the industrial downtown or the Red Light. Plus, they have the happiest place on earth. It is called De Pezenboot (The Cat Boat). It is a houseboat on one of the canals that feeds and provides veterinary care for any stray cat in the city that stops by or those who have just decided to live on the boat. The food is great. The Palace is beautiful. The Rijksmuseum is one of my favorite museums on Earth. Amsterdam is simply wonderful.

That said, I also love Prague and Austria. Couldn't you just say in Europe all summer?!

 

[mrscushion]

Definitely Germany (best time to visit!), followed by some hiking in Sud Tirol (South Tyrol). Fun!

 

[Amys Bling]

my favs- BRUGGE!!! AMSTERDAM!!! PRAGUE!!!

 

[tboz]

Hi Haven, I don't have time to post here often but I had to log in to ditto those who recommend Bruges (or Brugge to be more accurate)! We stayed at an awesome little B&B called AMPM about a 5 minute walk out of the centre of town. It is a great little town, we only spent a few days there but there is plenty more to do and I can't wait to go back (we are planning another trip to Europe next year). I highly recommend a bike ride to Damme (an old medieval town) as well as dinner at Passage for some Flemish stew! And the local beer (Brugse Zot) is awesome too!

 

[mayerling]

I missed this thread but wanted to contribute my two cents . Forgive the repetition as I didn't go through all the responses.

Within Belgium, Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp.
In the Netherlands, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
In France, Paris, Nice and Marseilles.
In the UK (a 2-3 train ride from Brussels via the Channel Tunnel), London (don't think you'd have time to do more in the UK).
And, also, Luxembourg! I don't know if anybody's suggested it, but it's a tiny country in Europe (lots of EU institutions are housed there), but it's beautiful and you could do the entire city of Luxembourg in one afternoon!

I attach a picture I took when arriving in Luxembourg by train from Germany (excuse the crappy cellphone pic). I think it looks quintessentially continental.

 

[kama_s]

Haven, we went to Belgium a few years ago as well. I LOVE Belgium, it's one of my favourite places in the world. This is how we organized our tour (my details on the order are REALLY fuzzy, I'll do my best to recount):

1- Amsterdam (we spent several days here, the hubster had some business stuff to attend to, plus a friend of ours was getting married in Appledorn)
2- Took train to Antwerp. Spent 1.5 days (I didn't care much for Antwerp, in hindsight, I wouldn't mind skipping it altogether)
3- Train to Brussels - BEST city ever! So much to do and eat. Belgian beer, waffles, fries, CHOCOLATE!
4- Train to Gent and then Brugges (only did 2 days here, hubby fell sick so used it more to relax. Brugges is very romantic, with cobblestone roads and such.)
5- Now this is where things get a bit fuzzy. I could've sworn we went to Salzburg by train, but Austria seems so far away. Anyways, we spent a day in Salzburg and the ice caves in Warfen.
6- Took a flight to Munich, spent 1.5 days there. We only spent time at Oktoberfest, which was our main reason to go down to Germany. Didn't do any other sight seeing, left it for another day.

I think we spent just over 2.5 weeks? It was one of the best trips we've ever taken. My ultimate vacation involves walking ALL DAY long in various cities trying to absorb their culture, eating yummy food, going to random street bars to get drinks, talking and making friends with locals, shopping. This trip was all that and more.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Edit: If you haven't been to France, then I would try and add that in - Belgium, Netherlands and France would make an ideal itinerary. We had already been to France and England the year prior, which is why we didn't do them in this trip.

Edit 2: Oops, didn't realize this was an old thread. I was in Egypt at the time, so that's my excuse

 

[Haven]

Hahahahaha! I saw this thread and clicked on it thinking "Oooh, I'm going to Belgium, too! Maybe I'll get some more great tips." I didn't realize it was *my* thread, resurrected.

Anyway, THANK YOU for all the great tips, everyone!

I still don't know what we'll be doing or where we'll be doing it. We actually decided to fly out of Switzerland, so we'll have to make our way over there at some point.

Kama and Kata and dcgator--Excellent tips, that is exactly the kind of information I'm looking for. Thank you!

Mayerling--Awesome picture! It makes me want to go RIGHT NOW.

I'll be in Belgium without DH for five days, but most of those days I'll be mingling with other reading specialists at a conference. (I'm so excited for this conference! I just need to figure out how I'm going to get all of the free books home . . . ) Then, DH is flying in to Brussels, and we'll have ten days together. It isn't much time BUT I have to be back the day after we fly home for the start of the school year, so we couldn't extend the trip any longer.

We're going to try to go up to Amsterdam before we go over to Switzerland, but I'm not sure that's a smart way to do it. I'll have to see. I'm speaking at another conference here in the states this Saturday, so my spring break has been consumed with preparing for that. I'm going to bring my travel books with me to the conference, though, so hopefully I'll get some planning done while I'm there.

I'm very excited. I really wanted to go to Germany, but when we realized we wouldn't have much time we decided to dedicate an entire trip to Germany, probably in 2013. (We're going to Italy with my mom summer of 2012, so that's out.) My family is from Berlin, and I really want to do some digging to get in touch with relatives and such when we're there. I'm also still a bit emotional about losing my grandma back in May of 2009, and I'm not sure I could really handle going to her hometown just yet.

ANYWAY, thank you for all of these great ideas, everyone. I can't wait to dive into planning this trip.

Kama--How was Egypt? I was there back in 1996 (I can't believe it was that long ago!) and loved it.

 

[mayerling]

I still don't know what we'll be doing or where we'll be doing it. We actually decided to fly out of Switzerland, so we'll have to make our way over there at some point.

Ooooh, Switzerland! I can't believe I forgot to mention it. I've always wanted to go (and still hope to make it there some day). I actually wanted to go there for my honeymoon, but FI (being quintessentially Californian) prefers Hawaii...

 

[panda08]

Congrats, what an exciting trip!

I haven't been to Europe so I don't have any suggestions but I love to travel and am taking notes from all these posts for future reference. Have a great time!!!

 

[Matata]

Haven....we'll be in Berlin, Dresden and Prague the same time you're over there. If you decide to visit Berlin, it would be great to meet up for a meal.

 

[mamong]

I'm echoing some responses here. When in Belgium, Brugge is a must-do. You could spend easily a couple of days there. Anwerpen, small and beautiful and people are friendly and it's central train station is one of the best in Europe. Bruxelles, maybe, for resto/bar hopping in the evening. From Belgium, I'd hop on a Thalys and go to Paris. 3-4 days minimum to explore the city. Before Paris you may want to go to Lille, a city in northern France near the border with Belgium, less known to tourists but interesting. In Paris you could hire a car; there are some one day trips to do to Normandie for example. If you'd like to go to Netherlands, Thalys go to Amsterdam from Bruxelles and Antwerpen. Once in Netherlands, it's easy to go from one city to another as it is a small country. Maastricht is one of my favourites.

Voila, places I'd go from Belgium. By train, I'd just sit pretty, browsing internet on my laptop or read books & mags, sipping my coffee (snacks, coffee and tea are served on Thalys, well at least the on Paris - Antwerpen trains). The train stations are usually in the heart of the city. No airport security checking, no airport waiting time, no cramp seat,...

 

[iheartscience]

Oooooh I have to ditto swimmer on going to Prague if you can. I love it there so much...it's probably my favorite of all the places I've ever visited. It's definitely my favorite European city!

 

[Bunny007]

I would go to Cologne and Paris. If I remember right, they're about a 3 hour train ride apart so you wouldn't waste precious vacation time with travel. The Cologne catherdral is, I think, the most beautiful I've ever seen. And you could practice your German!

If you had more time, I'd also suggest Berlin or Munich, but they're pretty far away.

 

[Po10472]

Bruge is beautiful and if you do go, as ForteKitty mentioned earlier, try the Hobbit restaurant its great, I recommend Chicken Flamande. Really good food and beer. Also, don't forget the chocolate and the waffles in Belgium, praline seashells, now you're talking!!

You could do the train to Paris via Reims and head down to Epernay and the Champagne houses, tis only a short journey away and perhaps take in a vinyard or two. Plus, the Eurostar from Paris will get you into London in 2 hours, if you felt the need for some British hospitality.

However, if you've never been to Prague, despite it being busy, it's a wonderul city, so much to do and see. There's also the wee town of Kutna Hora which is an hour or so outside Prague where you can visit the church of bones, which is exceptionally interesting.

Whatever you decide to do, it will be fantastic, so enjoy your holiday!

Po
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