Western Europe Itinerary Assistance

Posted by donna (Portland, OR) on 02/15/19 05:38 AM

My husband and I will travel to Europe in June. We have about 2/3 of our 24 day trip planned - 4 nights in the Berner Oberland of Switzerland, a 4 day bike ride in the Alsace region of France and 4 nights in Luxembourg City. We are dreaming of how we want to spend the remaining days before flying out of Brussels to return home to Oregon. While staying in Lux. City we plan to venture out to see more of that country, including to the small village of Moestroff near Diekirch to see where my husband's Great-grandfather lived. We are trying to decide if we should just take a side-trip to Trier, Germany or spend 2 nights there after Luxembourg, From there we will head to Belgium. Originally I thought we would stay in Brussels as our base, but as I have read more I am thinking of staying Ghent. I have recently become excited about seeing Rotterdam. (We have been to Amsterdam and loved it.)

Maybe 2 nights in Trier, 3 in Ghent, and then 3 in Rotterdam? I would love to hear the thoughts of other travelers.

Thank you,

Donna

Posted by grandma sunshine

02/15/19 01:38 PM

307 posts

I would also take accommodations in Ghent for all the reasons already mentioned.
consider the hotal Carlton, reasonable prices with a great breakfast. the proprietors are also very well-versed in tourist information.
Bruges is only a 30 minute train ride away.
Rotterdam is a very new, more architecturally modern city as compared to other part of of the Netherlands.

Enjoy going to Moestroff for the ancestral part of your trip.
My family did the same thing years ago, traveling to Alsace -Lorraine to visit the village where my Dad's great-grandfather lived. I wrote the Mayor ahead of time who met us, gave us a tour of the town and gave my Dad (now 92) photocopies of his great-grand-father's marriage certificate and copies of the Baptismal certificates of all his children.

Enjoy your trip!

Posted by donna OP

Portland, OR

02/16/19 04:31 AM

81 posts

Thank you. Your replies are very helpful. My husband has recently reclaimed his great-grandfather's Luxembourgish citizenship and so he is very interested in seeing the country, The country is so small it just seemed easiest to stay in one place and take day trips from the city,

Posted by Thomas

South-west Netherlands

03/22/19 09:20 PM

8 posts

Hi Donna,

If you are travelling to Rotterdam, think about visiting the old links this port city has with the USA. As already suggested, the SS Rotterdam is permanently moored within walking distance from the city centre. Now serving as a hotel and restaurant, but it used to be a Holland Amerika Line steamship to 'the new world'. Close to it is Hotel New York, the former headquarters of Holland Amerika Line and the starting point for thousands of emigrants from Europe to the USA. Than there is another old part of the town, Delfshaven, from which the Pilgrim Fathers boarded to the USA.

As you may already know Rotterdam is really different than Amsterdam. Both have their unique charm. I see that you like biking, try a bike tour in Rotterdam! Other than Amsterdam, Rotterdam has lots of separate bike tracks and easier traffic because the post WW2 city centre. You could visit highlights such as the Markthal, Cubus houses, Erasmusbridge, Scheepvaartkwartier, Katendrecht area, Euromast and a little further away, Schiedam. Taking a water taxi is also a lot of fun and provides you with a view on Rotterdam from the Maas river. Or take a boat ride on Spido to have a look at Europe's largest port.

Do you travel by car or train/public transport? By car Rotterdam - Antwerp is <1hr, Rdam - Ghent or Brussels about 1h45m, Rdam- Brugges 2h and Rdam - Lux City about 3.5h outside rush hours. All cities can also be reached by train quite easily. Rdam - Lux. City takes about 5 -5.5h and go via Brussels.

And although Luxembourg indeed is a small country it is very beautiful!

Enjoy your trip